23/01/2026
LONG POST ALERT:
Lilly Goes Solo - And That Matters
This year’s The Society of Photographers 20×16 competition carries a very special entry for us.
Lilly Von Pink
I first met Lilly over ten years ago when we commissioned her as a model on a major advertising shoot for Hähnel Industries Ltd. Captur trigger system. She was exceptional then - calm, professional, and camera-aware in a way you can’t fake.
Not long after, we discovered she was also a professional makeup artist. That made her invaluable. Since then, she’s been part of our world, part of the team, and part of how we deliver work at a serious level.
What I didn’t expect - and what genuinely stopped me in my tracks - came about two years ago.
Lilly came to me and said, quietly but clearly:
“I want to develop more in the company. I want to be a photographer.”
I was surprised. And deeply proud.
She’d already shown a strong eye for retouching and was producing solid, thoughtful work behind the scenes. In hindsight, this wasn’t a leap - it was a progression. So we did what we do best. We trained. Carefully. Properly. Staff development days fitted in around real work, real deadlines, and real pressure. There wasn’t as much time as I should have dedicated, we squeezed in what we could.
What’s interesting - and important - is that Lilly has been quietly shy through her development. Yes, really.
In fact, the first time I saw these images was when she told me she was considering entering the 20×16 and asked if I’d have a look.
What she presented were finished prints. Complete. Ready to mount. No work-in-progress. No hand-holding. No safety net.
And here’s the key point.
This is entirely Lilly’s work.
Unlike most mentees, there was no back-and-forth during the process. No critique mid-shoot. No steering. She chose to fly solo. Her words - not mine - were that she was worried people would say I’d “meddled”, or worse, that it was really me.
I understood exactly what she meant. And I respected the hell out of that decision.
First time. First proper competition entry. Flying absolutely solo.
The results?
Every image was above professional competition standard. One of my personal favourites fell just short of an 80 - and anyone who knows judging knows that’s a brutal place to land.
But here’s the truth.
Without formal photographic training.
Without structured mentorship.
Simply by listening, absorbing, and applying what she’s picked up through MMoS and the limited time we’ve had to train her internally…
…it’s a wow result.
This hasn’t even been a hobby. This is development at work. Growth through exposure, standards, and expectation.
As a team, we are immensely proud of her - not just for the images, but for pushing herself well outside her comfort zone and having the courage to put the work forward.
That’s all you can ever ask of anyone.
Now we set our sights on next year.
And we turn the training up for all.
I wanted to share her efforts and let her know she's well on the right path. She REALLY deserves a HUGE round of applause
