If anyone needs me I’m just floating on cloud 9 !
If anyone needs me I’m just floating on cloud 9!
One of my best investments ever has been my membership to the SWPP (Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers) – a Professional Society of Photographers who are there to support one another with guidance, mentoring, a monthly image competition and challenging qualifications process. All of this helps me to become a much better photographer and business person.
The Qualifications run in the order of Licentiate – entry level, Associateship – Intermediate & Fellowship – Advanced practitioner. I really believe whole heartedly that it is important in this game to UP YOUR GAME in the way of this process, as sometimes we can become stagnant in the learning curve or it can just plain level out! After achieving my Photography degree in 2015, I have always reflected on just how much I grew as a Photographer in the process and how before starting my degree education, I had little or no ‘stamp’ or style to my images. It isn’t easy discovering who you are as a ‘digital photographic artist’ when you are always shooting for someone else, so the degree gave me the exact challenge I needed in the way of its open ended proposal and freedom of interpretation.
So for the last two years I have been working towards achieving my Associateship level with SWPP. It was a requirement that I submit 20 images for critique which showcased my style. This all took place at the SWPP Convention and Trade show last week in London, which is now the biggest and best of its kind in Europe.
So now I am just home from quite simply the most AMAZING weekend of my Photography career / life so far! I am VERY excited to announce that my panel of 20 images qualified me for my Associateship which was judged live by five Fellows of SWPP. I am also gobsmacked to have won 5 Print Awards in the 20×16 Competition last night for my images pictured here, along with completing my very first Masterclass on Gay / Alternative Weddings.
In one weekend I have conquered many fears, become an educator and gained ground & recognition in areas I NEVER thought possible!
HUUUUGE THANK YOU’S go out to the following people for guiding me in all the right directions: Brett Florens for all the industry guidance / Donal Doherty for my business mentoring / The Societies of Photographers for the opportunity to speak & my daughter Imogen Meston for her unwavering belief in me & for putting up with my (at times) one track guided missile vision!
I would also like to give props to all the suppliers / models / MUA’S & clients I have worked with on these images and give special thks to Aušra Kelpšaitė … I am currently floating on Cloud 9 which is where I will reside for the forseeable future… p.s I don’t EVER plan to come down! 😉
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