“Multiple awards with The Guild of Photographers”
“Qualified Baby and Newborn Photographer 2018”
“Newborn Photographer of the year 2018 – Essex” Lux Life Magazine
“Top Ten National Finalist for Baby Photography in The Guild of Photographers Founders Cup 2018”
I began my professional journey in newborn and baby photography in 2016, after wanting to merge my love of photography and midwifery. From experiencing the magic of having my own two daughters and after helping to deliver my goddaughter a few years back I fell in love with everything to do with child birth and everything that goes along side it.
I first took the plunge by driving hundreds of miles to complete my first set of newborn posing and safety training and I loved every minute of it. It certainly felt like I had found something that I could give my all too, and with more and more training, it quickly developed into me having my own amazing independent award winning company providing a service of excellence to all my clients.
Awards with the Guild of Photographers
The past year has just been incredible. In September 2017 I won my first set of prestigious awards with the Guild of Photographers. The Guild of Photographers (The Guild) is a professional organisation that supports and mentors photographers to be the best photographers that they can be. They are run by a highly regarded group of highly skilled professional photographers and without them I just wouldn’t be where I am today.
Each month The Guild run an “Image of the Month (IOM)” competition designed to push photographers to challenge themselves and produce exceptional images to be judged by a panel of some of the best photographers in the industry. In the last year I have challenged myself to enter month on month and I am delighted to have won awards in every month entered. Below are the very first images that were awarded a bronze bar by the The Guild. A Bronze bar is a highly sort after award and the Guild describe this as a professional level of imagery that is incredibly tough to achieve.
Since last September I have won 56 awards with The Guild and even managed to achieve an impressive silver bar, these are only given to images that are very well crafted and they are extremely difficult to achieve. I must admit when the results came through for this particular month, I couldn’t stop crying, I was very proud of my little old self and felt truly honoured that I was chosen to capture the two twins that won me this award.
Qualification in Newborn and Baby Photography
Although winning the awards has been absolutely incredible, I still wanted to prove to myself that my newborn and baby imagery was amongst the best in the industry, and I thought that it was about time that I had some letters after my name, to show just how good my images were and that I conduct my newborn sessions in the safest and most professional way.
So in April 2018, I plucked up the courage to place 21 of my images from 7 regular client sessions in front of a panel to be judged, alongside a supportive statement. All of these images had to be of exceptional quality and were judged on my technical skill, consistency, lighting, composition, styling, the list goes on. As you can imagine my stomach was in knots as I waited patiently for the result and I am over the moon to say that I passed first time with no advisories. I couldn’t believe it, The Guild had recognised my work and working practice to this high standard and with my new title of Sarah Smith QGBNP (Qualified with the Guild of Baby and Newborn Photography) I also became an ambassador for them. I am incredibly proud of this achievement and just adore all the little babies that helped me achieve it.
Here is what the Guild officially say about this level of achievement
“The Qualified status is aligned to standards of competence that reflect a level where the customer should be ‘pleased with the results’, when employing the services of a skilled tradesman (the photographer). In other words “Qualified” indicates professional ‘competence’ to a level where the Guild is willing to recognise the photographer as an ambassador of the association, so those who achieve that level should be proud of doing so”
Here is the collection of all my beautiful tiny clients …..
A huge big thank you to Fox…..
A huge big thank you to Harry …..
A huge big thank you to Kit …..
A huge big thank you to Luna Violet …..
A huge big thank you to Oscar …..
A huge big thank you to Tallulah …..
A huge big thank you to identical twins Poppy and Isabella …..
Newborn Photographer of the Year 2018 – Essex
Back before the summer I received an email from Lux Life magazine to say that a number of people had nominated me to be awarded “Newborn Photographer of the Year 2018” for Essex. At the time I wasn’t even aware that this award existed, but I was dying to know who nominated me so I called the magazine. Of course they were not able to give me any names, but they did tell me that they had a large numbers of calls and online nominations for my business, each stressing how amazing I am at my job and how there is no one better. As you can imagine, i was and still am incredibly touched that those people who took the time to nominate and vote for me. I accepted the nomination and thought no more of it.
Then to my amazement I received the email in August, (whilst sitting on my sun bed in Mallorca, I might add!!) that they had done extensive research into what I do and have awarded me with the title of Newborn Photographer of the Year 2018. At first I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I must have read the email one hundred times. I still didn’t let it sink in, until the press release came out and my company was named amongst the winners, for each category, online.
I am still in shock to win such a title, but it just goes to show how much I love my job. I put my heart and soul into every session and I am just so pleased that my clients are getting the experience that they deserve at their newborn session and award winning images that they will be able to cherish forever.
Here is a link to the magazines website to see my company name up in lights. A huge big thank you to everyone that nominated and voted for me, I can’t thank you enough.
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