It has finally sunk in!!!
Now that I have processed it all and everything has calmed down, I thought I best explain exactly what I have achieved as an award winning photographer last year. Photography is not just a job, its me on a plate offering my heart and soul by creating the very best images for my clients to enjoy. As every day passes by we get so engrossed and wrapped up in life, that time goes by in a flash and to be able to look back on captured memories really is something very special.
So what exactly is an award winning photographer?
You often google photographers and so many claim to be award winning photographers, which is amazing. It makes me so happy when photographers take their job seriously and want to do a good job for their clients, but what does it mean? Well for me, it means that for the past 2 years running I have been in the top 10 maternity, newborn and baby photographers INTERNATIONALLY, winner of the photographers bar, a unique award that shows that consistency I have won multiple awards throughout every month of the year, over 200 award winning images and perhaps my most exciting award “Runner up Image of the Year” voted for by my peers in the industry. Wow, as I typed that I shed a little tear, I am so proud to be a multi award winning photographer.
Top 10 International Maternity, Newborn and Baby Photographer of the Year 2019!
Specialising in Newborn photography, this one is so special to receive. For the past two years I have been entering The Guild of Photographers monthly competition and each time I have entered I have won multiple awards for my imagery. Each time I enter my photography improves and I am becoming the multi award winning photographer that I always dreamed I would be. Every image entered is a client image, therefore all my clients have been presented with award winning images from their photography sessions, whether it be from their newborn, baby or maternity galleries. This really does make me the proudest award winning photographer out there. It makes my heart sing to know that my clients trust me to capture the most amazing images and they are never disappointed, the smiles on their faces when they receive their gallery says it all. To be voted in the top 10 internationally for two years in a row is a dream come true. Below is a video of all the images that helped me win such an amazing title.
To see more of my award winning work please click here https://sarahsmithphotography.co.uk/portfolio/
Runner up Image of the Year 2019
Over 13,500 images are entered into The Guild of Photographers competition each year. They are submitted from photographers all over the world and cover a variety of genres, from wedding photography to equine photography to portrait photography etc. In February 2019, I decided to do something a little different. I invited my Nan, a beautiful, elegant, strong 95 year old East End girl into the studio to have her portrait taken. I did this as I felt, with Nan not getting any younger, the family did not have enough images of her. It’s so important to capture the ones we love as we have no clue on just whats around the corner. Nan obliged and I took a few shots of her sitting on her walker for comfort. Her gallery was simply stunning, but it was a cheeky image of Nan swearing and sticking her tongue out that won the judges over. I wanted this shot to show the world exactly what Nan thought of being 95. I deliberately edited it in black and white and brought out all Nan’s facial features, leading to an iconic image of an elderly lady enjoying life. I believe the image symbolises so much for so many people. Nan’s image won a gold award, my first gold award winning photo, a true moment of elation for not just me, but all the family. But then came the icing on the cake when the image was chosen as the Runner up Image of the Year 2019 by all of my peers in the photographic industry. Nan’s image is loved by so many people that it received recognition by the local press and featured in the Echo newspaper twice and even the BBC, where Nan and I were interviewed by radio Essex. A cherished memory for Nan and I that I will never forget.
Member of the award winning Photographers Bar
Well what is the Photographers Bar and what does it mean? Well, as per The Guild of Photographers the “Membership of the ‘Photographers Bar’ is a unique distinction awarded to those photographers who have successfully had images assessed by the Guild of Photographers over the course of a year and have attained a score that evidences an exceptional level of professional skill and consistency throughout that a full year.” This one is quite an award and a true honour to receive. It shows that throughout the year I have won awards every time I have entered proving that I am consistently providing my clients with the standard of imagery that they should expect when choosing a professional award winning photographer.
These awards mean so much to me. When you work for yourself it can be a lonely old business, you have no one to run ideas by or even anyone to pat you on your back to say that you are doing a good job. This is what winning these awards means, a way of proving to myself that I am being the best award winning photographer that I can be and that I am keeping to a standard of imagery that my clients will respect and love. Photography is a luxury, but to capture memories just as I do is a necessity for all of us. We really do not know what journey life is going to take us on and it’s so important to remember as much of as we can along the way.
To learn more about The Guild of Photographers and what they can do for you, please follow the link below.
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