Speak to professional photographers and fashion photographers like myself and they generally agree that the pressure to meet client requirements and the
need to make a living can restrict creativity, so always put some time aside
for your own development. I try to achieve this by using local photography competitions and
camera clubs are a grand source of challenge especially if the judging is by experienced
photographers, successful in their own right, and sometimes of international
class.
As a member of the Richmond Camera Club in North Yorkshire I was at first skeptical of competition based activities and how generally these can be driven by elitism. Joining as a novice and seeing such a high standard of photography, easily in the professional class, it was daunting to be pitched into competitions and to have your work critically assessed at this level.
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| Ready for the Fight Model: Jonathan George |
As a member of the Richmond Camera Club in North Yorkshire I was at first skeptical of competition based activities and how generally these can be driven by elitism. Joining as a novice and seeing such a high standard of photography, easily in the professional class, it was daunting to be pitched into competitions and to have your work critically assessed at this level.
So I took it slowly and once I realized how
I could tap into the help that was there and learning from the standards in the
competitions, it spurred me on. After working at it last year and making my way
into the advanced class I (surprisingly) find I am continuing in a winning streak.
But, photography, being a creative art, requires continual striving and one of the biggest obstacles is the susceptibility to complacency and even laziness, and as pointed out by a fellow club member if it wasn’t for the competitions and the challenge from some superb photography we would all too readily drift away.
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| Angel Light Model: Eliza Tate |
But, photography, being a creative art, requires continual striving and one of the biggest obstacles is the susceptibility to complacency and even laziness, and as pointed out by a fellow club member if it wasn’t for the competitions and the challenge from some superb photography we would all too readily drift away.
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| Thinking of You Models: Hayley McKay and Jonathan Snowdon |
So, if I have a message, it is don’t give up at the first hurdles, and give camera clubs a go and get stuck into the challenge of the competitions. It helped me a great deal.
Here is my latest winning entry (credit to model Eliza Tate and make-up by Sarah Stonehouse. Fashion is by Isabel Wong Designs)
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| Eliza Model: Eliza Tate |
