I’m thrilled to announce that I am now an Associate with The Portrait Masters!
This is my first accreditation as a professional photographer AND a goal I set for myself in 2021. And because I’m an over-achiever, it will definitely not be the last.
You may be wondering what this means. And isn’t this something all photographers do? Well, no, actually, not all photographers work towards accreditation. And it means that an international panel of master photographers has judged my work to be of a high professional standard. Which is really, really cool!
And also super validating! All the hard work I’ve put into learning this style of photography has paid off and I can now see how my work has evolved in just a few short years. When reviewing images for awards and accreditation, the judges are looking at a variety of elements, including composition, lighting, posing, and connection. I’m evaluating all of these and more every time I create an image, whether I’m creating for a client or myself. I’m sure anyone that’s been in front of my camera can feel the wheels spinning at full speed as I’m thinking through everything we need to get our desired result.
My accreditation journey started in 2020. Like many people at the start of the pandemic, work was slow and I spent the newly freed time catching up with what some of my favorite photographers were up to. One of these in particular, Sue Bryce, had created her own education platform for photographers, and attached to it was the awards and accreditation program.
I decided to join her platform and began practicing until I was confident enough to start asking friends to come over to sit for me. My confidence grew and I decided to retouch and submit a portrait I had taken of my daughter while on maternity in December of 2019.
I won my first photography award (and my initial point towards accreditation) for that image in June of 2021 and took that as the sign I needed to pursue studio photography as my next career. I started writing out my goals for the next 3-5 years and earning my Associate Accreditation with The Portrait Masters was top of the list. And I did it in three!
To top it off, a self-portrait I created for a project I will be launching soon was awarded a Silver and is my highest-scoring image to date!
I am so, SO proud of this achievement because it illustrates the dedication I have toward mastering the craft of portrait photography.
Like any skill, portrait photography takes time and a ton of effort to truly master. I’ve been in love with photography since a young age and have absolutely no idea how many hours I’ve put into since then, but I truly love it and know that my clients reap the benefits of that passion and hard work.
And, out of all of the genres I’ve worked in over the years, studio portraiture is one of my happiest places. I love that I get to really connect with my clients while they’re in my studio. With my background in documentary filmmaking, I enjoy getting to know new people and hearing their stories in an intimate setting. I love helping people relax and enjoy themselves while also having beautiful portraiture made of them for either personal branding or to cherish and hang on the wall.
Another bonus to studio work is that we’re not bound by the weather or slowed down by having to acquire location permits or have to drag all of The Things (wardrobe, equipment, etc.) around with us from place to place.
A studio photography experience is something everyone should experience at least once in their lives – but really, why not do it over and over again? Especially when you’re working with a photographer who knows how to hold space for you to be your truest, more genuine self. Like me. 🙂
I am so grateful for all the clients that I’ve had since I started my accreditation journey because, without that work, I would not have been able to achieve this accreditation milestone.
Thank you.
