Award-winning photography?

juggler

juggler

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I'm not a pro but this seems the best place for the question.. mods, feel free to move it if there's somewhere more appropriate.

While I was looking around the internet at the sites of photographers local to me, I noticed that many of them include the phrase 'Award-Winning Photography'. Very few actually go on to document the awards, and the standard of their work is often lower than you might expect for such high praise.

So what's the source of the awards? A couple of people have suggested that I enter some competitions (a) for the experience and (b) to improve the standard of my own work. So where to start? I'd like to regard my own stuff as creative portraiture.

Disclaimer: I'm not vain enough to think that I could actually win anything yet.
 
you could win an award in 5th grade and call yourself "award winning" if you wanted to.
 
Life is too short to worry about how others portray themselves on the internet! Besides, all other accolades are somewhat pointless as I hold the title of "World's greatest Photographer" 'cos my mum said so.
 
juggler said:
While I was looking around the internet at the sites of photographers local to me, I noticed that many of them include the phrase 'Award-Winning Photography'.

So what's the source of the awards? A couple of people have suggested that I enter some competitions (a) for the experience and (b) to improve the standard of my own work. So where to start? I'd like to regard my own stuff as creative portraiture.

Disclaimer: I'm not vain enough to think that I could actually win anything yet.
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Good question - you could always drop them a note and ask them!

As has been said, technically speaking you could win the wooden spoon for photography at primary school and describe yourself as 'award-winning'. And if the award isn't specified by the photographer then it's probably not something the photographer is particularly proud of. For that reason I would only give credence to the 'award-winning' description if it's accompanied by quality evidence, and if that evidence is represented by the better-known industry awards and distinctions then so much the better.
 
well, as I'm likely be be awarded "worst photo" in this months Staff POTY competition, I guess I'll have to update my website...

or not.
 
Lindsay D said:
Good question - you could always drop them a note and ask them!

As has been said, technically speaking you could win the wooden spoon for photography at primary school and describe yourself as 'award-winning'. And if the award isn't specified by the photographer then it's probably not something the photographer is particularly proud of. For that reason I would only give credence to the 'award-winning' description if it's accompanied by quality evidence, and if that evidence is represented by the better-known industry awards and distinctions then so much the better.
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There's the heart of the matter. Which are the better-known industry awards and distinctions? As a newb, the only one I know of is the Taylor-Wessing prize.
 
juggler said:
the only one I know of is the Taylor-Wessing prize.
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:eek::LOL:

The awards most likely to be entered by photographers would be those run by the leading institutions such as the RPS, BIPP, MPA, SWPP and others such as Sony, Kodak, wildlife photographer of the year etc. The main photography magazines also have their own very good POTY competitions. If any of the better competitions were described and linked to by photographers then I think it would be fairly easy for even the most casual viewer to determine if the award had credibility, plus they would be able to research it if they wanted to.
 
Lindsay D said:
The awards most likely to be entered by photographers would be those run by the leading institutions such as the RPS, BIPP, MPA, SWPP and others such as Sony, Kodak, wildlife photographer of the year etc. The main photography magazines also have their own very good POTY competitions.
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Thank you.. I'd subconsciously discounted those run by trade bodies since I'm not a member and hadn't see a lot of value for me in joining one, but I shall take a closer look.
 
juggler said:
Thank you.. I'd subconsciously discounted those run by trade bodies since I'm not a member and hadn't see a lot of value for me in joining one, but I shall take a closer look.
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They really are terrific, but the competition is unbelievably tough these days. But if you're successful the prizes are nice. I was recently at the Societies convention in London and the foyer of the hotel displays the images entered into the 20x16 print competition - the standard was just jawdropping. Going to look at the shots in the various categories was inspiring, doing this really spurs me on to keep moving forward.
 
juggler said:
A couple of people have suggested that I enter some competitions (a) for the experience and (b) to improve the standard of my own work. So where to start? I'd like to regard my own stuff as creative portraiture.
.
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If theres a decent club* near you club competitions are worth a go for the purposes yuou suggest. plus of course theres the TP POTY competition (and if you just want inspiration and critique, although they arent competitions you could look at things like the TP 52

(*by decent i mean not one full of beardy weirdys who think you arent a photographer if you don't use leica)

I wouldnt use winning any of the above as reason to brand myself as 'award winning' - although there was a twassock a couple of years back who had "a valued member of talk photography" as a description in his "about me" section.. :confused:
 
Daryl said:
I always look at other peoples work and think WOW!!!! So I never enter anything... And yet some times other folk like my odd work..... I think 'Why?'
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I think that's because you're so used to seeing your own work that you've become a bit immune to it. I feel the same, but that's no reason not to enter a competition if you fancy it. You might be pleasantly surprised! I remember a few years ago thinking about entering the Societies competition and feeling deflated when I saw how terrific the other work was. I almost didn't enter and then one day I realised I had nothing to lose. I didn't expect to win anything, but when I did it gave me a really big confidence boost. Is also spurred me on to keep entering competitions and it's been very worthwhile. Of course there will be loads of competitions where we won't win anything at all, but that shouldn't put us off. I always tried to push myself harder each year and competitions really help with that - they helped me to raise my game. That's why I will always disagree when people insist that awards are a waste of time and are of no value to a business. Sure, they're not at all essential for marketing or bringing in customers, or for being financially successful - but if they make you improve then that has got to be a good thing for your confidence, your customers, and your bank balance.
 
Lindsay D said:
I think that's because you're so used to seeing your own work that you've become a bit immune to it. I feel the same, but that's no reason not to enter a competition if you fancy it. .
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I get a wow from looking at a lot of your work ... and some of Daryl's to be fair... but I definitely wouldn't enter one of those competitions myself as not only is mine not worthy of being in the same room, it not even in the same building... more like across the street in a coal bunker. ;)
 
The 'award winning' photographers near me range from the awe inspiring to the awful. Oddly so do the non award winning ones.

Some people like to join societies, and to win plaudits, some are less bothered. Horses for courses.


I do hope no one mentions starting your own society and then getting awards from that. Because that's getting petty.
 
Phil V said:
I do hope no one mentions starting your own society and then getting awards from that. Because that's getting petty.
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Are you saying my FBSMA wasnt honestly earned ? :bat: :ROFLMAO:
 
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Daryl said:
always has to have a movie with the Red Baron in......
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That sounds like a complete fokker ;)

You want to try and get him to move on to 'dawn patrol'

(oh and if you never get spare time, how are you going to get Lindsay into the woods :naughty: )
 
Sometimes depending on the type of photography you do,some awards can be useful to get better commission,but at the end of the day your only as good as your last photo :)
 
juggler said:
While I was looking around the internet at the sites of photographers local to me, I noticed that many of them include the phrase 'Award-Winning Photography'. Very few actually go on to document the awards,
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Then either A) Lying, or B) Just camera club or magazine awards. If you feel the need to mention, you'd list them if they were worth listing.
 
Daryl said:
Website revamp over Easter.... I'm going to mention my Lego award for bravery........
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I am afraid I am bound to get more bookings than you then Daryl as i have the

Best Lego Wedding Photographer 2014 Award , given to me by my son

lego%20wedding.jpg


The groom need to polish his shoes mind !


Andrew D Davies BLWP
 
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Furtim said:
Life is too short to worry about how others portray themselves on the internet! Besides, all other accolades are somewhat pointless as I hold the title of "World's greatest Photographer" 'cos my mum said so.
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Then from that comment alone they make a Facebook photography pages and charge £20 for weddings...
 
I enter a lot of awards - mainly MPA, WPPI & Taylor Wessing. I enter them not only because its fun but as WPPI puts it, the main reason for entering awards is that it "...encourages excellence, educates and motivates you to be constantly committed to your craft". It also gives you the opportunity to have your work judged by people who know what they are talking about. Constructive criticism is always a good thing.

What does annoy me is when photographers grossly exaggerate (or blatantly lie) about their achievements - and a lot do. As Juggler suggests, their standard of thier work does not meet their hype. If I am fortunate enough to win anything, I detail it accurately on my site. so if I win an award at a regional comp, I state that. I know one particular individual who regularly writes misleading/untrue statements about his achievements. Thankfully the trade body he's a member of knows about this and has pulled him up on at least 2 occasions.
 
i could put....As seen on TV ............. Been on loads as the camera passes by.. you have to be quick to spot me though

i could put...Award winning photographer............. Yeagh as all the answers above..

i could put... Senior member of the Sports Photographers Society of Excellence and put S.P.S.E. after my name .... the fact that i would have started the society and am the only member is of course brushed under the carpet

i could do a lot of things... But I just put pics up and a for sale sign :)
 
I attempted a cycling proficiency certificate, apparently wheelies are not allowed. :banana:
 
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