Awards & Qualifications
Awards
2008
Gold Award Winner - Fine Art & Illustrative - North West Professional Photographer Awards 2008
Certificate of Merit - Fine Art & Illustrative - North West Professional Photography Awards 2008
Finalist - Towergate Fine Art Competition 2008
Finalist - Fine Art & Illustrative - North West Professional Photographer Awards 2008
Finalist - Fine Art & Illustrative - North West Professional Photographer Awards 2008
2007
Overall Winner - Professional Section - Stefan Buczacki Garden Photography Competition 2007
Winner - Professional Class A - Plants & Flowers- Stefan Buczacki Garden Photography Competition 2007
Semi-finalist - International Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007
Certificate of Merit - Art of Science - BPPA Photography Awards 2007
Certificate of Merit - Art of Science - BPPA Photography Awards 2007
Certificate of Merit - Art of Science - BPPA Photography Awards 2007
Certificate of Merit - Pictorial/Illustrative - BPPA Photography Awards 2007
Certificate of Merit - Pictorial/Illustrative - BPPA Photography Awards 2007
Nomination - Peter Grugeon Award - Best BIPP/MPA Associate Panel 2007
Commendation - Cuerden Valley Photographic Competition 2007
2006
Winner - Protecting Wildife for the Future - Wild Art Expo 2006
Winner - Professional Class A - Plants & Flowers - Stefan Buczacki Garden Photography Competition 2006
Semi-finalist - International Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2006
Certificate of Merit - Art of Science - BPPA Photography Awards 2006
Certificate of Merit - Pictorial/Illustrative - BPPA Photography Awards 2006
Certificate of Merit - Pictorial/Illustrative - BPPA Photography Awards 2006
Certificate of Merit - Pictorial/Illustrative - BPPA Photography Awards 2006
Merit Award - Fine Art & Illustrative - BIPP/MPA NorthWest Photography Awards 2006
2005
UK Photographer of the Year 2005 - Pictorial/Illustrative BPPA - British Professional Photography Awards 2005
Award of Excellence - Pictorial/Illustrative - BPPA - British Professional Photography Awards 2005
Award of Excellence - Art of Science - BPPA - British Professional Photography Awards 2005
Certificate of Merit - Pictorial/Illustrative - BPPA - British Professional Photography Awards 2005
Runner-up - Peter Grugeon Award Best BIPP/MPA Licentiate Panel 2005
2004
Finalist - BJP Portfolio Competition 2004
Qualifications
Masters Degree in Fine Art - 2007-2009
I am currently working towards an MA in Fine Art at the University of Central Lancashire, on the Site & Archive Interventions pathway. This provides me an opportunity to extend my research and archiving interests in a fine art context whilst producing images and learning more about the art world.
Associate of British Institute of Professional Photography - 2007
I was thrilled to achieve Associateship of the BIPP in Spring 2007 this time in the Scientific category. I was encouraged to apply in this category due to the background research I undertake on each of the subjects in my images regarding habitat, environment, scientific names and etymology as well as historical references. This was a massive project and one on which I spent a geat deal of time working, not just on taking and preparing the images but in writing the accompanying Working Profile and in the scientific research I did into the subjects. This has been a thoroughly worthwhile experience - I have learned so much from having to really focus on my images and on my working practices as well as on the knowledge I gained that I wanted to take this even further. It became the impetus to go for an MA.
My Associate panel was nominated for the Peter Grudgeon Award for Best Associate Panel in 2007. I am indebted to Eric Jenkins FBIPP for acting as my mentor on this project, for his encouragement and for his faith in me. I am delighted to be able to work with him again in preparing for a Fellowship application in the next year or so.
Licentiate of British Institute of Professional Photography - 2005
I achieved the Licentiateship qualification in May 2005 in the Pictorial/Illustrative category. The panel of 20 images was one of only seven to receive a nomination for the coveted Peter Grudgeon Award for the Best Licentiate of 2005. With many thanks to Ray Lowe FBIPP for his invaluable mentoring, sometimes brutal honesty and for helping me to focus my mind on where I want to go. Ray literally rushed me through this project, in just six weeks, so it is thanks to him that I passed “with flying colours”.
Memberships
British Institute of Professional Photographers - BIPP
The BIPP is the qualifying body for professional photographers in the UK whose qualifications are world renowned and accepted globally. To qualify as a member, photographers must present a panel of 20 images for assessment by a qualifying board consisting of six Fellows of the Insitute and in addition provide a written Working Profile detailing their working practices. The panel of images must work together as a cohesive set and meet various technical, creative and presentation standards. The BIPP maintains a high standard at every level of qualification and the higher the level, the more stringent the requirements. To aid with preparing for a submission at any level, a mentoring service is offered by a number of Fellows of the Institute which is extremely worthwhile.
Association of Photographers - AOP
The Association of Photographers (AOP) is an International organisation of over 2,000 professional photographers engaged in the fields of advertising, editorial and fashion, bringing professional photographers together, protecting their rights and promoting photography. Membership of the AOP is highly regarded by Art Directors, Editors, Design Studios and clients involved in advertising and design.Membership can only be gained by being proposed and seconded by two existing AOP members together with a submission of a portfolio of images which have been commissioned and published. I am grateful to Pippa Calvert and Matt Cant for proposing and seconding me for membership. I was elected as a member in May 2005.
Royal Photography Society - RPS
I joined the RPS as a Licentiate after qualifying with the BIPP. Membership of the RPS also provides opportunities to join two or more specific special interest groups and to participate in the active programme of field visits and meetings the society has. The members have diverse interests and all seem to be very friendly. I have joined the Creative Group Northwest branch, who meet up regularly, and organise visits of various interests. I have also recently joined the national Visual Art group, who run several successful postal portfolios, in which I am enjoying participating.
