Gold.. always believing

I know some days having a glamour job (talking about being a photographer) aint all as grand as what it would seem. Yes, there are little things like editing, and admin, and lying in sheep poo, and editing, and watching people drink beer, and tax, and editing.. you get my drift... but some days are diamonds. I mean literally GOLDEN. Lets just say I am now officially the luckiest Emerging Member of the AIPP (that is the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers) that they have ever seen.
For the last few years it has been a highlight of mine to choof off to the big smoke and watch the Annual print awards, where the countries most amazing talent put up their wares for everyone to see, they then mingle and party and inspire and support each other, I've watched (and quietly stalked) the likes of Todd Hunter McGaw, Dan O'Day and Jonas Peterson to the point that their people tell me to stop calling. My superstars are women like Charmaine Otto, and Samantha Lishman, and Vicky Papas Vergara who do it all and then go home and be good mothers with sensible hair cuts who pack school lunchboxes (except not the haircuts) I am in awe of them. So when I was finally convinced by my good friend and mentor Mercury Megaloudis, Grand Master yada yada ,  (a hundred years ago apparently he won everything there was to win at APPA) I thought OK, that will be my goal.

I will enter the awards.  So the daunting process of picking three images began, closely followed by the printing process *thank you Lydia at Megagraphics for your patience and understanding. Then of course the judging held at the  Melbourne "i'm not in Kansas anymore" Convention Centre.

To give you some idea, over 3000 images are judged, you would be very hard pressed to see a 'bad' image, I was just proud to be amongst it. Out of all those images  33.3% were awarded Silver Awards, 7% Silver with Distinction, and then the thing every photographer there dreams of.. Gold *heavens part and angels sing  2.83% of images received Gold Awards.

So to cut along story short, below are my three images.
#1  Silver Award in Wedding Category
#2  Gold  Award in Family Category
#3 Zero Award, but entered it in the Wedding category

Thank you again to those who supported me.  Thank you to my husband who did several loads of washing, that is a gold award right there.  Thank you  Gran for parenting for me when I am off shooting a wedding, thanks Willsy, Eliza and  thanks Claudie for including me in school news * my Mum is the BEST.  Lastly thank you Mercury, Understatement: Boy I have learnt a lot in the 12months I have known you!  Thank you to my clients who let me into their lives.  I want to give you  the best I can do,  I want you to love your wedding images and I want you to put that family portrait on the wall. This is just an award ....Oxygen, breathe  (thank you x)

Wagga Wagga Wedding and 
Wagga Wagga Family Portrait Photographer
Gold Award at AIPP 2013