4. The Power of Recognition: Why Entering Photography Awards Can Elevate Your Career

australianphotographer photographybusinesscoach photographycoach photographypodcast podcastphotography Apr 20, 2023

Today I talk about the benefits of entering photography awards and how it's really helped me in my business. Entering competitions was such a game changer for me to really expedite my technical ability and skills.

But I realised very quickly that the reason I was entering photography awards was for external validation. You need to do the inner work to fill your cup too.

In this episode we cover:

Introduction to episode
How entering awards, for me, was for external validation.
The value in going through the process of entering awards.
How entering awards filled my cup.
How I felt when I won an award.
How you should fill your own internal cup so that you don’t need external validation.
The benefits of entering photography awards; I was able to look at my work objectively.
Competitions allowed me to step outside and look at my images in a different way.
Photography competitions force you to make sure that the image you are entering is technically competent.
After entering competitions, the way I delivered to my clients on an everyday basis went from zero to hero. It changed the way I shot, edited and delivered photos.
Entering competitions was such a game changer for me to really expedite my technical ability and skills.
I asked friends about my work to get their honest feedback, including male photographers.
How I won Documentary Photographer of the Year for WA and the Print Handlers Award.
Entering competitions helps you to see what judges look for in images.
Now I’m lucky enough to be a judge.
I now look at other people’s work and provide feedback.
I hope you feel like you can enter photography competitions.

Australian Photography Awards

International Photography Awards

If you frothed over this episode, SUBSCRIBE or FOLLOW & it would mean the world to me if you leave a review on Apple or Spotify.

Please note that these competitions may have specific rules and guidelines, as well as entry fees, so be sure to carefully read the requirements before submitting your work.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

Belle Verdiglione Instagram: @belleverdiglione
Camera Queens Facebook: @thecameraqueens
Camera Queens Instagram: @the_cameraqueens

Belle Verdiglione is your break-the-rules business coach, speaker, author and founder of Australia’s fastest growing female and non-binary photography community, The Camera Queens. Her ethos and soul’s mission is supporting women photographers to create a profitable and sustainable business that allows their own gifts to shine. This is collaboration over competition. The world needs more women with a fire ignited within them and Belle is here to hold space and advocate for women everywhere that their voice matters and they are worthy. You can still find Belle behind the lens exploring, learning, and creating magic in her own unique way and brand of photography, Potent Identity®; a genre of photography Belle coined herself that is wild, raw and captures the divine feminine, allowing her muse to be their own powerful inspiration. I’m here for the creators. Whatever story you’re here to tell, I’m right there alongside you.

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4. The Power of Recognition: Why Entering Photography Awards Can Elevate Your Career

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