Rise International Photography Awards

On Sunday night I was announced as Second Place in the Family Category for the inaugural Rise International Photography Awards!

This is a digital competition with 6 categories - Maternity, Birth, Newborn, Baby, Child and Family.

I chose to enter 5 images into the Family category, and unlike the Australian Professional Photography Awards where your combined score over 4 prints is tallied, this competition is a one digital image, highest score wins competition.

The Guatier Family - Bronze Award, one point off silver and not in the Top 20 Finals.

After reviewing over 2000 images entered across all categories, the international judges chose the top 20 in each category for the finals, and I was thrilled to have four of my five images in the top 20 of Family category!

The Mortimer Family - Silver Award and Top 20 Finalist

On judgement day I sat in the room with the 6 judges and host, watching all the images shown on two calibrated monitors and an uncalibrated large screen TV.

Sidenote - The horror of the difference from the big screen TV to the calibrated monitors really emphasises my love for printed products. I am mortified by the idea that people view images that I work so hard to perfect, on screens that make them look so terrible. Prints rule.

The Hines Family - Silver Award and Top 20 Finalist

To keep some secrets about the results of the competition, they were not announcing any scores, just if an image has scored Gold, Silver or Bronze.

Of my four finalist images, I received 4 Silver awards. Two were contested as Gold images, but both settled back at Silver.

The Janfada-Witt Family - Silver Award and Top 20 Finalist

I had no idea what to expect come the Award dinner on Sunday night, I knew I hadn't won the category because there was a Gold image in there, so I had hopes for second or third place. Or both.

My heart pounded in my chest, I could barely hear for the rushing of blood in my ears and my eyes must have been darting around with the high level of adrenalin rushing through my system.

The third place was announced. And it was not me. My heart sank a bit. I either had second place or nothing.

Then second place was announced. Here is a video of how it all happened:

The McErlean Family - Silver Award, Top 20 Finalist and 2nd Place in Category

Oh the rush! I was beyond excited, I was electrified! They kicked off the dancing shortly after and I must have been one of the first on the floor pumping out all the adrenalin and literally screaming "YAAAS!!!" as I waved my hands in the air and danced so hard. It felt so good. Oh. They hadn't stopped the live video, so there's a video of that too haha! I'm on camera right dancing with my hands in the air for most of the clip. Thank goodness it cut out before my super embarrassing dance moves kicked in a few champagnes later!

It was such a great band and I danced the night away with all the wonderful supportive and talented people there.

My videographer, support crew and all round awesome chick Lauren

My double take crackers at the winners podium

All the winners that were in the room on the night, myself, Luisa Dunn, Michelle Ardle, Caroline Bowen, Jodie Andrews, Alissa Macrae, Rana Rankin

I would once more like to thank the amazing McErlean Family for going along with my crazy idea, for getting into the really unflattering morph suit with the faith that I would make it look great. You guys are the best and I literally couldn't have done it without you.

My husband Travis is also integral to all my success, for his support, for being my 'crazy idea' sounding board, my prop maker and studio fitter, and for having a bottle of hydralites in the fridge when I walked in at 1am.

I love coming up with these fun creative pieces and am already working on new ideas for next year - so look out 2019!