If you remember one of my posts from earlier this year you’ll know that I have started entering the monthly phoographic competition run by my professional body The Guild of Photographers.

The Guild have monthly competition rounds where the aim is to achieve good standards of professional work and each image is graded against a set of criteria. The panel of judges are all recognised experts from a variety of photographic backgrounds with many years of experience between them and they use an internationally recognised scoring system. I entered for the first time in January and was delighted to win a Bronze Bar for all of the images I entered, in fact I’ve now entered 3 images every month and have so far won a Bronze Bar for each of them.  I am very proud of my Bronze Bars as they are difficult to achieve so you can imagine my delight this month when I heard that I won 2 Bronze Bars and 1 GOLD Bar!

This was my Gold Bar image, one of my favourite of Theo as it showcases how hard being a little boy can be sometimes.

If you are interested here is how the scoring works under the international scoring process (images are scored out of 100 and the corresponding Bar award is shown in brackets).

85 plus .. Images of exceptional or outstanding quality (A Platinum Bar) – only awarded to the ultimate of images

80 – 84 .. Images of particular distinction at a professional level (A Gold Bar) - very rare

75 – 79 .. Images that are very well crafted at a professional level (A Silver Bar) - difficult to achieve

70 – 74 .. Images of a strong standard at a professional level (A Bronze Bar) - something to be proud of

50 – 69 .. Images that evidence competition potential at a professional level but do not quite reach the above required competition grades.

49 or below .. Images that fall below an acceptable ‘Professional’ quality

As well as being delighted about my competition results this month I am also about to start working with a Guild panel member on a mentorship basis so I am excited to see where I can go next on this photographic journey of mine.

Thinking of taking a Meg Bitton workshop and would like to get a better idea of what to expect?  Then welcome to my Souls.Imagined musings.  I am a planner by nature (& profession!) and know I like to prepare before I take a workshop as it helps me get the most out of my learning.  So now I have a few Souls.Imagined workshops under my belt I thought it might be helpful to others if I wrote about my personal view on what being in a Meg Bitton workshop is like.

I know I am not the only photographer who has long cherished a love for the images taken by Meg Bitton, there is just something about the way she captures childhood that makes my heart sing.  And as my main photography focus is capturing the childhood of my little lad Theo it was inevitable I would end up on a Souls.Imagined workshop one day.  That day was in autumn 2012 when I became a student on her Souls.Imagined.Boys online 2 week workshop and started taking steps into the next part of my photography journey.  Since then I’ve carried on that journey through taking both Souls.Imagined.You and have just finished one of Meg’s 1 week Mini workshops.

What to expect (based on my own experience)

Just like when you take a 301 level workshop on Clickin’ Moms be prepared to throw your normal routine out of the window for a while.  This might mean keeping the kids up late so you can shoot in the golden hour, piling all the clutter up in one room so there are no distractions and living on oven ready food for the week so you’ve more opportunity to shoot and edit.

You’ll have a couple of days to bed in as the 2 week workshops have a gentle start whilst Meg assesses your work, asks you questions and starts to tailor her individualised teaching for each pupil, I personally didn’t start shooting until the Wednesday and then I didn’t stop until the Friday of the following week.

Meg’s critiques on your images will be powerful, insightful and short.  Meg is a woman of few written words but she chooses those words so well.  Don’t expect a sugar coating on the critique so don’t get all defensive and tune out, suck it up and SEE what Meg saw in your photo and learn how you can improve the next image you take.  That makes it sound harsher than it actually is, I agreed with everything Meg said about my photos and wouldn’t have learnt half as much than if she’d just said ‘cute kid’.

Meg will not show you how to become a photographer just like her, there is only one Meg Bitton in the same way there is only one you.  Meg will help you develop on your own unique path.  That’s not to say Meg won’t pass on a few little helpful tips of things she has learnt on her own journey but I say this again, do not take one of these workshops if all you want to do is become a Meg clone.

That leads me into my next point Meg’s workshops are the type where making excuses why you can’t try something are just that – nothing but excuses.  It took me a long time to realise that the problem was not the light, my lens choice, my small cluttered house or the weather.  It was me I was the obstacle in the way.  I hate failure but trying things out (which sometimes I won’t do again!) I have always learnt something new, helpful and often surprising.

Do read the threads of the other participants in the workshop like Meg encourages, their work may be totally different from your own and they may be on a different path but their light bulb moments may just be the spark you were looking for yourself.

Whilst there is a common thread running through all Meg’s Souls Imagined workshops the content does vary across them and being clear about on what will be covered in each workshop is worth doing before you part with your dollars.  Some of the 2 week workshops have a little bit of editing guidance included, most do not.  Therefore if learning about editing is your key aim then do choose one of the editing workshops.  The 2 week workshops are full on and intense for about 10 days and the 1 week mini’s are more gentle with just 1 shooting challenge and don’t cover as much as the full workshops.  Think of the mini’s as appetisers rather than main courses.  Personally I long to go to an in person workshop as I bet you’d get dessert there too!

Lastly, my most important point – enjoy yourself!  Meg’s workshops are great fun and just remember the more you put in the more you’ll gain in return.

And of course this post would not be complete without me showing you just a few of the many photos I have taken during these workshops.

Or May the 4th be with you!

With a small child who is a Star Wars fan and a Mum who is a fan of photography it is no surprise that we went out late last night for a Star Wars themed shoot.  Theo had his light-saber and I wanted to try using my new Icelight so off we went up to the top of our garden for some fun.

And here is Theo playing with the Icelight which is the portable lighting source I used to light these images.  And it just happens to look like a light-saber too! ]]> http://www.rebeccaspencerphotography.com/2013/05/happy-star-wars-day/feed/ 0 http://www.rebeccaspencerphotography.com/2013/05/happy-star-wars-day/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PhotographyByRebeccaSpencer/~3/Pwjo3zOvVDs/ http://www.rebeccaspencerphotography.com/2013/04/april-in-my-corner-of-the-world/#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:00:32 +0000 Rebecca http://www.rebeccaspencerphotography.com/?p=4578 NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

April for us is a special month as it is the month of Theo’s birthday and school shuts down for 2 weeks for Easter.  This year Theo turned 6 and suddenly he seems to be growing up very fast, my sweet lad is still there but a more confident Theo is beginning to develop.  I was going to post photos of Theo’s birthday celebration but then he went and did something very special – he learnt to ride his bike.  Way to go Theo!

Please continue around our blog circle by visiting St. Louis Wedding Photographer Dana Tate | Feels Like Today Photography who is over in Missouri USA.

Dear Theo

Somehow your 6th birthday is upon us, how did that happen as surely it was only yesterday you came into our lives.  I remember that day well, I’d put together a CD of songs for the delivery room and of all of them you chose to arrive to John Lennon’s Beautiful Boy, how wonderfully appropriate.  It has been a privilege being part of your life and watching you grow into the sweet and thoughtful child you are, I am beginning to see a glimpse of the man you will become and my heart just about bursts with pride and love.

You are one of those people who is always concerned for others, first to try and help rushing in with that big heart of yours.  The rough and tumble of childhood friendships has been gentle so far, you are never short of friends but I do I worry that others will take advantage of your sweetness and innocence but then I am your Mother and it is my job to worry.  You describe yourself as shy, and maybe you are a little, but that cautious nature of yours isn’t a bad thing, whilst you watch from the sidelines you are just taking everything in ready to jump in when you feel the time is right.

Still happy to hold my hand in public and master of the best cuddles a Mother could want not a day goes by where I don’t thank my lucky stars that I got such an affectionate child.  If I had to guess now what career path you’ll follow when older I would guess engineer, probably an electrical engineer. Inquisitive and fascinated by how things work, especially lights – not many children have as many disco lights and circuit sets as you do – I can see a time not long away where your Daddy and I will have to start hiding the screwdriver to stop you dismantling every object in the house in your quest for knowledge!

You’ve settled in so well at school now, your teachers sing your praises and your Dad is convinced you get your brains from him – I’m not sure I totally agree about that although I do see the similarities when you forget to bring home your reading book for the upteenth time! We hit a rocky phase earlier this year which turned out to be a positive thing when we saw how the school rallied around to support and encourage you. I have loved seeing you learn to read and develop a love for books, and maths too which you adore – now that is something you definitely don’t get from me!

And now we move on into another year with all it’s excitement and challenges just waiting for us to face together. It’s going to be great. Please my dear son just keep on being just the way you are. Your Daddy and I couldn’t be prouder or love you more then we do right now.

Lots of love

Mum x

When the snow came back again and all sane people snuggled up in their houses Theo and I went searching for the magical realm of Narnia.  On a quiet Sunday morning we explored the local ancient woodland and may have just caught a glimpse of the land of mystical beasts, magic and talking animals.

The winds have been fierce this March here in England, cold and biting straight in from Siberia.  And we had another load of snow.  Not the sort of weather that makes you want to go outside much, so we didn’t.  We caught up on our sleep and snuggled in front of our log fire.

Please continue around our blog circle by visiting Andrea Devisser a talented photographer in the Pacific Northwest.

This week I have been part of the Address Unknown exhibition on at Windsor Royal Shopping centre, a vibrant gallery of work from all over the world for the charity PhotoVoice.   One of the ideas behind Address Unknown was each entry had to be anonymous with the artist only being revealed at the end.   I am not the best at keeping a secret so it is with delight that I am now able to share my chosen photo with you.  If you click on the photo it will take you to the photo’s page in the gallery, after you’ve had a look at mine why not take a few minutes to enjoy the rest of the amazing work in this exhibition.  Each postcard will only be sold once and all profit goes to PhotoVoice but be quick as the exhibition will finish soon.

And here is my photo called Dusk in close up.  I took this one of Theo taken on a very cold January day in Little Brickhill woods as he ran towards a bivouac we used to visit.  All this is now gone as the land has been ploughed ready for more trees to be planted so it’s nice to have this photo as a keepsake.

As you can see by the badge I proudly wear on the front page of my website I am a Qualified member of The Guild of Photographers.  The Guild of Photographers is the highly regarded national photographic body whose members are dedicated to enhancing their skills in the art, craft and profession of photography.

The Guild have monthly competition rounds where the aim is to achieve good standards of professional work and each image is graded against a set of criteria. The panel of judges are all recognised experts from a variety of photographic backgrounds with many years of experience between them and they use an internationally recognised scoring system. I entered for the first time in January and are delighted to announce that the images I entered in the The Guild’s Image of the Month competition all were awarded Bronze Bars!  I am more than a little chuffed that this Mum with a camera has had her work recognised.

These are the four images of mine that won a Bronze Bar.

Time for my monthly ‘in my part of the world’ blog post.  This time it’s February and over here in England it is still very cold and even when the snow left the cold biting winds have remained.  Theo had a week off school, our Febuary half term, and the highlight of his week was when we had his best friend Ethan and his little brother Alex over to visit.  Theo and Ethan have been best friends since forever, I love watching them play together and I look forward to seeing their friendship grow over the years.

Having fun on the iPad, I hate to think what they were laughing at!

Throwing an old bottle in the big dog basketball catcher, like you do.

Alex (the once so little baby A who was my first non-Theo photo subject) enjoying Theo’s Lego.

More electronic toys – when was it Theo suddenly grew up and became addicted to electronic games?

Better luck next time Ethan, Theo needs to learn to be supportive of his best friend!

Please continue around our blog circle by visiting the amazingly talented  Megan Axelsson who is over in the USA.