A mark of trust from the Guild
Super happy to announce that my work has been reviewed by the judging panel at the Guild of Photographers and awarded the qualified status in the category of professional photography. A special thanks go to Saraya Cortaville, a judge and mentor at The Guild of Photographers and The Royal Photographic Society and a talented children’s portrait photographer in Cheltenham. Her invaluable feedback and enthusiasm helped me so much.
Guild ‘Qualified’ status refers to standards of competence
It reflects a level where the customer should be ‘pleased with the results’ when employing the services of a skilled photographer. In other words, it’s a professional ‘competence’ to a level where the Guild is willing to recognise the photographer as its ambassador. Those who achieve that level should be proud of doing so. I am!
If you are a potential customer, it is important to know that the Guild’s business-based qualifications are ‘live’ qualifications. Members subject to dip-samples at any time and can lose their qualifications should the Guild find they are no longer delivering the required standards. No organisation offers greater reassurance than this when booking a photographer for a portrait session, wedding or any other important event!
Qualified members are those fully insured and proving their capability to deliver a good quality professional service to clients. This is the level of acceptability one should expect from a professional photographer. It’s used as a benchmark when Guild is asked to act as an ‘Expert Witness’ and evaluate others work.
Getting the Qualified status with the Guild of Photographers consists of submitting a panel of 21 images taken within the last 2 years with a brief and an application form.
Here is my submission
Early days
My photography journey started just under 2 years ago. I signed up for an online photography diploma course and only few weeks later I ended up covering a charity fashion show. I’m a lover of makeup and beauty so I started with the fashion photography. I loved contrasty light, gels and edgy looks. But at some point I discovered I wasn’t primarily focusing on the make up or wardrobe when taking my images. I was concentring on the model, her expression and my connection with her. From that moment on, I wanted to shoot the real people and real emotions. Without thinking twice, I moved on to the wedding photography. I loved being with people, “saving the day” and the challenge of getting “the shot” in all sorts of situations under the pressure. But there was still something missing.
On Being A Photographer
It’s only once I read the book “On being a Photographer” by David Hurn and then did a styled portrait shoot for my mum then saw her tears during a reveal session, I knew exactly what I wanted to do as a photographer. I made my mission to empower everyday women through the photoshoot experience to show them how truly beautiful they are. I wanted to make a difference for somebody. My styling and lighting evolved, become more subtle and soft. Finally I had more freedom with the editing too. Depicting make up or wardrobe exactly as they looked became irrelevant. As a result I chose as little elements and colours as possible to focus on the subject photographed. I find beauty in simplicity and that’s why I stay away from over-styling.
My submission consist of timeless and universally chic portraits. These show women’s true beauty and confidence. Help women embrace who they are and re-connect with the women they want to be.
My next challenge is creating a new body of work and pass the Craftsman level. This really is a challenge that pushes me way out of my comfort zone in lots of ways!
For more info about the Guild of Photographers please visit their website. If you would like to join, pop me an email. I can let you have a referral code so you can join at a discounted rate.
Renata owns a boutique portrait studio in Worcester, UK, providing high-end photography experience for everyday women and female entrepreneurs alike. She specializes in capturing upscale portraits, boudoir sessions, and personal branding photography. Her goal? Empowering women through personalized experiences and stunning fine art portraits. Renata is passionate about helping women feel confident and feminine, while also supporting business owners shape their brand identity to attract their ideal clients. Ready to chat about your custom photoshoot? Schedule your complimentary consultation today!
