One of things I am trying to do more of this year, apart from the never ending task of getting better at photography, is to try and enter more competitions.
I would say to people all the time that a good way to get out there and reach people you’re your photography is to enter competitions.
Great advice yet I never followed it. Why? Because I never felt my work was actually, deep down, any good. This is more likely linked to my own problems and a negative view I have of myself and my abilities, which a visit to a doctor might fix.
I have decided that this year is the year to change something’s about me and what I do with photography.
Yesterday I entered my first competition in a long time. I entered the SWPP Adorable Pet’s Photography Competition. Will I win? Maybe but the idea of entering is not about winning but getting my work and name seen by a wider audience. If I win great, but at the moment this is not my primary motivation.
The other great thing about competitions is that if you are having a dry spell of inspiration, the topics and themes can be a kick in the right direction.
Do you enter competitions, what are your experiences? Let me know in the comments below.
All the pictures in this post were submitted for the SWPP Adorable Pet’s Photography Competition.
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Aperture64 
I’m not good at getting ‘out there’ but I started entering one or two competitions a couple of years ago and much to my surprise had a bit of success – funnily enough with photos I didn’t think were ‘right’ but had been encouraged to enter. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s very much in the eye of the beholder and as long as the images are technically up to scratch then they stand as good a chance as any.
I seem to operate in a slightly odd way in that in spite of my self doubt I tend to enter major competitions – something to do with preferring to fail whilst reaching for the stars ….
I had a lot of rejection when I started and just lost steam esp when I had to start being a grown up payig rent ect. These early days had a huge impact on me.
Rejection can be hard to take but the way I look at it is that I blog, have a website, enter a few competitions etc. because it seemed pointless taking all these photographs for them to die on my hard drive. Better that they are out there and if someone else, somewhere gets a little pleasure out of them then I’m a winner anyway.
Cute cat by the way – and good luck!
At the time I was getting rejected I had no blog though I did have a website that was pretty bad.
Thanks for taking your time to comment.
Oh my, the hedgehog is amazing, what a picture.
Thanks, Mr Prickles was taken on a Canon G10 and edited in lightroom. Although we later found out he was a she when she had some babies. I am glad you like it .