Craig (my friend and co-founder of Unleashed Education) has been hassling me for years to enter the annual professional image competition run by the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (NZIPP). This fantastic in-person event was held in Christchurch this year, and combined the IRIS Awards (sponsored by Canon) followed by the NZ Photo Show.

After joining the NZIPP as an Accredited Professional Photographer earlier in the year, I was asked to judge the awards and Craig and I were also invited to present a Workshop and Master Class at the photo show afterwards. Sharing our knowledge is what we’re all about at Unleashed Education, so it was awesome to offer something that aligns with our purpose as part of this experience.

It was my first time attending this event, first time entering the awards and my first experience of live judging - at any competition! I was thrown straight into the deep end (sink or swim?) and judged the Creative, Nature, and Student categories. The Student category was my favourite to judge. It brought back that mix of excitement and discovery, and the joy of experimenting with new techniques and genres. It took me straight back to my own student days at TAFE College in Toowoomba, 25 years ago.

I wasn’t able to watch all my images being judged as I was judging in the next room myself, but between stints on the panel I did managed to sneak in and stand at the back of the Animal category room and catch a few of my images being judged. One of them was the image that earned me my very first Gold Award. It was nerve wracking listening to the judges challenge and discuss the score, talking it up from a Silver Distinction!

Along with two Silver Distinctions, I scored enough points to be named a finalist alongside the incredible talent of Belinda Richards and Jennifer Chassagnol.

By the way, shoutout to Craig, who went home with FIVE Gold Awards! Thank goodness they give us Australians our own category, as I wasn’t up to competing with that! He was also a finalist in the New Zealand Animal category.

As Photo Show presenters, we had tickets to the Gala Awards Dinner. I was excited to be presented with my medal for achieving NZIPP Associate of Photography, gained by earning enough points my first time entering.

Honestly, I was NOT expecting to win, so when they called my name as 2025 Australian Professional Animal Photographer of the Year, I was completely shocked. I don’t even know what I said when I went up to accept my award, but somehow I stumbled through it!

A huge thank you to my husband Marty, who always supports me, to Craig who is both my biggest fan and biggest inspiration, and to my students through Unleashed Education who continually inspire me to be a better teacher and a better photographer.

What a week. What an experience. Thank you, NZIPP, for creating such an inspiring celebration of photography.