Winning my first award in photography

Last week one morning I got a call  from an unidentified number. They were calling to inform me of a merit award I’d won for the camel caravan image I’d submitted.

I was so thrilled and taken aback that I became incoherent and began to babble. Like a kid might at the sight of Santa giving him something he’d dreamed of  but never thought he’d actually get!

I told everyone I could that very minute. This was too exciting to keep to myself.

Suddenly the 18 hours a day spent on photography seemed worth it. Suddenly the two years and many many dollars spent on equipment were earning me some dividends. The rewards and fulfilment needed celebration – but it would take some time for me to accept that this had actually happened.

I am so habituated to ‘waiting-for-success’ that when the moment comes it is almost impossible to believe it.

And so I waited for the news to sink in.

The award means that my photo will be a part of an exhibition hosted by the organising body in Singapore. And a token monetary award.

I shot with the SLR for the first time 3 years ago.

Friends were always encouraging – but one can never be sure if it is just kindness when friends say nice things – but at that time I used their sweet words as stepping stones to keep building my confidence in this completely new domain.

And here I am today – feeling like I have arrived! Besides me and my kind friends, someone else thinks that these photos that have given me so much pleasure are worthy of recognition.

Time to celebrate!

jm

June 2012

p.s. More good news has followed since that first award – 2 more selections – so I’ve now created a page with the award-winning pictures.