Celebrating a Win That Hits Close to Home: My Journey to the 2024 IV Awards
Some trophies are just that—symbols of accomplishment—but every so often, one arrives that holds an even deeper meaning. This week, this stunning trophy for my 2024 International Visionography Awards (IV Awards) win arrived, and it’s not your average award. It’s truly a work of art, just like the competition it represents. Winning this year feels like so much more than a milestone; it feels like a full-circle moment, filled with love, reflection, and a bittersweet goodbye.
Not your ‘average’ trophy!
A Little About the IV Awards
The IV Awards are a celebration of artistic excellence, pushing boundaries in photography, and showcasing innovative approaches to storytelling. It truly is an art award with the ability to use any medium you choose to enter including AI, stock photography and traditional painting and drawing methods. This year, I was honoured to receive:
Best in Class – Animal Stories
1st Place Overall – Composite Art Category
To win the Composite Art Category, your top four images must achieve the highest combined scores. My winning portfolio, crafted with photography and advanced editing techniques, represented months of meticulous planning, shooting, and storytelling. You can see all the incredible winning entries here: https://ivawards.com/WINNERSEXHIBITION.
Fight Like Cats and Dogs - Featuring Rupert, Memphis, Marley, Marvel and Luca.
Meet Duke: The Heart of My Winning Portfolio
This year’s win carries a poignant connection to a very special client, Duke, a gentle Great Dane who first visited my studio in 2018 as a sweet, gangly puppy. During that shoot, Duke’s shy demeanor gave way to his goofy, lovable personality. One particular image from that session stood out to me and eventually became the foundation of “It’s a Catastrophe,” a whimsical and dramatic composite that marked a turning point in my career.
“It’s a Catastrophe” went on to win major awards, including 2018 Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year and 2019 WPPI Creative Portrait of the Year. This year, as I prepared my portfolio for the IV Awards, I decided to include Duke’s image alongside three newer pieces. On the Tuesday of the awards announcement, I learned that Duke had once again helped me achieve something incredible—first place in the Animal Stories category and the overall Composite Art title.
Tragically, just a day before the awards were announced, I received the heartbreaking news that Duke had passed away. His family shared that he’d brought them so much joy in his years with them, and they found comfort in the images we created together. For me, Duke was not just a client but a muse, and his legacy will always be a part of my work.
It’s a Catastrophe! - Featuring Duke - Gone way too soon.
The Craft Behind the Win
One aspect I’m incredibly proud of is the integrity of the work that earned this award. The IV Awards encourage artistic freedom—allowing the use of AI, purchased backdrops, and other mediums—but my portfolio was created entirely through photography and a bit of photoshop magic. Every element in these images was thoughtfully planned, photographed, and composited to tell a cohesive story. Some taking in excess of a year to create! For me, I adore this process and am really proud to be standing up there with some of the most talented artists.
Watch Me Grow - Featuring Baruch
Passing on the Knowledge
Winning this award has reminded me why I’m so passionate about what I do—not just creating art but sharing what I’ve learned with others. If you’ve ever wanted to dive into the world of composite photography, I’d love to teach you how. This March, I’ll be hosting workshops in Falkirk, Scotland, and Bath, Pennsylvania, where I’ll guide attendees through concept development, shooting techniques, and advanced editing. These workshops are designed to help photographers elevate their craft and tell meaningful stories through their work.
You can find all the details and sign up HERE
Huxley - Featuring well…Huxley
A Final Reflection
As I place this beautiful trophy in my studio, I can’t help but think of Duke and the countless other pets who have inspired me over the years. They remind me of the joy, love, and connection that photography can bring—not just to the families who treasure these images but to me as an artist.
Thank you to the IV Awards for this incredible honor and to everyone who has supported me along the way. Most of all, thank you to Duke, for the laughter, the inspiration, and the legacy you’ve left behind. Here’s to celebrating our pets, our art, and the stories that connect us all.
