Joining the best photographers in the World ...

Every year, and every week it seems, new photographers and photography businesses are springing up all over the UK, promising professional coverage of your special day. How do you, as a client, separate the true professional from the guy who went out and bought a natty new DSLR at the weekend and decided that wedding photography would be a great hobby for the weekends? The truth is, it's not that easy. Anyone can advertise in bridal magazines, online search directories, anyone can build a website and get some photos on there, making it look like they have been shooting professionally for years. So how does a true professional make themselves stand out in a saturated market?

For my part, I strive to produce consistent results week in week out. Each new wedding and portrait session I undertake receives the same, consistent level of professionalism and quality as the last ! I update my website galleries and blog with fresh photography. I make sure my products on offer are of a high standard with plenty of choice. But is it enough?

Well, the years I have put into building up my business seem to have paid off .... I have just had the honour of being accepted by the exclusive International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers (ISPWP). I'm in pretty good company there, with award winning names (to name a short few) such as Bebb Studios (Canada), Sean Flanigan and The Woods (USA) and DP Photography (London).

The society is committed to raising the standards in our industry and so membership is driven by strict requirements and is only permitted to those photographers who ...

• have shot at least 50 weddings as the principal photographer (not as secondary/backup)
• gain sponsorship by an existing ISPWP member (my thanks to Jesus Tirso of Decca Photography for this)
  
• agree to undergo a complete website review
• agree to operate their business in accordance with the Code of Conduct
• have no unresolved complaints with the Better Business Bureau or other similar consumer protection organization

One of the most exciting aspects of membership is that I get to compete in quarterly competitions, judged by a panel of some of the best photographers on the planet ! They have just posted the results from the last quarter here so I have a few weeks in which to choose my submissions for the next quarter. Of course, I will post them here too :)

My thanks to Joe Milton, the founder of the society, for granting me membership to such a prestigious community, I look forward to being a part of it !