What it’s like to sit on an international photography judging panel – and what I learned from it
Being asked to judge an international photography competition is one of those things that makes you sit up a little straighter.
I was thrilled to be selected as one of five judges from around the world for the This Is Reportage: Family Awards – one of the most respected documentary family photography competitions globally. Over the judging period I worked through almost 5,000 images. The standard was extraordinary.
Why This One Felt Particularly Special
I’d won a couple of awards in a previous round of TiRF myself – so I know exactly how much it means to be recognised in this genre. Documentary family photography is genuinely difficult. There’s a real art to finding the extraordinary in ordinary family moments – to being invisible enough that life unfolds naturally, and present enough to capture it when it does.
One of my own awarded images went on to be featured on Bored Panda and Vanity Fair, which shows just how far a single competition win can travel.
What Judging Taught Me
Judging is fun – and surprisingly difficult. It’s quite different from selecting images to publish in a magazine, or choosing photos for a client gallery. When you’re judging for awards you’re not asking “does this fit the aesthetic?” or “does this tell their brand story?” You’re asking something harder: “does this have that special something? Does it deserve to sit alongside world-class work?”
I’d previously been on a judging panel for the Click Pro Photographers’ Daily of the Week contest, but 5,000 images is a different scale entirely. The responsibility feels heavier – and rightly so. Every image was someone’s best work, submitted with genuine hope.
What I notice I look for in both judging and teaching is the same thing: the image that makes you stop. Not because it’s technically perfect – though technique matters – but because it makes you feel something you didn’t expect to feel. That’s the quality that separates a good photograph from a great one.
That understanding has shaped how I approach portfolio reviews when I’m mentoring photographers. Having judging experience means I can give feedback that goes beyond “this is nice” – I can explain, with some authority, why something works and what would make it even stronger.
Are you a photographer looking for mentoring or a portfolio review? Get in touch →
Or if you’re a business owner looking for brand photography — here’s how I work →
