Being Awarded Fellow with Honours: A Moment I’ll Never Forget

I was deeply honoured to be awarded Fellow with Honours at this year’s Fellowship for British Hairdressing luncheon. As someone who has spent years contributing behind the camera, supporting teams and bringing their creative visions to life, being recognised in this way was both unexpected and incredibly meaningful. Hearing my name called and stepping onto that stage is a moment I’ll carry with me for a long time.

Standing on that stage felt surreal. I’m normally the one watching clients collect awards for collections we’ve created together. I love those moments, seeing their hard work and vision recognised. But it’s rare for the photographer to be the one invited into the spotlight. To be acknowledged in this way by an industry I’ve been proud to serve for so many years … it meant more than I can put into words (although I will try).

I’ve worked closely with the Fellowship for a long time now, and many of my favourite creative experiences have come through them. From Project Afro to Sassoon, from Project X to the Colour, each one has given me the opportunity to collaborate with passionate, talented people who are hungry to grow.

Part of that journey has been running the Photoshoot workshops with the project teams. These sessions are all about taking them through the process of planning for a photoshoot, especially those who have never stepped onto a set before. We strip away the mystery, we build confidence, and give them the tools to bring their ideas to life.

The workshop normally takes place around six weeks before their shoot with me, and those six weeks then become their creative runway. Together, we shape their vision into something tangible with moodboards, concepts, storytelling, colour and energy. We go back and forth, refining and developing until everything feels aligned.

And then comes the shoot day which is the culmination of all that planning.

It’s easy to become complacent in any career, but the truth is, the buzz I get from these shoots never fades. The moment the team sees their work being photographed in a way they’ve never experienced before … that reaction is everything. Their excitement, their pride, that spark in their eyes - that’s the biggest rush for me. That’s why I love what I do. It reminds me, every single time, of the power of creativity and collaboration.

To receive recognition from the Fellowship for the contribution I’ve made behind the scenes is an incredible honour - thank you Ashleigh, Michelle, Barry, Rita and also Alison and Lauren from AJCPR. Lastly, to have received so many messages of congratulations from people across the industry, has genuinely moved me. Thank you to everyone who has reached out.

I’m grateful every day to be able to do this work - to support, to create, and to help bring people’s visions to life. This acknowledgement is something I’ll carry with immense pride.