I have been inspired by the NZIPP IRIS Awards, dreamt of winning one and often watched the live judging over the years both in person and online. This year however was different – I had entered - and I have never been soooo nervous watching them as I was this year. I clammed up and shrunk into a little ball in anticipation of my images being judged – I was terrified!
Supported by Gerard (who won 4 bronze awards) throughout the experience, I was reminded of what it means to be vulnerable. Brené Brown in her book ‘Daring Greatly’ speaks about vulnerability and I thought it timely to revisit her book, as I was feeling bloody vulnerable! She starts the book with a Franklin Roosevelt quote which resonated with my current situation.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”
I had dared greatly just by entering the awards, by jumping into the arena with other photographers, some of who were also the judges. What counted was being in that arena and I was!
Due to the IRIS Awards being online this year, the large numbers of entrants and not all images making it to live judging, I didn't know all my results until early September. I was thrilled to learn that I received three bronze awards, 2 in the open landscape category and 1 in the travel category.
I dared greatly and won! In the process though I learnt that vulnerability is hard and always will be, but what’s important is that you are in the arena.