I know I’m getting old but its becoming clear to me I’m getting soft!

 

The truth is I’m a reluctant mentor, it wasn’t something, unlike many others, I’d planned to do it was a simple evolution of being asked to speak, being asked to demonstrate, being asked to help!

 

Sometimes we have to decide in life “What sort of person do I want to be”?  I chose to help.

 

In the beginning Mentor me on steroids, MMoS as it has become known, was free, yes thats right FREE.  Time is the most precious thing we have and when MMoS was free it simply wasn’t valued and our time instead of being appreciated was wasted, so we put a small charge on the service, just enough for people to take it seriously, and my God has it grown.

 

MMoS has been running for 13 years now.  In that time we’ve had some seriously phenomenal results, 27 Photographers of the year across all the major associations, to give just one statistic.

 

I sit writing this in London on awards ceremony eve for the Society of Photographers 2020 International convention and as I say I must be getting soft because I’m PROUD!

 

Even before the ceremony starts I couldn’t be more proud of the little family MMoS has become and their achievements.  So far today I have seen at least 13 images take prestigious hanging space, as they received merits, and were entered into this years exhibition, images crafted by mentees,  We have multiple mentees with images in this years final. Just to be “In there in the mix” is an incredible achievement in itself fighting off literally thousands of other entries from some of the worlds most prestigious photographers just to get there. We’ve even had an MMoS alumni achieve a hugely prestigious Fellowship, what a heart string pulling panel that was!

 

The standard of imagery this year has been simply mind blowing, beautiful imagery from all over the world, the standard of the judging has been exceptional, again with judges from all over the world – literally amazing people its a privilege to have come to know and work with.

 

It would be remiss not to compliment and thank @Terrie Jones the competition director and @Diane Broders the head of print handling, their effort is simply Herculean, there are simply too many judges and handlers to name individually here but the plaudits really need to go to the MMoS anyway, its they whom this blog is about.

 

So whatever happens next, the below mentioned have my respect and should take a deep bow as I’m PROUD of each and every one:

 

Neil Shearer

Angela Adams

Alison McMath

Lisa North

Micheal Mawby

Mel Taylor

Jocelyn Conway

 

Ladies and gents you have all excelled, all I can hope is that you are all as proud of yourselves just as much as I am of you, its an exceptional effort and achievement.

 

So there you have it, I’m turning soft… and I simply don’t care.

 

Till next time

D