Local amateur photographer Lorraine Degraff had one welcome surprise at the weekend – but is still waiting for another.
She has achieved international acclaim through her photography – but is still on pins awaiting the birth of her first grandchild.
Lorraine, who is based in Flimby, near Maryport, has won the fiercely-contested Guild of Photographers Image of the Year Competition in the Event, Sport and Action Genre.
But she was unable to attend the award ceremony at Crewe Hall as son Darren and partner Lisa Rutherford were expecting their first child and she didn’t want to miss it.
Lorraine said: “The baby was due on Saturday but still hasn’t arrived. We don’t know what they are having as they wanted it to be a surprise.”
She knows, however, about her success as a photographer as her winning entry was a fantastic image of a helicopter dropping water on the Whinlatter Forest fire which happened back in March 2021.
The Guild is a highly respected UK based association for photographers, which has members from overseas as well as the UK.
Each year it runs an online monthly photographic competition, judged by internationally respected judges, with awards given to the best entries.
Over 16,000 entries
During 2021, the competition attracted over 16,000 entries from the most talented photographers from around the UK and abroad.
It was announced in early December that from all the entries across the year, the Guild’s Judges had selected only 10 images in various genres to go forward to the annual Image of the Year Final.
The highly regarded judges from across the country then gathered together to choose the overall winners in each category.
Guild Director Lesley Thirsk said: “Those selected really are the best of the best, and Lorraine’s image was one of those selected as a finalist! However, she had to wait until the official awards ceremony on February 5 to find out if she had won.
“Unfortunately she couldn’t attend the awards evening but she was able to watch the ceremony via a live stream on the Guild members Facebook page.
“One of the Guild’s aims is to drive standards and creativity amongst photographers. Our competition certainly does that, as the standard of the entries we see each month is quite staggering.
“To have an image recognised by the Guild in the monthly competition is difficult enough, so to have an image selected as being one of the best in a category for the end of year final is without doubt an incredible achievement, and shows just how talented a photographer Lorraine is.”
‘Cannot believe it’
Lorraine said: “I still cannot believe I’ve won this award, it’s absolutely amazing, I didn’t sleep when I found out that I’d won I was so overwhelmed.
“It was fantastic being shortlisted back in December but to actually win it is a dream come true. I cannot thank the Guild enough for their support, help and advice since joining.
“After joining the Guild on the recommendation of a friend, my passion for photography has grown so much so that over the last 12 months I have gained a professional standard qualified status, which involved a rigorous assessment process, and I am now one of only around 350 people in the country to hold this recognition.
“In addition to gaining qualified status, I have undertaken portraiture training from Gary Hill – an amazing multi-award-winning photographer and the current BIPP Portrait photographer of the year who is based in Preston, as well as London-based multi-award-winning photographer Panikos Hajistilly and Essex-based mastercraftsman and wedding photographer David Islip who mentored me when I gained my qualified status.
“I absolutely love photography and first took it up seriously about four years ago. However, I couldn’t do what I do without the support from my family, especially my husband Frankie who drives me all over the country so I can get the photos I want.
“I always enter the Guild’s monthly competition as it drives forward photography standards month after month, and helps me push myself further as I know just how high those standards are.”
Lorraine is well known in amateur rugby league circles as she’s the hard-working secretary of the Cumberland ARL.
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