Those of you who have followed my blog over the last year will know that each month I enter a selection of images into The Guild Of Photographers monthly awards competition. Each month throughout the year, the scores from bars awarded are added together to find the photographer of the year in each category. December was the last month for 2012 scores so I was completely delighted (and rather emotional) when I received news that I had been awarded my first gold bar!

To be awarded a gold bar is something very special, some months a couple are awarded, other months none; this month I had the only one, and my image was also awarded overall image of the month as well!

So; here is my gold bar image. Taken a couple of weeks ago on a very cold, misty and snowy morning just a few hundred meters from my house on the cycle path. It amazes me how, in The Netherlands the bike paths get cleared of snow before the roads.

Other images that were awarded bars include this photo of the cows in the mist taken at sunset. This image was awarded a silver bar. I spotted the mist rising and the sunset and jumped on my bike to look for cows down my road and came across this bunch of very inquisitive heifers. Luckily I had my camera all ready when I arrived at the field, as minutes later they all galloped towards me and the images I took at that point were not quite to serene!

This bronze bar image of Mickey and Lucky Luke in the autumn I love. I’d ridden through this wood with its carpet of beach leaves several times, and when I asked Mickey if I could take her photo with Luke she was more than happy to help me recreate my vision.

The following three images, I took on a return trip back to the UK. I keep in touch with many of my clients and these two families booked me immediately they heard I was returning to the UK for a few days. I have photographed both families several times, and it is a privilege for these images to have been awarded bronze bars.  

Last but not least two more bronze bar winners for my wedding images. Both very different captures of special moments on each of these couple’s special days.