Transition picture helps Christina win top award
A POWERFUL photograph depicting the transition of a transgender teenager left judges with goosebumps as it landed a Burbage photographer a top honour.
Christina Lauder was in two minds whether to submit her photograph ‘Transitioning’ to the Societies of Photographers annual convention in London.
But her decision to include the powerful work paid off when it earned high critical praise and won the Open Category Award.
It was one of three prizes Christina Picked up along with a win in the Classical Portrait category and a prestigious Masters Award for her services to the industry during her 12 year career.
Christina’s works beat competition from all around the world.
But it depiction was of the sensitive a transgender teenager dressed for which wowed judges.
Christina said: “I met up with this young man for a marketing project involving teenagers. In talking to him I felt compelled to show the story behind his transitioning, how he felt before he began his journey and how he now felt.
“Together, along with his incredibly supportive mother we came up with this.
“I honestly had no idea how that image would be received. In fact, I almost didn’t enter it.
“It was at the last minute when I felt I’d regret it if I didn’t see how the judges felt about the image. I was so glad I did.
“The judging for this competition is done publicly so I was prom fortunate enough to be in the room at the time of judging and I got to hear the incredible comments.
“One of the judges said she got goosebumps from the moment it was presented.
“It was probably one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
“The image scored 91 which is the highest score I’ve ever received and to know I caused people to feel something deep from what I created is something I didn’t think I’d ever do.
“I felt at that moment that I have finally created art which is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
The Classical Portrait award was won with an image depicting a teenager dressed for prom in a fashionable studio setting.
Inspired by the photography of magazine Vanity Fair, Christina said: “The portraits I’ve seen created for that magazine fascinate me and have been shaping my work for a number of years.
“I really wanted to create something current and appealing to teenagers.
“Teenage portraits in North America has immense popularity and I want to bring some of that to the UK.
“My daughter is of this age now and I most definitely want such portraits of her for myself so I see this as the new trend just waiting to catch on.”
The icing on the cake on Christina’s perfect night was her Masters Award, something she had set her sights on over a decade ago.
She said: “On the night of these awards I felt incredibly proud.
“As an artist its so easy to doubt yourself. There is no exact science to what we do.
“We create work and hope that people will love it, or at least appreciate it.
“These awards always reinforce for me that I am doing something right and that I do have skill and talent.
“Earning my Masters Award was another fantastic moment.
“I started in this business 12 years ago and I’ve been attending these awards each of those 12 years.
“I remember admiring and somewhat envying the people winning these awards and hop- ing that someday me. And now it is.
“This award is given for services to the industry, so although I know I still have lots to learn myself and probably always will, I am now in a position to teach and help others which is highly rewarding in itself.
“I think what makes me feel incredible about this is that 12 years ago I set out to become one of these people and now here I am having achieved that.
“So its true, if you want something bad enough, you put in the work, you can make your dreams come true.”
You can learn more about Christina’s work at https:// www.christinalauderportraits. com/ it could be