Becoming a photographer was a dream come true for Sharon Ronan LBIPP. Sharon had always had a fascination with photography as her father was a wildlife photographer and film director. When she was sixteen, she started as a retouch artist, retouching transparencies of advertisements, in the days before digital retouching when bleaches and dyes were used. Then she had a very long gap, having children and working for British Airways for 17 years.
After the end of a long marriage, Sharon met a new man who encouraged her to pursue her dream of becoming a photographer. Their wedding photographer was Mark Seymour and watching him work and seeing his photographs inspired Sharon further. Sharon went to Bracknell and Wokingham College and completed the entire City & Guilds course with distinctions in two years whilst still working for BA. For this she received the Principles prize and an award from the local Reading newspaper.
By the second year of business, Sharon was already fully booked for the year ahead and she has become a recommended photographer for several wedding venues. Sharon has worked in some fantastic venues and on one occasion she even had to ask David Gray to wait while she photographed a bride and groom in a doorway! Sharon was also a featured photographer on Sky 'Wedding TV' which was great fun.
Sharon enjoys the fact that photography is a constant learning process. Having learnt the theory thoroughly, Sharon now has the confidence to bend (and break!) the rules to try something new and understand what she is trying to achieve.
Sharon's advice is that it is never too late to learn and she recommends taking the time to become a member of the BIPP. "It gives clients confidence to know that your competence has been judged by such a reputable professional body. Also the support received whether it is from training, literature or verbally is invaluable." She also says "Unless you are lucky enough to understand all the technical details naturally, take a qualification. And work hard!!!!"
Visit www.sharonronan.co.uk |
