Competitions are a fabulous way to develop your technical skills and creativity, but there seem to be fewer opportunities than ever to take part in competitions in the UK. World Skills recently removed Floristry from their national and international competition programme and the floristry competitions run by the RHS, notably at Chelsea, aren’t what they used to be!
So it’s great to see that the UK Floristry Judges Guild are continuing to champion the benefits of competing with the launch of their latest photographic competition.
You may be unfamiliar with the idea of photographic competitions, but they’re a great way to get in to competition floristry without some of the stresses of live events. The principles are the same as a live competition – create your competition piece to the published schedule – but then you submit high resolution photographs of your work rather than taking it to a venue to create and display.
As with any competition, the key things to remember are to interpret the schedule accurately and to follow the terms and conditions completely. For example, this competition requires you to submit six specific images of your design, all taken against a plain background. Our article on Smartphone Flower Photography may help you here.
If you’re still unsure, take a look at Competition Floristry: Tips for Competing. The UK Floristry Judges Guild have also published Floristry Competitions: the Ultimate Guide to help you get started.
The title for this competition is “Lazy Days of Summer” and the schedule asks you to create a design to be carried at a wedding, reflecting the lazy days of summer. The competition opens on 1st June and closes on 31st August and you can find the detailed schedule and full terms and conditions on the UK Floristry Judges Guild website.
The photographic competition is open to anyone who wants to have a go at competing, whether you are an experienced floral designer or are just dipping your toe in the waters of the floristry world. Not only does it offer you the chance to showcase what you can create, you could also win the top prize of £300, plus there will be medal certificates, CPD participation benefits and loads of publicity across social media channels.
Take a look at the schedule and challenge yourself to have a go!
