I learned quite quickly and ended up working as a freelance photojournalist in South-East Asia and for surfing magazines such as Australian Surfing Life and Surfing World. In 2005 I won first prize in the Premiers Photographic Awards (peoples choice), which was a statewide competition. This gave me a nice little prize package to play with but although I won, I saw so much subjective opinion in art competitions that I didn’t enter another until 2011.
I joined a couple of photography clubs but didn’t seek out formal tertiary training, preferring instead to study the textbooks at home. I was always a little concerned that I’d end up following someone else’s preferred techniques, mirroring their habits and wouldn’t give my own creativity enough free-range. In hindsight, I can see this as a very idealized view. I now think that assisting successful professionals can give you invaluable opportunities to learn and make valuable contacts throughout your career.