Wow, what a journey the Unleashed Education Emerge Challenge has been! After 6 months of creative highs and technical deep dives, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve completed the challenge and, even more exciting, earned a Top 10 placement in 8 out of the 12 challenges. To top it all off, my final portfolio was awarded the “Highly Commended” recognition - which was my overall goal for the challenge! I couldn’t be more proud of what I’ve accomplished and how much I’ve grown as a photographer during this experience.
For those of you who may not be familiar, the Emerge Challenge is an incredible series of photography challenges created by Unleashed Education. It’s designed to push your creative boundaries, refine your technical skills, and ultimately help photographers emerge (pun intended!) with a stronger portfolio and confidence in their work. Over the course of 6 months, we were tasked with tackling a new themed challenge every two weeks, each one requiring a different approach and a fresh perspective.
Participating in this challenge is so much more than just "meeting the brief". The challenges are tough, but in a REALLY good and fun way. The feedback is incredible, with insights, encouragement and critique from two of the top pet photographers in the industry. Then there is the community: Each round of Unleashed challenges gets a "class" of challengers who are all in it together. We get a community group to interact with one another, and the support from that group is part of what makes these challenges so valuable. Not only that - but my fellow Emergers are SO. DANG. CREATIVE! Watching them complete their briefs and viewing the feedback videos of their work is so inspiring!
Each challenge also allowed me to hone in on different techniques and skills that will directly impact the quality of my work going forward. These challenges weren't just a fun creative exercise—they were designed to sharpen my eye, challenge my creativity, and push me out of my comfort zone. And that’s exactly why it was so important for me as a photographer.
Here are the challenges where I snagged a Top 10 Placement:
1. Spaced Out – Playing with negative space in an image to create a unique composition. Who knew leaving room to breathe could be so powerful?
2. Highs and Lows – A high key image is a photograph with predominantly bright tones and minimal shadows, creating a soft, light, and airy feel—ideal for conveying a clean or uplifting mood in portrait photography. In contrast, a low key image uses darker tones and shadows to create a moody, dramatic effect, often highlighting strong contrasts and emphasizing emotion or depth in the subject. This challenge was way outside of my norm - but I had a ton of fun with it!
3. Pantastic – Capturing movement and energy with a panning shot. This one was a challenge but so worth the effort.
4. Silhouetto – Creating striking silhouette images that leave a lasting impression. Less is definitely more in this case.
5. Slow Motion – Slowing down the action to capture those in-between moments. The way fur moves in slow motion is simply mesmerizing!
6. Mirror Image – Playing with reflections to create symmetry and balance in the image. This one really tested my eye for detail.
7. Double Trouble – Photographing multiple dogs and capturing their individual personalities while maintaining a cohesive image. As a pet photographer, this challenge was right up my alley!
8. Shake – Capturing the perfect mid-shake moment! It was messy, but those wild, goofy expressions made it all worth it.
So why was this so important to me? Well, as a photographer, I truly believe that learning never stops. No matter how many years I’ve been behind the camera, there’s always something new to discover, to try, to refine. And by continually pushing myself through challenges like this one, I’m able to stay at the top of my game, ensuring that every portrait session I deliver is a reflection of my best work.
The technical skills I gained in this series of challenges—whether it was mastering negative space, capturing high-energy action shots, or finding the perfect silhouette—will only enhance the way I approach every single portrait session. This means that when you book a session with me, you can expect not just beautiful images, but creativity, attention to detail, and a photographer who’s always striving to bring something fresh and innovative to your portraits. My goal is to give you not just photos, but artwork that truly captures the heart and soul of your pet.
And seeing my hard work recognized with **Highly Commended** for my overall portfolio? Well, that’s the cherry on top!
Participating in the Emerge Challenge has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my photography career. I’m walking away with a fire lit to continue pushing myself to new creative heights, and I know that my clients will benefit from this growth just as much as I do.
Thank you to everyone who supported me through this journey, and a huge shoutout to the amazing team at Unleashed Education for creating such a transformative program. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for my participation in the third-level of the Unleashed Challenges in 2026, "Empower". I’m more inspired than ever to keep creating!
Stay tuned for more adventures behind the lens!
– Amy