I have been obsessed with photography since childhood. My mother kept the family snaps in a small suitcase, and I would spend hours arranging them into different series. Weirdly it was my introduction to the editing process. As a teenager I had a Biba poster by Sarah Moon on my bedroom wall. I was captivated by and still love the work of Moon and her contemporary, Deborah Turbeville. I studied fine art at Brighton University beginning as a painter before transferring into Alternative Practice, an area embracing different approaches to practice including film and photography. I did a little music photography after graduation but when my daughter Mimi came along, I made the decision to move into the commercial workplace and became a photography editor/ director spending 15 years on the Telegraph magazine. I finally resumed my artistic practice in 2015 returning to study a Photography Arts MA at the University of Westminster. Since graduation, I have been juggling my personal practice and work as a curator and mentor. I work with mainly analogue photography and use archival photographs, text and printmaking. My work raises questions around autobiography, observation and questions of narrative. I am interested in the male muse, the unrelentingly strange fictions of family life and the mythology of photography.

I now work with artists both as a curator, teacher at universities, and a mentor. I love working with artists and photographers to find their unique voice which is so important. I enjoy the collaborative process, supporting the artists journey and providing a space for open discussion. Placing work within the gallery space is exciting and the icing on the cake as it’s the time you can realise the artists dreams and expectations. Curatorially I particularly enjoy public art projects with the potential to have a life-changing impact on many people.

Carmen Winant who makes powerful, feminist works with found image and archive which always inspires me. I am in awe of Carrie Mae Weems' diverse practice exploring issues around race and gender and I find the awkward interior portraits of the Russian artist Sergei Chilikov, who sadly died only last year, curious and compelling. I spent 20 years on a newspaper where truth is so often fictionalised that I am intrigued by artists who manipulate truths such as Sara-Lena Maeirhofe.

Judging is always a journey of discovery; you open the box not knowing what you’ll find inside. When you find compelling work it’s a special moment. I’m very excited to identify new talent and to be introduced to alternative ways of seeing the world. I am keen to find artists that are underrepresented in photography’s present landscape and who can broaden my focus and give voice to diverse female perspectives.

Find your voice and sing out loud. Be brave, present in your practice and tell your story with truth and authenticity. It’s a tough world for the arts but keep informed and don’t rush it. Building industry relationships is very important but takes time. I still work with photographers I first met more than 25 years ago. Try to be part of a photo community. Form groups to chat about your practice, get advice, support is important to avoid feeling isolated. An obsession and passion for photography is a must. Ask yourself, “If you weren’t a photographer, is there another job you’d do?” And if they say yes, I think they should consider it carefully.

If you can afford it, go to portfolio reviews and make sure you choose editors that are relevant to your work, enter competitions but be mindful that they may not be what they seem. Make sure your website is functional, is simple and not something complicated that takes hours to open which can drive a busy photo editor mad. The work must also be beautifully presented. The social media network is important; I’ve discovered many wonderful photographers there.

I appreciate every opportunity to support photographers in their practice and judging is a way I can do this. I feel sometimes there is such pressure within the photographic community that space to feel empowered and supported is very much needed. It’s a great opportunity to give feedback and encouragement as I know how hard it is to be noticed within the world of photography competitions.

I think I would love Lorna Simpson collage or Deborah Tuberville contact sheet.

My favourite book is Jens F by Collier Schorr. I also love 'Double Game', by Sophie Calle, 'Trying to Dance', by GH Engstom, 'Pretend You’re Actually Alive' by Leigh Ledare.