Kirsten is proud to have earned two Distinctions from the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) — the Licentiate (LRPS) awarded in October 2019 and an Associate (ARPS) in Natural History, awarded in September 2021. Her ARPS panel was featured in the Winter 2021 edition of the Iris, the RPS' magazine of the Natural History Group.

​

More information about the RPS and the distinctions process can be found on the LRPS and ARPS pages. 

​

Kirsten has additionally received the following awards and recognitions: 

​​

2025

 

• Finalist in Bird Photographer of the Year Volume 10 out of a pool of over 33,000 submissions, placing it within the top 6% of competition submissions.

• Finalist in British Wildlife Photography Awards Volume 13 out of a pool of 12,000 submissions.

• Naomi Saul's judges award for Redpoll in the Snow at the 2025 Surrey Photographic Association's inter-club nature PDI competition.

• Two images included in the first volume of Wilder Britain. 

 

2024

​

• Little Grebe in the Lilies accepted as one of the 250 images featured in Volume 12 of the British Wildlife Photography Awards out of a pool of 14,000 submissions. 

• The Len Todd Trophy (best nature print) for Snowy owl in a winter cornfield at the Surrey Photographic Association's 2024 biennial exhibition.

• Commended Fagradsfjall Caldera at the Surrey Photographic Association's 2024 biennial exhibition.

• Commended Potential Danger at the Surrey Photographic Association's 2024 biennial exhibition.

• 13 additional acceptances at the Surrey Photographic Association's 2024 biennial exhibition.

​

2023

 

• Finalist in Bird Photographer of the Year Volume 8 out of a pool of over 23,000 submissions.

• The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain inter-federation nature print championship ribbon winner for Snowy Owl.

• Winner Snowy Owl at the Surrey Photographic Association's 2023 inter-club nature print competition

• Jumping for Joy accepted as one of the 250 images featured in Volume 11 of the British Wildlife Photography Awards; 4 other images accepted as finalists from a pool of over 13,000 entries.

​

​2022​​

​​

• Winner Snowy Owl at the Surrey Photographic Association's 2022 inter-club nature print competition

• Bronze medal for Kilauea Lava Flow at Dawn at the Royal Photographic Society 2022 Nature Exhibition.

• Bronze medal for Swallow Feeding Chick at the Royal Photographic Society's 2022 Nature Exhibition

• Selector's choice for Jumping for Joy at the Royal Photographic Society's 2022 Nature Exhibition

• Selector's choice for Detail of the Rivulets from an Icelandic Glacier Delta at the Royal Photographic Society's 2022 Nature Exhibition. 

• Highly Commended for Courting Red-Necked Phalaropes at the Royal Photographic Society's 2022 Nature Exhibition. 

​

2021

​

• Winner for Swallow Feeding Chick at the Surrey Photographic Association's 2021 nature print competition

• The Sue Sibley judges' award for Red Fox Smirking at the Surrey Photographic Associations' 2021 print competition.

• A 'Bronze' distinction from the Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers for Little Owl in the Woods for the 2022 Bird Photographer of the Year in Aid of the RSPB competition. 

​

2020

​

• The Paul Keene judges' award for Kīlauea Lava Flow at Dawn at the Surrey Photographic Association's 2020 biennial exhibition.

​