BIPP Fellowship in Social Documentary Photography
A small selection from my BIPP Fellowship submission in the Social Documentary category
A few years ago I remember writing a blog post in a slightly shell-shocked state - it was 2013 and I’d just been awarded a Fellowship by the British Institute of Professional Photography, in the Portraiture category. It was a challenge spanning several years but the rewards by way of development and growth were profound. It seems surreal to be sitting here writing another blog post announcing my second BIPP Fellowship, this time in the Social Documentary category.
Anybody brave enough to put themselves and their work through the rigours of gaining a distinction (Licentiate, Associate, or ultimately Fellowship) via one of the four leading photography institutions will be all the richer for it. There is no better way to refine your craft, simply because a distinction panel requires an unmatched level of scrutiny and preparation. I’ve spoken about the photography qualification system in a past blog post, however this article is about my most recent experience.
The last few days have been a whirlwind and the last few months have been intense, as anybody who has produced a submission will know. Strangely, it was the constraints of lockdown which gave me the opportunity to shut myself away and finally complete a long-running personal project which inadvertently became a Fellowship panel. This panel charts my many excursions along a stretch of my local coastline and describes how our beaches are used and appreciated across a typical year. It was evidenced as a full body of work, which included a coffee-table book setting out short stories of the people I met and the history of our coastal structures.
When I took the decision to embark upon the photography distinction process a decade ago I was like most newcomers – in complete awe of the Fellows, that small group of distinguished individuals whose names are usually well known. At the time it didn’t occur to me that I would join their ranks.
fellowship criteria
The criteria for Fellow of the BIPP demands a unique and distinguished body of work demonstrating the highest level of technical and artistic understanding, with faultless presentation and a significant body of supporting evidence.
I’ve sometimes heard applicants describing their experiences on distinctions day, and I can relate to all of it. From the moment I entered the calm and refined interior of the Artistry House at BIPP headquarters, everything became dreamlike. I think this is what our bodies and minds will do when we’re at the end of a long journey - we switch to a form of autopilot. I don’t think I knew what I was doing or saying in the hour which followed. Years of work, and the huge expense in printing and travel, would rest on my 10am examination slot. So immense is the mental effort invested in a BIPP distinction that I had barely slept in the two weeks prior to distinctions day.
The examination room is an open space with blacked out windows and banks of bright daylight-balanced lights. At this stage I had no idea who my Judges would be – they’re selected based upon experience relevant to the panel being assessed. As they entered the room and introduced themselves I knew their names and their work (as most photographers would, given their credentials) and I felt a moment of panic when the enormity of the situation started to set in. There was James Musselwhite, Paul Wilkinson, Sean Conboy, Catherine Beltramini, David Stanbury and the Chair of Judging Scott Johnson. Our CEO Martin Baynes was also present.
At this point even a well thought out panel submission can leave you with a sudden stab of doubt, often for the strangest reasons. I had sudden flashbacks to the old, small compact cameras I had squeezed into my pocket before each of the outings where I gathered the pictures for this particular project. Given the miles I had to walk in producing them (and the injuries I was carrying at the time) I couldn’t carry anything bigger than that. I’ve been a strictly mirrorless photographer for many years, using the finest small systems produced by Olympus, Panasonic, and in recent years Sony. Some of the cameras I used to create this Fellowship were simple by comparison - but perfectly adequate nonetheless (anybody remember the Fuji X10, Olympus E-M5, Canon G5X, Sony RX100ii, Panasonic GH1?). I’ve always prided myself on having a camera about my person at all times, so my old cameras have often found their way into various handbags or car glove compartments. This proved instrumental in gathering the shots for this Fellowship (albeit occasionally limiting in resolution) although at the time there was no intent to produce such a formalised body of work.
I delivered a brief opening talk to introduce my panel, hyperventilating a little. I was then led downstairs by the BIPP CEO, into a gorgeous living room with a large farmhouse kitchen. I was kept calm by BIPP President Saraya Cortaville, Office Manager Sharron Caunce, and was taken to the office to meet our social media expert Joel Hansen. A very small group of our members provided additional company and lighthearted banter. This particular round of distinctions was historic in that we had to employ Covid protocol such as staggered entry to the building, distancing and PPE. Time seemed to slow down at this point and I remember asking if the Judges normally take this long, to be reminded I had only left the room 15 minutes ago.
Fellowship Panel materials ….
My portfolio of images, the coffee table book, and the supporting evidence.
I was recalled to the examination room and was put out of my misery swiftly. There was a round of applause and some very kind words, though it took a few moments to sink in. There were some tears (thankfully short-lived) as is standard on qualification day. After all, the pressure we’ve placed upon ourselves for so long has suddenly lifted and a physical expression of that is to be expected. One of the best parts of the process is the feedback delivered afterwards - all of the Judges contribute to this. The feedback surprised me, in a very good way, and has given me a great deal to think about because this particular panel may not be ending here.
Putting yourself out there is hard, but nothing worth having comes easily. Remember that all of the Judges have been through exactly the same process at each rung of the ladder, so they know how each candidate is feeling. The process is often emotional for the Judges themselves, they are witnessing intense spikes in the feelings of each entrant and sometimes delivering a difficult verdict.
Aside from the amazing Judges and the staff at BIPP HQ, I’m eternally grateful to SIM2000 who produced the book which was part of my Fellowship - their patience throughout the process (and my endless test prints) was exemplary. The BIPP is unique in its requirement for a full body of work, not just a panel of prints. What you provide as part of that evidence and how you present it is entirely up to you, but it must reflect your ethos as a photographer and your working practices. This makes a BIPP distinction unique, and certainly not for the faint of heart.
There is a very special lady who gave me the gentle shove I needed when I was flagging and undecided in whether to proceed - the same lady in fact who conducted my pre-submission review for my first BIPP distinction, and who I trust very much. That is Saraya Cortaville FBIPP(2), who became the first woman in BIPP history to gain a Fellowship and who went on to gain a double Fellowship. I’ve gone through life with an inherent dislike of my own work and are times when we need our rudder resetting by someone unconnected to our own mindset.
And there is my partner and assistant David Freeman (#thecritic and #headoflogistics) who has barely seen me over the last few months, throughout the collation and preparation stage. David has worked with me for 10 years and has gained a remarkable understanding of the image assessment process. His opinion can bring back a little restraint, or spur me to go further.
In any round of distinctions there are those who leave without the award they had hoped for. The hours and days which follow are tough for those applicants. Across the assessment days last week the dignity with which the unsuccessful candidates handled the decision was humbling and an example to us all. The Judges have the unwavering ability to turn each failure into a positive learning experience. Because that’s what it is - an unsuccessful attempt is just another part of the pathway to our goal. Some of the finest and best regarded photographers I can think of were not successful at their distinctions the first time, or the second time - yet they carried on and became the shining stars they are today.
Panels can fail for a whole spectrum of reasons from the complex to the very simple. Complex reasons include poor photographic technique or a poor understanding of the printing process (I’ve written a blog post on how to prepare prints for submission). Then there are ‘simple failures’, which might involve things such as errors in cropping, crushed shadows or blown highlights, a running order in need of improvement, or a lack of impact or variety. I’ve seen very good photographers fail a distinction on the latter two points and very often the panel is successful simply by substituting a small handful of photographs. On other occasions the candidate has omitted the crucial step of engaging with a qualified mentor for the all-important 45 minute pre-submission advisory session. This is a specific recommendation for anyone considering a qualification and can help to iron out anything which may have been overlooked.
I spent much of my life too terrified of the consequences of failure to even attempt many of the things I might have enjoyed or been good at. Very often that arises from childhood, but with time and effort it’s something we can all overcome. I think it also ebbs and flows, and can be better or worse depending on what else is going on in our lives. Don’t let the insecurities or agendas of others rule you - you might be surprised by what you can achieve. I’ve long been amazed by the self-doubt suffered by some of the most incredibly successful photographers I’ve known. Perhaps in the end it’s the very thing which drives them to excel.