RPS Women in Photography Special Interest Group

Royal Photographic Society Women in Photography Special Interest Group

Words: Thérèse Barry - Image: Maryam Wahid

The RPS Women in Photography group was launched in August 2018 as part of the “year of the woman” celebrations, in order to support and promote the work of women in photography worldwide. Gender inequalities in commercial photography, photojournalism and fine art photography are well-researched and documented. Although there are signs of change, there are still fundamental differences between the experiences of male and female photographers, with women making up only 15% of employed photographers even though 80% of photography students are female. Furthermore, women photographers rarely receive the recognition granted to their male counterparts: 90% of photographic prizes are awarded to men and the majority of work shown at photo fairs is by male photographers.

Maryam Wahid - Archives Locating Home, Birmingham, 1982

We believe that the highest standards of photographic achievement should be equally attainable for women as for men. As a charitable organization which exists to promote such standards, the RPS can play a role in removing barriers to achievement by women photographers. Our aims for RPS Women in Photography include increasing the visibility of women in photography and providing space to promote and nurture their work.

Change must also take place close to home and this means addressing the imbalance in RPS membership (currently approximately 75% male) by making it a more inclusive and diverse organisation. We are therefore really pleased that the RPS Documentary Group is dedicating its current issue of Decisive Moment to women in photography, and delighted that the issue will feature work by two of our group members - Maryann Morris for her Perceptions project, and Laura Wood’s Self-Portraits of Motherhood - as well as a Q&A with our group treasurer, Nicola Morley, about her Winds of Change project.

For updates on RPS Women in Photography, keep an eye on our group webpage or follow us on Instagram (@rpswomeninphoto).