RPS Distinctions - who has or wants one?

Have you been through the Panel judging process for an RPS distinction or do you plan to?

  • Yes I've done this

    Votes: 8 15.4%

  • No but I'm interested

    Votes: 12 23.1%

  • Yes and I'm interested in the next level

    Votes: 2 3.8%

  • No, not my cup of tea

    Votes: 30 57.7%
  • Total voters
    52
lindsay

lindsay

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Lindsay
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Looking ahead to my suggested Panel-based challenge planned for next year, I was curious to find out how many members have been through the RPS process of having a Panel judged for an LRPS or ARPS (do we have any FRPS' on the site?), and how many are interested in going for this at some point.
RPS Distinctions
 
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I have an L. I submitted the concept for a REAP ARPS (Research, Education and Application of Photography) in 2016 which was positively received but life got in the way before I could complete it. Looking at the ARPS options now, it looks like they've changed them to be far more accessible.

If I had the time, I'd probably try for an ARPS again, but it's not likely to be on the horizon any time soon.
 
I have thought about this a few times over the years but life keeps getting in the way ... or is that just an excuse I make to put it off for fear of rejection?
 
I joined the RPS some years back with the intention of doing a Licentiate (at the very least) but could never get going on it.

As a consequence of my redundancy in mid 2016, I needed to review my outgoings and realised I was just paying a significant figure for a magazine. So I cancelled my membership.
 
I'd like to do them for the learning experience, but think it's a disgrace that any 'qualification' you may earn is lost if you decide to stop your membership (currently £122.00pa).

This is the only reason I haven't done them already (and probably never will). I have more qualifications in other fields than I can count, but none of them will ever expire.
 
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I'm quite active in various RPS groups and events and have met many people with L, A and F and heard lots of tails about the judging process and it is really not for me. If it's your style though then getting an A or an F really is an accolade.
 
Quite a few members of our camera club are L or above.
My way of thinking, like all competitions etc is that you are taking photographs to please someone else and not taking for yourself.
Often comments such as "Member X, Y or Z will explain how to process your images properly" - How do they know how I want my images processed?
They are processed to my liking and I will not process them to someone else's tastes.
RANT OVER!! :LOL:
 
Sky said:
I'd like to do them for the learning experience, but think it's a disgrace that any 'qualification' you may earn is lost if you decide to stop your membership (currently £122.00pa).

This is the only reason I haven't done them already (and probably never will). I have more qualifications in other fields than I can count, but none of them will ever expire.
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That's because they aren't qualifications and the letters that they hand out are not recognised post-nominals (no matter what some people may think).
 
DemiLion said:
That's because they aren't qualifications and the letters that they hand out are not recognised post-nominals (no matter what some people may think).
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Hence my quotation marks - for the benefit of those who think they are. :rolleyes:
 
A long time ago, I passed through certain sections of the education system. I have no desire to go back.

I mention this in the current context not because I see the RPS as educational, but just because it is an institution, and I suppose that it attracts those who find some sort of fulfillment in institutions.

I don't feel any particular need to have my work 'validated', although we may all tend to want a bit of that, but there are other means ...
 
a couple of positives and negatives..

for me getting the L was a nice way to have some sort of end product - just sharing on forums, Facebook groups and Instagram was getting kind of unfulfilling. I enjoyed the process of curating and presenting a panel and I learnt a few new skills.

I have a few project ideas that I want to work on - and hopefully they'll be a similar end product, the A and perhaps an F. So I see it as a means to an end and something to work towards project wise.

I don't really care about the letters - in my view they apply to the panel and I'm really only as good as my last image. Although, it's cheeky you can't 'use' the letters once you leave the RPS.

In dong the L, I had a 1-on-1 review and attended an advisory - the advisors were gently pushing me towards a more HRD style of editing and this annoyed me. I did this as minimal as possible without going HDR and hopefully for the A and F I can edit how I want.
 
They gave me an honoury one, many years ago and I felt flattered - until they told me that I would need to join their club and pay them money. I didn't reply.
 
Garry Edwards said:
They gave me an honoury one, many years ago and I felt flattered - until they told me that I would need to join their club and pay them money. I didn't reply.
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Well done Garry - I salute you sir. :)

When I did my Mensa IQ test at The University of Greenwich many years ago, having passed with flying colours they offered me a membership. I just laughed and said 'Thanks, but no thanks.' Why would I want to pay them money 'after' I'd done the test? :facepalm:
 
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I have several other photographic distinctions (PAGB, FIAP, BPE) all of these are for life. I did intend applying for ARPS just after I retired but have never got round to it. At that time, the RPS was organising some local events and were considering moving to my town. The move did not go through and the local events dried up. Also from time to time an older member of the club tells me to remove their RPS distinctions from the club records as they could no longer keep paying the membership; I found this rather sad and it put me off joining. There are other distinctions apart from those I have obtained e.g. GPU, PSA. They are useful in that they can give a goal to taking more photographs and raising standards (I accept that their definition of standards is open to argument). Generally, those in my club who go for these various distinctions are competitive.

Dave
 
Didn't bother with the L, went straight to the A 10 years ago. Had a crack at the F but it got rejected. Haven't had the time since to resubmit, but to be honest given the feedback I had from an assessment day a few years ago - and the lack of assistance I've had since, despite multiple requests - I don't think I'll be bothering unless they've undergone some fundamental changes.

The A was well worth the journey I went on to achieve it, my photography and my approach to it was massively improved as a result. I'm not in a camera club so I don't get the validation of success in competitions etc, but doing the ARPS gave me the confidence that my work had at least some merit and that subsequently gave me the confidence to go and do solo exhibitions and other stuff with my photographs.
 
Dave Canon said:
Generally, those in my club who go for these various distinctions are competitive.
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This is why I won't bother going back to the club I had joined before lockdown kept us away. All they think about are competitions and I am just not competitive - the only person I ever compete with is me. I tend to find competitive people very shallow - there are exceptions of course, but mostly they're not the sort I'd mix with given a choice.

If I were to join another club, it will be one that offers guidance and advice to both beginners and the more expert alike so everyone can learn - not one that likes to compare willy and boob sizes. I doubt I'll find one . . .
 
I joined the societies of photographers at one point and was doing their whatever they call their letters now.

I had a one to one with an unnamed person for my L qualification. I had a photograph of a train going over a viaduct with the sun coming in from one side. The sun had caught one of the windows causing a flare which had naturally blown out. I didn't see the point of trying to fix the blown highlight as it was completely natural and was exactly as it looked to the eye but they marked me down because of it. I've posted the image here before https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/t...de-and-out-an-open-thread.727682/post-8995552

I also had an image of some small waterfalls, it was well below zero when I took the image and where the water fell into the water it was creating a rising mist. I was told it looked fake and the judges may think I'd added it afterwards.

I cancelled my subscription.
 
viewfromthenorth said:
Didn't bother with the L, went straight to the A 10 years ago. Had a crack at the F but it got rejected. Haven't had the time since to resubmit, but to be honest given the feedback I had from an assessment day a few years ago - and the lack of assistance I've had since, despite multiple requests - I don't think I'll be bothering unless they've undergone some fundamental changes.

The A was well worth the journey I went on to achieve it, my photography and my approach to it was massively improved as a result. I'm not in a camera club so I don't get the validation of success in competitions etc, but doing the ARPS gave me the confidence that my work had at least some merit and that subsequently gave me the confidence to go and do solo exhibitions and other stuff with my photographs.
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Yes, I think that any real value will lie in the learning process.
I also think that the distinctions have been cheapened by over-speciality, in much the same way that some Olympic sports are now so specialised that they seem to me to be devalued. For example I've met F's who achieved their distinctions in weird ways, for example by studying the history of photography, by doing clever slideshows, and then there were the honoury F's like mine, no actual submission of any kind.

As a professional, fancy letters after my name would have meant nothing. RPS distinctions seem to have their place in camera clubs, but it seems to me that camera clubs should really be about taking photos.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Yes, I think that any real value will lie in the learning process.
I also think that the distinctions have been cheapened by over-speciality...
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I've always had a certain respect for the RPS and its awards - after all they were the firstfooters (as it were).

I think that the devaluation has more arisen from several of the so called professional trade bodies, being anything but that.
 
I joined the RPS with the intention of doing this as I retired. 5 years later I still have not got around to it but I will one day, honest.
 
When they first started up as a breakaway from the then IBP, I joined the the MPA and was a fully qualified member. At least at that time it required a panel of work and professional references. It also required members to be proprietors or managers to join.

The major benefit to me was it had registered it self as a trade union. So your work could be used in print or at commercial exhibitions and displays. These things were subject to the union closed shop system, which totally blocked non union work.
You could also claim membership against tax. As well a a work clothing allowance... All very odd.

Eventually the closed shop system was broken, which made life much easier for photographers.

Eventually I left the MPA. as it served no purpose for me.
 
We've got a few Fs and As in our club..

I was told I was good enough by an F to go straight to an A only to be told by an A I wasn't good enough for and L. Now the A has an F and knowing how it was obtained I CBA.

There is an obsession with some in my club and my former club with distinctions, while I just look back at the images I've taken in the last 10-15 and realise my imagery (and maybe spelling) hasn't moved on much since I've been with the club....

outside the club environments I think that very very few people know what FIAP and PAGB stand for.
 
Sky said:
This is why I won't bother going back to the club I had joined before lockdown kept us away. All they think about are competitions and I am just not competitive - the only person I ever compete with is me. I tend to find competitive people very shallow - there are exceptions of course, but mostly they're not the sort I'd mix with given a choice.

If I were to join another club, it will be one that offers guidance and advice to both beginners and the more expert alike so everyone can learn - not one that likes to compare willy and boob sizes. I doubt I'll find one . . .
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My club does offer guidance and advice and all the better for having many experienced and qualified members. Our club is definitely not just about competitions but the reality is life is a competition, school, sports, work etc. It is what drives us forward to try to do better. We have 32 members with distinctions but just over 100 without. This is not a problem as no one has to obtain distinctions. What has been clear over many years that I can see enormous improvements in photographers when they embark on obtaining distinctions. One of the first things they have to do is obtain advice and act on this and improvements can be rapid.

Dave
 
The whole RPS letters thing puts me in mind of Minka in full sarcasm mode ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hut_33#Cast ) I can just hear her saying "Look at me: I have silly letters after my name!"

If it's for you, do it but perhaps bear in mind that very few people will know or care what those letters mean. :thinking:
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
The whole RPS letters thing puts me in mind of Minka in full sarcasm mode ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hut_33#Cast ) I can just hear her saying "Look at me: I have silly letters after my name!"

If it's for you, do it but perhaps bear in mind that very few people will know or care what those letters mean. :thinking:
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I have to say that is a childish comment. I have not met that attitude previously. We are realist and aware that even within our own club many (probably the majority) will not know what the letters mean. I can only emphasise that we go for these distinctions purely to improve our photography and each stage marks an achievement.

Dave
 
I want to gain mine and keep missing the roadshows where you go with your panel of images and they say if they'll work etc.

Defo something I want to pursue, I think it would be good if there was a thread to upload potential panels of images to for others to say if they'd work, also those who have gained that status already could help out?
 
Dave Canon said:
...we go for these distinctions purely to improve our photography and each stage marks an achievement.
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...which brings us back to where the merry go round starts: what is a good picture? :thinking:
 
I have a lrps & must agree that to keep your distinction you have to keep paying your membership is ridiculous but I think the majority of people that give that & other excuses are a little bit afraid of submitting a panel & failing.
 
I started this thread and poll to get a bit of an idea of how many people might participate in my Panel Challenge idea so thanks to those who have made positive responses.

I doubt that many, if any, members here who have or want these distinctions are motivated by showing them off to other togs, I get the overwhelming impression that it is about having a goal to aim at in their hobby and a satisfaction when they achieve it. Maintaining it thereafter is not that important unless they want to use it in a pro or semi-pro capacity. My ex-wife got her ARPS and ABIPP but dropped membership of both after a couple of years when she decided against pro photography as a job. It was more about getting them in the first instance, which I think is the prime motivation.

It is my aim that with the Panel Challenge, aspirants can show their images and proposed panel layout, and get feedback from members, especially those who been there before. I have yet to work out a judging methodology but ultimately I'm thinking it will involve periodic reviews by certain people tba, to decide who gets their TP distinctions. This is slightly jokey, but will hopefully be both fun and useful as a challenge, irrespective of any potential subsequent submission to the RPS.
 
Chivers said:
I think the majority of people that give that & other excuses are a little bit afraid of submitting a panel & failing.
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Somewhat acute, & yes, depressives will always be prone to folding in upon themselves, but it remains that the RPS is a strange beast, an institution that exists in a kind of limbo land of its own making.

It's not a commercial agency. It's not an educational foundation. So what is it (maybe I should read its manifesto)? Is it an over-dignified manifestation of a camera club?
 
droj said:
So what is it (maybe I should read its manifesto)? Is it an over-dignified manifestation of a camera club?
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Thinking of the RPS always brings up memories of articles in 1950s issues of Amateur Photographer in which pictures were analysed by means of laying grids over them. If certain things were on certain lines, the pictures were good. :thinking:
 
droj said:
These days, to be popular you need a 10-stopper & a pier ...
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Funny that. In the old days, you lost points if the drops of water weren't sharply delineated.... allegedly. :naughty:
 
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