Which professional body is best?

andycubin

andycubin

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Andy
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Folks,

Been watching the SWPP thread with interest and it has raised the question:

Which professional body would readers recommend?

Can any readers promote an organisation from which they have actually benefitted as a photographer?

Cheers

Andy C
 
Hi Andy, as the writer of that thread I can honestly say that I have benefitted as a photographer. It's just that it's not all the flowers and roses that it is portrayed as.

I'd say it depends on the individual and what your specific needs and wants are. One of the main benefits of SWPP for me has been meeting some of it's members and I have a bunch of really good friends now that I would not otherwise have had. We do a fair bit together that benefits us all without any input from SWPP.

If you are starting out and want the benefit of more experienced photographers knowledge then yes it can still be worthwhile. It's a shame that so many of the more experienced have moved on.

Personally I'm also a member of the RPS. And although that has little to do with wedding photography as a specific discipline, I see that as as benefit as I try to widen my own approach.

Also considering BIPP as a possible for the future, they don't have the forums that SWPP have but they do hold some excellent meetings/seminars and training days with some very fine photographers.

MPA is for full time photographers only.

I'd recommend a trip to Focus in March where you can speak to them all in person, get all the information and make your decision based on your own personal needs.

hope that helps. :)
 
BIPP have just recently become rather expensive and do now screen affiliate member applications, so if you don't meet the requirements on insurance etc RPS or SWPP may be the way to go.
I've picked up a couple of good enquiries via the SWPP website and have used their mentor me service, which I've personally found constructive, to be now submitting a 'L' panel which I'm hopeful will pass :)

My local BIPP groups monthly meetings are generally very good and for me make it worth being a BIPP member as well, although if your regional meetings aren't local to you that may not be much help

Edit: Just looked at your website Andy. I don't think you'll have a problem meeting the BIPP requirements :thumbs:
 
It also depends on what you are aiming for as a photographer,
are you simply someone who see's nothing more then a hobby?
are you looking to go into business?

are you looking to improve your skills tenfold?

at the moment as a photographer I would say that, as a source of knowledge and credible critique to help me improve my understanding, the SWPP's credibility has been heavily compromised and once you've seen the latter of how the place operates (ignoring the input from forum users as that is the benefit) it makes you question whether they are any help at all.

The RPS has the perception among many as "easy street" BUT!!! I have never really gone into much research into it so will leave it for a member to fill you in. One thing I found though, you go on the RPS website and there is a program showing how to set up a panel for judging!

BIPP, I have heard a lot of good things about them, you get assigned a personal mentor who checks up on you and works with you to get the grade, and the courses according to members I have spoken to are not to be sniffed at.

FINALLY!

the MPA

had a bit of a discussion with previous members of the SWPP who have moved to the MPA and my impression was that they are strict, you have to attain to standards, and yes you have to be full time and insured!
As well as a few other standards on the website.

But the one comment about them that stuck in my mind was that after these people had joined they got a phone call from the MPA asking if there was anything they could help them on, business advice, any area of photography they think they needed to improve and they could point them in the right direction. Any Mentoring or Courses as well.

and that to me, is a glowing example of what a society should be about!
 
When looking at the different trade organisations, look at what is right for YOU.

I know it sounds silly saying that, but many people join without realising what it is they are looking for, only to find that they have wasted their money.

Each organisation has its positive points and its negative points and you must judge which is best for you based not only on where you are today, but where you may be in 12 months time and whether the organisation will look after you long term, not just in the short term.

Do your homework too.

The WWW allows you the power of knowledge, so use it to your advantage to read up about the different organisations. You will find good and bad and this balanced view should help you in the decision making process.
 
I clicked on the link hoping for a "My 1D is better than your D3" troll-fest, I have to say I'm very disapointed! :D

I'm now going off to google all the acronyms and find out about the other kind of 'professional body'!

Chris
 
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