UK Picture Editors Guild confirms what we all know
Written by duckrabbitThat only men can take award winning photographs.
Right?
Author — duckrabbit
duckrabbit is a production company formed by radio producer/journalist Benjamin Chesterton and photographer David White. We specialize in digital storytelling.
Discussion (20 Comments)
🙂 i did manage a second place the year i entered, in 1999. and i’m a woman. is gender equity going backwards? it would be interesting to know how many women entered the awards? my feelings about photo competitions are ambiguous these days….
You’re right about awards … they are becoming a bit of a joke, but I think they are indicative of certain parts of the industry.
Well, as it was pointed out two days ago here in the duckrabbit blog, this year’s Guardian Student Photographer of the Year shortlist is all female…Hopefully, that’a some kind of an indication that in the future when giving recognition for great PJ, the gender of the photographer matters less…
Thats the problem Mikko … what happens between becoming a student and making it long term as a professional. Is it an industry not suited to women?
By the way Bruno (the photo Editor of MSF) was saying very good things about your work when we met up in London recently.
Or that women are generally better suited at understanding this is a dying business and having no bloody part in the bloodbath?
btw that last comment was a joke. a giggle, a lighter side look at the often heavy male-orientated industry.
Maybe a joke, but actually there could be some truth in it!
The outcome is all that matters.
Nothing against men, I am one but it is sad because of the lack of diversity that will result in the stories.
Everyone of a similar mindset will jump and say “well done” and far less likely to ask “but why?”
at the end of the day there are certain professions where women find it difficult to go ahead once they have a family. most media jobs are probably like this, unless you are salaried and able to go part time. it’s the same on newspapers (the hours aren’t condusive, and part-time roles are frowned upon) and I suspect certain freelance work is probably difficult to balance with hands-on parenting (especially the globetrotting photographer type)
sorry but i can’t see anything to be outraged or worried about here. we go into particular industries with our eyes open, well I know I certainly have. it’s always been thus and will always be the same.
Really, all men and that’s OK?
You know Ciara there are lots and lots of women who don’t see having children as their main goal in life … Globetrotting is just as bad for family life if it’s a man as opposed to a woman!
ffs. I don’t think that’s the case and I know from fathers who work in that side of the industry and spend a lot of time away that it’s not easy for them either. It’s just one of those jobs where people seem to have to choose, or end up sacrificing something, either time with their kids, or in the worst cases broken relationships, guilt etc. it’s an all consuming kind of life, and always will be.
maybe there were lots of female entries into that comp and the men’s just happened to be chosen by the judges. usually these things are judged blind, aren’t they
I recentry saw this picture of the World Press Photo award ceremony and tought of this post: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs321.ash2/60140_147469298622550_147200778649402_208359_5181621_n.jpg
there are 49 people (if I counted correctly). only 6 are women. just 4 are “non-white”.
how about that?
Marco … for the photography world, honestly speaking, that’s a step forward … Sad isn’t it.
Photography/Photojournalism is a job women cannot do if they want a family? I do not believe that.
Not in this internet era of network working. If you are right Ciara (and who am I to say otherwise to be fair!) the industry can easily say to itself “we need more women, non white western democratic, more muslims, more emerging market and defo more africans” etc, etc and go out to get them.
There are many doctors who are women. In the police, corporate finance lawyers, rock climbers, marathon runners.. etc, etc.
Adopt to make the industry more inclusive by looking for diversity and work to make it happen is what I say. It has happened elsewhere in all manner of industries. Even in the Army. This industry needs strong women and an editorial checking mechanism from people in the emerging nations too.
Google a UK PJ agency and you get “Independent agency specialising in the third world, development and immigration. Has picture features on Sierra Leone amputees, and Bangladeshi prostitutes.”
Look at what it says… “Looking to profit from selling images of africans with no arms and legs, also poor women from Asia with some added horrid sexual element in there too. Lets call them some old 80’s definition that makes them all out as inferior just i case they do not get it. In fact, lets call ourselves special at it”
Need I say this agency is probably run by a middle aged white man? If I am wrong then I absolutely apologise… but what if I am right? Google it. Is my reading of it unfair?
Is this good enough for the public? They know better… they always do on mass. The industry desperately needs a huge injection of intellectual diversity… women being central to that.
I used to work in The City and I can tell you, it is a much more diverse, meritocratic, team working, collaborative world full of people from different cultures. It has huge diversity issues and all the usual stereotypes exist yet I went back to The City to get away from the sexism, racism, colonialism, elitism, jealousy and narrowness of PJ’ism that existed. The City is much more professional too – imagine that!
If anybody accuses photojournalism of being conventional, out of date, narrow and boring then all they have to do is look at the kind of people who run it. Do they all look, think and shoot the same stories? Who is asking “Can I see some more young chinese gymnasts or some factory workers, desperate africans, cuban boxers and football being played in war zones… please?”
That was in 2005. I came back when I saw evidence that progress was being made – new entrants… people like duckrabbit. I have faith. I love the curating being done by people like Laura Noble at Diemar Noble. Nan Goldin at Arles 2009 too. Women can and do make a massive contribution. (Actually Eugene Richard is an experienced white amercan male and is a legend so lets get some perspective of course).
I once went to a UK based agency and was invited to invest in them. I asked HIM what his demand strategy was in relation to selling images so other people (photographers) can earn a living. A simple business question – not even A level Economics. “In other words, how do you get more people to buy your images so more people can get paid – How are you increasing the demand for your product”. He said he did not even understand the question and said he had “never thought of it that way”.
That is the point – real diversity would not allow this “”never thought of it that way” to happen.
I declined to invest and decided to get a proper job again.
The ostrich technique of management from the same people too scared to let others do things better… women need to be a big part of that change.
The internet era has really killed the old monopoly so people like duckrabbit can exist and grow well from being brave enough to question and act differently. It can speak to the audience that has left PJ far behind in the 80’s. Fair competition can now come into the industry and I think something great is going to come out from the the carcass of a dead industry.
Let more women in and you might get a different perspective. Find more people from the emerging world and the concept of “foreign” changes.
Sorry about the seriousness of this all. I just happen to think gender and race equality plus cultural diversity is really important!
(P.S No Lisa, I am not important. I am just geek who cares about PJ, you do not have to agree and this is just an opinion written on a PJ industry blog!!)
Sorry Ciara, I don’t agree that just because its a male dominated industry female participation should be completely neglected.
I have often been involved in male dominated industries (I must be mad) and I have fought a lot of fights to be recognised not as some long legged ditzy blonde but as someone with a mind and abilities that are just not the barby doll variety.
Recognition in these kinds of things are relatively meaningless in the larger scale of things, but it does discourage me into thinking that again the world only can ‘see’ white anglo saxon men…that again the old argument must be brought up…
And you know what Einstein’s definition of insanity is…
To the previous poster, I hate to be rude but I am not really concerned with whether you are a photographer, a banker or even a dunny can collector or not. I just don’t like arguing points with someone that does not want to be known under a real name. Call me pedantic but as a photojournalist I can’t take anyone seriously that wants to participate in these kinds of discussions and carry on like ‘Deep Throat’. I am sure that using a real name on the duck rabbit blog is not going to get you A/ sacked or B/ assassinated… Well at least I hope not! Ben?
Good points Lisa … I think you’d agree the world benefited from deepthroat!
I don’t mind anonymity .. I mean its not like iamnotasuperstarphotogrpher is coming on duckrabbitblog and having a go at Panospictures, or anything like that?
The only person who gets damaged is me … and I’m so damaged I couldn’t possibly notice the different!
Lisa, it is not rude because I am not arguing with you. Just don’t take me seriously. That is totally cool with me!
I choose to stay anonymous as if I do not, it becomes a case of who I am and what I say versus who they are. I am not important at all but I believe the issues are. I also keep the agencies that I have dealt with anonymous as who cares who they are. It is what they do. It enables me to discuss these matter without it getting personal – a form of respect.
That’s all. Like me or not but please do not get annoyed. I am sure you have better things to do!
Ben it just depends which ‘Deep Throat’ you are thinking of… the Nixon administration one or the Linda Lovelace variety…
I think you’ll find only one was anonymous