Why's and Wherefore's?

[GeoffWessex]

Some of the letters after names are professional qualifications, while the RPS ones indicate a club membership (of sorts). Not that I'm knocking the RPS - anybody joining it and going for LRPS/ARPS can tap in to lots of resources - it's like a posh camera club.
There are similarities with various medical colleges..... those FRCS, BDS, FRCP, MRCVS, MPS etc..... they require (I think) annual membership fees - like CORGI central heating fitters.

[Cathus]

Geoff, I was referring to the PAGB & other body whose name I can't recall after a long night shift, (ie photographic bodies), rather than other professions' qualifications.

[ABERS]

Originally Posted by F11

I personally find that the more I look at my images the more I get dissatisfied with them.

I think that once that feeling disappears you should sell your cameras and take up some other pastime.

@ Cathus.
The thing that puts me off the RPS stuff is that you are only allowed to use the letters if you pay the annual fee, as soon as you cease paying you cease entitlement.

That may be the case, and so what? You are paying the annual fee to remain a member not to display letters after your name, unless that's the reason you joined in the first place. At least if you stop being a member you have the satisfaction that you have achieved the standard set by the RPS.

The PAGB isn't a club, it's only a blanket organisation for clubs throughout GB. and there are no members' fees to be shelled out each year. Their MPAGB and DPAGB awards are a one off, and the way they decide those awards are completely different to the way the RPS arrives at their decisions.

[Cathus]

ABERS,

The impression I get is that people join the RPS in order to display letters after their names. I guess if people were only bothered about achieving a standard, & not the letters albeit a standard set by a particular club, they wouldn't be displaying the letters after their name (one only has to check camera club membership list, judging & speakers lists to see how many people do - though I accept you'd never know how many don't display as you wouldn't know they were members if they didn't put letters after their names).

Aren't the RPS awards a 'one off' i.e. you get them on the basis of submission of a panel of photos, you just have to remain a member in order to show others you achieved the one off?

I thought the RPS stuff was judged by a group of judges who decided if it met the required standard, is this not what the MPAGB awards is decided on, you have to reach a set mark? How are they decided upon differently.

I admit my knowledge of this part of the genre of photography is not great as I've not tried for anything but I've heard that work which most people would consider as extremely good can get absolutely slaughtered by RPS judging panels to the extent of causing some embarassment (maybe that's just some individual judges at the time), and some genres, such as sports photography, get quite short shrift despite the skill levels required to obtain high quality body of work in that field.

And the 'so what' part of your question would be that if I put sufficient work to achieve an award I don't think it's morally right that I have to pay in order to advertise the fact that I achieved that award. I accept that them's the rules of that club, so that's probably part of the reason that I don't really want to be a member of that club, it just gives me the impression that the society feels like it's a superior group.

[ABERS]

Originally Posted by Cathus

ABERS,

I thought the RPS stuff was judged by a group of judges who decided if it met the required standard, is this not what the MPAGB awards is decided on, you have to reach a set mark? How are they decided upon differently.

That's right the RPS awards are judged by a panel, but for the ARPS and The FRPS the applicant has to submit a panel of prints or DPI's that hang together as a panel of work on a subject of his/her choosing from the categories set by the RPS.

The PAGB is different in that you can submit a number of prints made up of any genre, but they are not viewed as panel. Your images are mixed up with other applicants' work and given marks by the adjudication panel. At the end of the judging all your marks are added up and if they reach the required total then you get the distinction.

P.S. I know quite a few members of the RPS who have no interest in trying to achieve letters after their name, just to take advantage of what the society has to offer, i.e. the various sections within the Society.

[Cathus]

maybe it's something I might look at in due course.

Our vice president, who is an LRPS or something is keen, strangely, to get members to go for the PAGB awards but with those you have to show evidence that you have contributed to the society before you can submit your shots.

[GeoffWessex]

Yes, I believe there's a lot to be gained by just being a member of the RPS other than getting the letters... the process of improving your photography to reach a level where you'd enter some samples for possible distinction would require quite a lot of learning, which is beneficial in many ways. The RPS makes available a lot of lectures, presentations, training days etc.

With the PAGB, I just came across the following on their site....
"All applicants must pre-qualify in accordance with their Federations criteria as having supported
Federation photographic events. This support from current active photographers must have been for a
minimum of 2 years for CPAGB, 3 years for DPAGB and 5 Years for MPAGB, A retrospective period
of 10 years may be considered. Applications for MPAGB must have held DPAGB for at least 11
months on the date of adjudication. Please contact your Federation Awards Officer for guidance."

Also, "The Awards are normally held for life without any annual fee and holders are entitled to use the
designated letters after their name."

OK, so now I've got to look for a Federation Awards Officer.... I'm just going outside, I may be some time....

<edit>
By Jove, I have it...... I 'borrowed' the instructions to the Chilterns federation's Awards Guidance (via the "PAGB > Awards" link), for the use of the Federation's representative at each club (and I expect it works the same in all PAGB Federations and Clubs)......

Check that the member has been with your club or other
clubs for the minimum period of support (currently 2, 3 and 5 years for C, D, and
MPAGB respectively).

Support of Federation Photographic events listed on the CACC form means that
the Member must have :-
• Made work available for selection, in the chosen medium (prints, slides or
A/V) for at least one event in each year of the PAGB qualifying period (above).
• Not included work older than 10 years.

The Awards are.....
'Credit' - CPAGB - 'Good Club Photography';
'Distinction' - DPAGB - 'Open Exhibition Photography';
'Master' - MPAGB - 'Highest Standard of Amateur Photography'.

Once recommended by a club and federation (not sure which, maybe it's both) the applicant sends 10 prints or 10 DPIs to the PAGB. They have six judges for adjudication, each giving a maximum of 5 points per image, making a maximum score of 30 per image, making a maximum total score of 300. Pass mark is 200.
</edit>

[Cathus]

That's the one Geoff, our VP circulated all the info to all members, I'm not sure what the takeup of interest is so far though, I've not heard of anyone actually going for it yet.