The world of photography, at least when I started out ten years ago, felt very male-dominated. As a young female attending press launches and photo shoots, I was usually the odd one out in the room, rather than the norm. While it never held me back and I never experienced any negative comments, there were times when it would have been nice to be surrounded by more female photographers.
Today, the SheClicks community is one such place, where women can enjoy the support of other women who share their love of photography. SheClicks was founded in 2018 by journalist and expert gear guru Angela Nicholson (we're lucky to have her reviewing kit for us) and it began life as a Facebook group that quickly reached 1,000 members within a month.
While the group started in the UK, the membership is now global, and it continues to grow. This year, the SheClicks Awards have been launched, and I was delighted to be asked to join the judging panel, which includes amazing women from all corners of the industry – as well as regular "SheClickers".
SheClicks is a community for female photographers with a friendly, informative vibe. It encourages and supports female photos of all experience levels and it’s open to all women interested in photography whether they shoot on a smartphone, film camera, DSLR, or mirrorless model.
Become a member (it's FREE)
The SheClicks Awards are designed to celebrate the kit that we love the most – whether that's a small accessory or luxury camera – and acknowledge great customer service. One of the key awards is the most outstanding achievement by a female photographer.
Some of the awards will be decided by a group-wide vote, but others will be decided by the panel of judges.
The Awards include categories on camera kit, such as Best Enthusiast Camera, Best Premium Camera, and Best Prime Lens. The Awards also go beyond gear, with the Best Customer Service, Greatest Innovation, and the one I'm most excited about; Outstanding achievement by a female photographer.
SheClicks will be presenting the trophies for the very first SheClicks Awards at The Photography Show 2022 (more on that below) on Monday, September 19, from around 1 pm until 3 pm.
Why SheClicks?
Founder of SheClicks Angela Nicholson has grown the community steadily since its inception, and there are regular SheClicks webinars and in-person photography events alongside the online Facebook group.
"Some people question the need for a women-only group in the 21st century, and it’s a good point," she says. "However, the feedback that I’ve received during photo walks and other events has been that many women like the opportunity to shoot and chat with other women. Some have even said that they feel more comfortable asking women questions about photography.
"Statistics also show that only around 15-20% of professional photographers are women. And until recently, if you opened the average photographic magazine (or any other magazine for that matter), the vast majority of images were captured by men. Photography plays a major role in the way we perceive the world and how we communicate, so I think it’s important that women’s photography is seen, whether that’s snapshots of everyday family life, major advertising campaigns or documentary images about social issues."
Meet SheClicks at The Photography Show 2022
If you follow Digital Camera World regularly, you might already know that in the UK, The Photography Show is back between September 17-20 this year. SheClicks will be there too, with a stand (N301) and an exhibition in the gallery area – not to mention several meetups throughout the event.
On Saturday, September 17, immediately after the show closes at 5 pm, there will be a drinks reception at the exhibition – a brilliant opportunity to see the amazing talent within the group, meet some of the photographers and celebrate their work.
Discover these historical female photographers, check out the best camera bags for women, or discover 5 talks at The Photography Show 2022.
