12 http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukFormerAPTechnicalEditorAngelaNicholsonis thefounder
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boastsmorethan6,000members.Visitsheclicks.net
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Why are female and minority photographers
always asked to shoot images that represent them?View point
Angela
Nicholson
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few days ago I received an
email about a new grants
program designed to support
women, female-identifying
and non-binary photographers and
videographers. It offered a substantial
amount of money and mentorship to the
successful applicant. I was excited at the
thought that this could kickstart someone’s
career. However, as I read on, my heart
sank. Applicants were required to submit
their proposals for projects about the
‘authentic representation of women’. Most
competitions have a theme, but why does
every one aimed at women seem to focus
on what it’s like to be a woman?
It’s widely recognised that there should
be equal gender representation in
photography and videography, but these
competitions, bursaries and awards seem
to be so academic and worthy. Why don’t
they aim to support women who are
interested in more accessible forms of
photography? Wouldn’t it be better to fi nd
the best female landscape, portrait,
commercial or pet photographer? That
would attract more entries and draw
more attention to female photographers
than challenging, academic artwork.Reinforcing inequality
Ialso worry that by focusing on projects
that show ‘real women’ we’re actually
elevating the subjects to the point that
they seem unreal. It almost reinforces the
inequality. And whilst I applaud anyone
pursuing a project exploring
representation in photography, doing so
specifi cally to win money seems to detract
from the authenticity.
I think the awards bodies should
concentrate on the craft of the
photographers and their point of view.
After all, that’s usually what happens in
open-entry competitions and it’s more
likely to lead to a successful career that
inspires others. I imagine that some
readers may be wondering why thereshould be competitions and awards aimed
specifi cally at women. It could be
considered sexist and potentially
patronising. But statistics show that for a
whole host of reasons, women are less
inclined to enter competitions or seek
grants and awards than men. And as a
consequence, they don’t tend to win
general or open entry awards as often,
which means they don’t get the
confi dence boost and exposure that
comes with a win. Also, the point of these
awards isn’t just to slap one person on the
back, they are also about showcasing
female photography and letting young
girls see that photography can be a career
or hobby for them.
More signifi cantly, and at the risk of
making generalisations, women often see
in a different way or have a different point
of view from men. That viewpoint is just as
valid as any other, but it can get
overlooked in a regular competition,
especially if the judges are predominantly
men. We need women’s photography to
be highlighted to attract more women in
to the craft, to get more women judging
competitions and awards and to get
photography on a more even keel.There are myriad reasons why women are
less inclined to enter competitions than menTHE
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