Photography is not a sport

 It seems that I have rattled the cages of the British camera club fraternity yet again. You dare not make any criticism of their mostly ludicrous activities without incurring their wrath. It's a sure sign of their insecurity when they attack those for whom photography and photographic education is a serious way of life and living.

Working on location in north Wales, April 2023

Turning it into a sport with sad 'trophy hunting' as the only measure of achievement or success, is an insult to all who take it seriously and strive to make good, relevant work and put it into the public domain. Even worse, is that their attitudes and ideas serve to exclude a substantial section of the contemporary photographic demographic - young people and women. Just look around the typical British (not European or American where I have experience) camera club to see evidence of this, they are composed mostly of grumpy old men drooling over cameras, not good photography. 

Their 'sporting' competitions for pointless trophies are 'refereed' by individuals whose collective knowledge of contemporary photography can be written on the point of a pin. This does nothing to further the quality or relevance of what they produce, it's 'photography by numbers' and just ticking boxes to satisfy ignorant 'judges'.

Crafnant, Conwy, 53° 7’ 29” N. - 3° 53’ 3” W. Looking west. From the series - 'The Ends of the Roads'

In the real world of photography it's heartening to see how young photographers (with a good gender balance) are producing exciting relevant work and finding innovative ways to put this out into the world. They should be nurtured and encouraged, not put off by outdated ideas and practices by those who refuse to accept that what they espouse. You have to wonder what they are afraid of when they make comments such as - "we are happy just as we are". That they are content to dumb down the theory and practice of photography and by so doing exclude a substantial section of the contemporary photography demographic is nothing but shameful. 

 

Llanrhystud, Ceredigion, 52° 18’ 0” N. - 4° 9’ 54” W. Looking south west. From the series - 'The Ends of the Roads'

It's difficult to know how to break these entrenched ideas. Clearly those who run British clubs are afraid of change as it exposes their own lack of knowledge and understanding. They don't want to feel intimidated by another generation making far better work than themselves and engaging with fresh and exciting ideas and Photographic concepts. 

Cwm Penmachno, Gwynedd,   53° 0’ 32” N. - 3° 51’ 46” W. Looking east. From the series - 'The Ends of the Roads'

There are, however, many positive things happening in the real world of photography. New galleries and photography festivals abound. New ways of publishing work make getting exciting  projects out much easier and ultimately more accessible to a wider audience. The young photographers are embracing all this, despite the best efforts of camera clubs to stifle it. 

Meanwhile, the camera clubs bumble along in their outdated ways, giving out trophies for nonsensical 'categories' of photograph, pandering to so-called 'judges' who no nothing and are deliberately dumbing down knowledge.