British Institute of Professional Photography

The British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) is a not-for-profit organisation for professional photographers in the United Kingdom. Members must be qualified professionals, and agree to be bound by the BIPP's code of conduct.

The institute was formed as The Professional Photographers' Association on 28 March 1901, at a meeting at a hotel in Fleet Street, and has since changed its name three times, including Institute of Incorporated Photographers.^[1] From 100 members at its outset, the institute now has over 500 members. Members can become qualified at three different levels as assessed by the BIPP, with the highest being Fellowship (FBIPP).

The current President of the British Institute of Professional Photography is Jeff Brown.^[2]

Competitions and Awards

The BIPP runs regional competitions^[3] in the U.K, as well as participating in international competitions. The British Professional Photography Awards are a combined photography award run by the Master Photographers Association and the British Institute of Professional Photography.^[4]

The 2023 Photography Print Competition was won by Graeme Hewitson.^[5][6]

The 2022 Photography Print Competition was won by Su Kaye for her dog portrait titled “Things are Looking Up.^[7][8]

Controversy

A photograph of a London Black Lives Matter protest, initially posted on the BIPP Instagram page, was removed after criticism that it was 'racially insensitive'. ^[9]

Organisational structure

The Membership Services Advisory Board (MSAB) is made up of members put forward by their region. The MSAB are also responsible for choosing the board of directors