A FIAP Ribbon & 3 Acceptances

Posted by ciaran on June 10, 2010 in Blog, FIAP | 18 comments

FIAP Acceptance: Ballet

FIAP is an international federation which affiliates as operational members, the national associations of photography across the world. The Irish Photographic Federation is one such member association and like the IPF, which offers distinctions to it’s members based on their “level” of photography, FIAP also offers individual members/photographers the opportunity to earn distinctions.

However the distinction process for FIAP differs greatly from that of the IPF. Camera clubs belonging to a national photographic association can apply to FIAP for patronage to host an exhibition (called a salon). Receiving  patronage for a salon is no easy task and requires the host club to conform to very strict rules and to ensure a certain standard of quality. The judging for the exhibition is normally carried out by experienced and highly accredited photographers from the host nation as well as having international judges participate.

FIAP Ribbon: Red Kayt

Photographers from around the world are invited to submit images to the salon. These are then judged by the judging panel and the top percentile are then selected for exhibiting. If you have an image selected for exhibition, it is called an “acceptance”. There are also medals presented to the top images in the various sections and ribbons or highly commended to prints/images just outside the medal places.

Like the IPF, where there are different levels of distinctions (LIPF, AIPF & FIPF), FIAP also offers different levels of distinctions. Currently I am working towards my AFIAP, which requires the following:

• Have obtained 30 acceptances with at least 10 different images
• Have participated with success in at least 10 different salons in at least 5 different countries.
• In addition, the photographer must also submit 10 images to FIAP for approval, all of which must have obtained a FIAP acceptance.

FIAP Acceptance: Holly

In terms of acceptances, I’ve already achieved way beyond the 30 needed. In fact in a single salon (called a super circuit) I was lucky enough to obtain 48 acceptances But unfortunately, I have only submitted to 7 FIAP salons in the past (and thankfully was successful in them all) and only in 3 countries

So I’m now making an effort this year again to submit to salons further afield, covering as many different countries as I can.

And today, I had notification from a Salon in Luxembourg that I had 3 acceptances, one of which won a FIAP ribbon I’ve still yet to win a medal at one of these things, but this is my fourth ribbon

People have asked me why I bother submitting to these? One answer I always give is that even for just taking part, you receive a printed catalog of the best images in the salon. The quality of these catalogs is superb, especially in the 4-star and 5-star salons, so the book alone is worth the hassle of entering. But to be honest, there’s more to it than that.

With the IPF distinctions, whilst I believe the process is extremely fair and transparent, you can be lucky or unlucky on the day. Panels which marginally “fail” on one sitting could pass at another and vice versa. The disctinctions are also really only measured against other photographers in your federation.

FIAP accreditations are world wide. Achieving one requires a lot of time and effort, and it is also recognition that your work stands up against photographers across the world, not just across your own country. Anyway, hopefully I’ll have more stories of success in other salons this year

Actually, as an aside, my own camera club Celbridge, held their inaugural salon this weekend gone. It did not have the patronage of FIAP for this salon, but was accredited by the Photographic Society of America (PSA). What’s funny is that all 3 of the images above were submitted and not one achieved an acceptance It was my first salon ever where I was unsuccessful in not achieving a single acceptance. In fact the images of Holly and Kayt both only achieved 8 points from a maximum of 15 and a minimum of 6

It’s a funny old world