A Bit Of A Waste
The moral to this story, is that I should have hibernated. Or is it that I should have paid heed to the rules? You see, the rule(s) were clearly laid down and I can not claim ignorance to not having known them in advance. I guess I just chose to ignore them? The rules just didn’t and still don’t make sense to me, but the fact is, they’re unfortunately still the rules.
Rule 4.2.b
After the date of being awarded the EFIAP distinction, have obtained at least: xxxxx
The xxxx is actually irrelevant, it’s the wording before hand that I have problems with. You see, following on from the EFIAP distinction, the next award is the EFIAP bronze. My “understanding” for this award, was that any images you had used in the application for the EFIAP were no longer eligible to be used for any future applications. Which in itself was fine, but the wording is a little bit more specific than that and it refers to a date, or to be precise “after the date”.
This has huge ramifications – for me at least. You see, In February 2011 I was awarded the AFIAP distinction, which is the first step on the FIAP ladder. Following on from that, I continued to submit to FIAP salons in my effort towards attaining the EFIAP, the next distinction in line. You are only allowed apply for these applications once a year, so by the time came around for the AFIAP application, I was already well on the way to having enough acceptances for the EFIAP. In late March, just a month after being awarded the AFIAP, I reached the goals set down for the EFIAP.
What’s A Photographer To Do?
So, it is March 2011. Due to the limitation of one application date a year (February) and the exact wording of rule 4.2.b, it meant that I had to hibernate for 10 months, before I could even apply for my EFIAP in February of 2012. I shouldn’t enter any salons in that time, because the acceptances and awards gained, wouldn’t count? Surely that can’t be? Surely FIAP would not dissuade photographers from entering salons? Surely the purpose of rule 4.2.b was only to ensure that new and different works were used for the EFIAP Bronze than had been used previously? Surely it was something lost in translation? Surely?
Being the cautious sort, I queried this with the FIAP liaison officer (no reply), the secretary of the IPF and indeed a few other photographers that had actually achieved the EFIAP bronze or were actively working towards it. In all cases, they agreed that it was a wording issue and that it was safe to plough ahead.. which is what I did.
As It Turns Out
Unfortunately, it turns out FIAP actually strictly enforces rule 4.2.b Which means every single acceptance and award I achieved from March onwards and indeed on images that I did not list on my EFIAP application, are a complete waste 
Or certainly a waste when it comes to the actual distinction process. To put it in perspective, that’s over 200 acceptances that I can not list; That’s 26 salons that I can not list It’s 46 international awards across 15 images that I can not list – more or less every single award I have achieved to date is wasted There are 36 images, 15 of which I received awards with, which were never used for the AFIAP or EFIAP but the acceptances they have achieved to date, are wasted Of course the images themselves are not actually wasted as such, because they can be submitted again, but having “retired” some of them, it some how doesn’t feel right to dig them out again?
So Who’s To Blame?
By and large I have no one to blame but myself. I read the rule, I understood the rule but yet chose to ignore it, believing that it simply couldn’t be true. I’m quite annoyed that my official query through the IPF gave me one answer and FIAP are giving another. Perhaps I was only too willing to accept their answer because it suited my needs? Regardless, it is yet another example of how dreadfully poorly the FIAP process is administered in Ireland.
Truth be told, even if I was informed that rule 4.2.b was a hard fast rule, I’m not sure it would have stopped me completely from submitting to salons? Obviously chasing the distinctions themselves is the ultimate goal, but submitting to salons brings other rewards. Your work is seen by a wider audience and you gain exposure to other photographers work from around the world. I’ve been lucky enough to pick up some awards, which although they no longer count for the distinctions, is still pretty rewarding/satisfying.
What It Means For Me Now?
So the slate is well and truly wiped clean. Any acceptances and awards before this year are deleted.. gone… wiped clean. I’m starting from scratch. The EFIAP Bronze isn’t a terribly difficult distinction, with a requirement for just 75 acceptances from 25 images (with no restrictions on countries or salons). Of course there is also the requirement for 3 awards from 3 different images in 3 different countries, something I had achieved in the past and just hope I can achieve again (if not I’ll be REALLY pissed off 
)
The essential thing here is that you have actually attained your EFIAP – many don’t. A few short years ago you could not apply for an AFIAP until five years after your first acceptance and then you were on the trail – the “rules” on the EFIAP application seemed to make sense back then but, admittedly, needs reviewing.
We can all look back and say it was easier then but we do have to accept the rules which exist at present and make the best of them. I doubt your enthusiasm will diminish – you have gained too much to let it all go – you’re bigger than that. To have attained the acceptances and awards you have is a great personal achievement and to see Irish authors receiving some of the top awards in International salons is a source of national pride – it simply reflects the standard of Irish photographers like yourself.
Give up now ? I doubt it . Pick up the pieces and show them you’re bigger than all the silly rules. We do need some new blood in the IPF to progress the whole FIAP distinctions process – someone who has an interest…..
Oh I’m certainly not giving up. If anything, the fact I have to start from fresh, means I’ll go into blitz mode again. I had hoped to take my foot off the gas a little, but if I want to be in a position to apply for the bronze in January, there’s a lot of work to be done.
As I said above, I do appreciate it’s not a total waste and I wouldn’t give back the awards for love nor money. But it certainly is frustrating.
As for a new person in the FIAP role, I don’t disagree. I had a chat on Monday night with our new/interim FIAP liaison officer and to be honest, I’m not overly enthused going forward.
I suppose it’s down to modern technology and digital photography, it’s only over the last few years that it’s been possible to enter exhibitions by downloading the images. I can’t imagine entering slides to the same number of exhibitions I enter digital images in now. If you had a good original slide, copies always seemed to have a loss in quality, so entering that image in more than one exhibition at a time was difficult, not to mention the hastle of packing and posting the slides all over the world. Payment must have been a pain as well, something that Paypal has made very easy.
So because the rules for FIAP distinctions were based around slide/print entry to exhibitions, which was a much slower process than digital photograpy allows, I guess it will create the sort of problems you have encountered.
I’ve been predicting that the rules would change, and I suppose FIAP has realised this with there recent changes to AFIAP and EFIAP requirements. Maybe some of the other rules need looking at, because it seem wrong that you can’t work towards the next distinction until you have gained a previous one.
I follow your blog and must congratulate you on your success , good luck with your forthcoming exhibition in Dublin!
After reading your post I had a long conversation with our national FIAP liaison officer and here’s what I know now…
1. you may apply for efiap/b 1 year after getting efiap. obviously.
2. all previous acceptances are scratched. ha. however, there is a chance to apply with acceptances you received AFTER applying for efiap, claiming you got your results later, after getting the efiap title. so basically you tell them the salon organizers are slow with sending out the report cards. yup, that’s us!
3. 75 (new) acceptances, 25 different photos, collection of 5 accepted photos (prefferably no awards, you can save the awards for later), and 3 awards from 3 different countries.
As far as I understand, the awards are not scratched, meaning you can submit the efiap/b application with certain award from Dec 2011, for example.
Also (and I think I’ve said that already somewhere on this blog) the requirements will change in 2013, at least for afiap and efiap. For example you needed 150 acceptances for efiap until now, and from now on it will be 250 (and of course 30 salons, 50 works, 20 countries).
Keep your head up, and rock them all (again)
oh, and sorry for the poor grammar, i’m on a phone =)
Well f**K that for a game of soldiers. So its a case of start again from January 2012 and resubmit images that we have been using for bronze. All the new images submitted last year dont count?
Will I have to find out exactly when I was awarded EFIAP and start from that date or does it start from a vague January limbo period from when the application was submitted. Who do I ask?
It is odd that the only way to find out is from other applicants like yourself and Brian.
Wesley, salons don’t have a month.. so I think the vague date is OK? I’ll certainly be including the salons from February in my bronze application.
Thanks for the clarification Klemen – interesting (and a relief) to know about the awards counting.
Thanks Gerry
I appreciate the input and comments.
Ciaran & Wesley,
Your acceptances count from the year the EFIAP was awarded and not down to any particular month as each country seems to be allocated a “slot” to facilitate the checking of applications – this came from Freddy Van Gilbergen. The awards are only relevant to the images supplied (for FIAP archives) with the applications.
As Gerry pointed out the whole basis on the distinctions seems to stem from a process which was a long drawn-out process and hasn’t moved to take into account the sheer volume of salons taking advantage of digital entries – the process seems to be a victim of its own popularity.
Most people have “suffered” only because the timescale for application for AFIAP was shortened from five years to one year (at present) – successful photographers tend to gather acceptances fairly quickly now compared to years ago.
I sense a little frustration regarding the position of FIAP liaison officer – I do hope we get someone who is pro-active and as Wesley points out don’t have to knock at every door before we get an answer.
Well Brian if you’re canvassing for votes, you’d have mine.. not that I get one.
You definately get my vote too Brian. Put yourself forward.
Brian, what do you mean “Your acceptances count from the year the EFIAP was awarded and not down to any particular month”. The UK FIAP office is sending my application off around about now, and I should hear in June. I’ve been advised that no acceptances in salons before June will count. Is that interpretation correct?
Tim,
As already explained, each country is allocated a particular month to spread the workload of distinction verification. When you apply for your EFIAP in 2012 the acceptances in that year are eligible for further distinctions (as Klemen said, some salons are slow in issuing results) – you could not just draw a line after June. Fair enough if you have used all acceptances up to June (some may need the six month period) but if you have not then these 2012 acceptances are eligible for bronze etc.. In the verification process the only thing checked is the FIAP salon number and year (eg 101/2012)
Thanks Brian that’s very useful, I thought that was what you meant but wasn’t quite sure – as Ciaran has intimated the rules are as clear as mud
I had stopped entering around last August time and didn’t realise that I could restart from the beginning of 2012. I shall have to start entering again.
For myself it was not a big problem to start from scratch after the EFAIP, because like Ciaran said, the next step with 75 acceptances from 25 works is not really hard to get, especially with all the digital contests and circuits today. I received the EFIAP in March 2010 and all the new acceptances from beginning 2010 (salon numbers 2010/xxx) where ok for the EFIAP/b.
And to Ciaran: Maybe it´s bad, to loose all the acceptances and awards for the next step, but you got these awards, especially the ribbons! So everyone around the world who received the catalogs or Cd´s now know you, because of your excellent pictures! I think, to know this is not too bad…
But there is one thing I like to discuss with people from FIAP: With all the possible salons today, it makes no sense to me to make a new step every year possible. It´s just a matter of money, time to prepare and an according number of good pictures. A lot are hurrying to the next step, and are angry if they don´t reach the next step within a year… I did this running for title with the EFIAP (2010), EFIAP/b(2011) and now the EFIAP/s(2012). It´s not really funny. I´m a photographer and want to take pictures. Also it´s a hobby, not a job. If you receive all possible steps within some years, what do you want to do later??? I try to slow down and take part only at the salons with good catalogs the next time. I counted the fees I needed for the salons for the last two years and with this money I could have bought one or two quite good lenses…
It´s nice to have success and to see your own pictures inside the catalogs or to get medals. But at the end I have enough stress within my real work, so I don´t need stress with my hobby.
I forgot one thing related to the rules for EFIAP/b:
You need 3 different awarded pictures, not given physically to the FIAP before. So you can send old pictures again to salons, but you can not use the pictures you already used as prints during the AFIAP or EFIAP title (normally 2×5 pieces).
AND: Every picture must be awarded in a different country, but only one time!
Example:
Picture A: HM in Ireland
Picture B: M in Spain
Picture C: HM in Germany
That is enough! So I see no problems for Ciaran to get the next step in 2013, because I can not imagine how these pictures will not get 3 different awards over the year …
BTW: That is also a bad rule in my opinion: To play good, I will not use a picture with an award anymore, because it makes no sense related to gather different awarded pictures for the future. So good pictures are stopped. Not the best idea, but the best way to come further fast…
Thanks for the comments Reinhard. I agree somewhat… and then on other things I disagree
First and foremost, I actually don’t agree there should be any time limit. Waiting a year, 2 years or what ever, doesn’t make a photographer a better or worse photographer. If he/she has the images now, then that should be the only factor considered. I can understand limits applied due to the administration effort, but after that, they just don’t make sense to me.
Yes, there are a lot of salons now and circuits which allow photographers pick up acceptances in a short period of time, but they can only pick up these acceptances if they have the images. And if they do, there should be no restriction on then submitting to salons or applying.
I think increasing the numbers is a bad move. All it will do is cost photographers more. And you’re right, it’s not cheap. With an average of €30 per salon, assuming you need 30 salons for the EFIAP, that’s €900 in entry feels alone.
As for me, I’m not stressed about this… in fact I find the routine of regularly submitting to salons, strangely soothing
I’m very much project driven and like to have the next goal to work towards.
By the way, thanks for the clarification on the awards (I appreciate it). It’s also interesting to hear your strategy when it comes to awarded images.
Hi Ciaran. I’m in England and have just been awarded AFIAP (4th June 2012) but already have over 250 acceptances to meet the recently revised EFIAP criteria re numbers / countries etc. I thought I could maybe apply for EFIAP in 2013 but I see from the information contained here applying April 2013 will be too early due to the year rule between awards. Just wanted to say how useful I found the Blog’s you’ve done on your road to EFIAP and also the information contained in this article and the comments made by others: I’ve certainly learnt a lot regarding these (weird and at times incomprehensible) FIAP rules. Congratulations on your recent award in Photo Emotion and also on this website. Some superb images.