CPS offers no evidence in “disturbing” arrest and prosecution of photojournalist. A judge has described the prosecution of Dimitris Legakis, a member of the BPPA, as “disturbing” and that it “raised serious questions” after the CPS offered no evidence in a case that they brought against him Wales Online quotes Judge Walters, sitting at Swansea Crown Court, as saying “the crown now recognises that which was the situation at the start, namely that “there was no evidential basis” to charge the defendant. He called the case “disturbing”, said it “raised serious questions”, and said “something has ..read more

The BPPA’s Statement on the use of Generative AI by photo agencies The news that Shutterstock’s generative AI platform has been used to create and sell child-abuse content, as reported by Petapixel, will concern everyone. Images of child abuse have been constructed from datasets built using millions of real photographs, without the consent of the photographers or those in the photographs. Photographers should be wary of lending their work to any agency that might use it in this way. The BPPA is shocked and disappointed that Shutterstock made this possible. It harms our members when agencies ma ..read more

Congratulations to BPPA member Oli Scarff for winning “Press Photographer of the Year” at this year’s BPPA Awards. Winners are selected by BPPA members who recognise their peers’ outstanding work as a true representation of the work done day in and day out by BPPA photojournalists working across the UK. You can see all the winning work here. Category Winners Arts & Entertainment – Oli Scarff Business – James Glossop Essay – Adam Gray News – Leon Neal Portrait – Geoff Pugh Royal – Kelvin Bruce Sport (action) – Adrian Dennis Sport (away from the action) – Carl Recine Young Photographer – Ry ..read more

The British Press Photographers’ Association, in partnership with Sony Pro Imaging, U.K. & Ireland, are delighted to announce the return of our photography talks series ‘Assignments LIVE’. To kick off the new run we are excited to reveal our International Women’s Day panel talk at The Frontline Club on Friday 8th March. We are assembling leading professionals in the field to participate in a photography-focused discussion. Our aim is to delve into the evolving role of a Press Photographer, analysing the landscape of 2024 amidst challenges such as Artificial Intelligence, the decline in new ..read more

Back in September 2022 The BPPA posted a short piece on our website about the arrest on the 24th of August of multi-award winning photojournalist Peter Macdiarmid whilst covering a Just Stop Oil protest at Clacket Lane Services on the M25, south of London. He was handcuffed and detained for several hours by Surrey Police despite identifying himself as the holder of a UK Press Card. The post reminded Police Officers that journalists have a right and a duty to report the news. Peter engaged the services of the law firm Bhatt Murphy who sent a letter of claim to Surrey Police. Eventually last ..read more

Two press photographers and a documentary film maker were arrested whilst covering protests by the campaigning group Just Stop Oil on Monday 7th November.  Tom Bowles and Ben Cawthra, both members of The BPPA along with BECTU member Rich Felgate were handcuffed and removed from two separate locations by Hertfordshire Police. A member of The BPPA’s Board has spoken to both photographers and, based on their accounts, we can report the following: Tom and Rich were detained by the police at 10.44am, accused of suspicion of conspiracy to cause a nuisance. Tom wasn’t given a chance to offer an ..read more

When the Press Photographers Association (PPA) first got together it wasn’t too promising. Only a few of the press photographers invited from each national newspaper bothered to show. It was a small gathering around a long table that gently rattled in the smoky gloom of a club called Duffers, nestling as it did beneath the railway arches that led trains into Farringdon station. It was early 1984, and the boys had gathered to hear our first Chairman and Founder outline his plans to create something new to represent the very best of press photography in books, exhibitions; above all to celebrate ..read more

At the association’s AGM in 2019 we started the ball rolling towards the creation of a new category of membership of The BPPA. As part of our role of “inspiring” we chose to do this by helping to guide and mentor the next generation of photographers wanting to join the profession. This is now becoming a reality and we are delighted to announce that the doors are open to anyone fulfilling the criteria: “Any person who is not yet working full-time as a press photographer but who is striving to achieve that goal either through working part-time in the industry or by studying on a course specia ..read more

In letters signed by The BPPA, the News Media Association, the Chartered Institute of Journalists, the British Association of Journalists and the Foreign Press Association in London and sent to the Editor of The Times and the Director of Communications, Marketing and Engagement for the Royal Parks the five organisations made it clear that restrictions placed upon news-gatherers excluding them from areas open to the public were unacceptable. The text of the letter to the Times said the following: Sir,  We are writing on behalf of professional photographers and journalists spanning the bre ..read more

Photo: ©Peter Macdiarmid/London News Pictures. 24 August 2022 Following the arrest of multi-award winning photojournalist Peter Macdiarmid whilst covering this morning’s Just Stop Oil protest at Clacket Lane Services on the M25, The British Press Photographers’ Association would, once again, like to remind Police Officers that journalists have a right and a duty to report the news. Mr Macdiarmid identified himself as the holder of a UK Press Card which is a form of identification officially recognised by the National Police Chiefs Council but the officers from Surrey Police chose not to check ..read more