Issue 7_Focus from the AOP_July 2026_FINAL - Flipbook - Page 3
WORD FROM OUR CEO
Isabelle Doran, CEO - The Association of Photographers
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July continues with the hot weather, which as we head
into the holiday season is having significant impact in
parts of Europe.
Our Emerging Talent Award closes this weekend, so it9s
the last opportunity for photographer and image-makers
working less than 3 years in the industry to submit
entries and be in with a chance to win a generous prize
of 8 billboards across London provided by
BUILDHOLLYWOOD, plus again from WEX Photo Video, a
prize of £700 + creating a Wex video about their practice.
We also have the support of 123 London.
We were thrilled with the delivery of our 2026 AOP
Student Awards showcase & Starting Out programme
sponsored by Capture One, Fujifilm, Pixray, GripVan,
CRXSS and APHE, at E1 Studios, Whitechapel. A very
packed day from morning until evening, with folio
reviews, talks, and announcing our winners – a huge
congratulations to all finalists and winners this year, with
our Best In Show going to Rupert Allen, BA Hons
Photography, University of Gloucestershire, for his B&W
portrait series 8Church of Coal9.
Adam Shaw
Our campaigning for July continues with support for our
creative industry Transparency Petition asking for a
statutory duty requiring AI developers to disclose their
training data – creators need transparency about how
creative works are used in AI training, accountability from
AI companies, and legal protections that respect creative
rights.
We need 10,000 signatures, and have amassed over 8,520
so far. Just 1480 to go and then the Government will need
to respond to it.
This month sees a new Prime Minister Andy Burnham in
place, with reappointments for the Department for
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) – Lisa Nandy as
Secretary of State and Ian Murray as Minister of State. We
hope this means that the promised support for creators
is delivered, but expect that this won9t be at least until
September.
As Vice Chair of the Creators9 Rights Alliance, I managed to
attend a last-minute meeting with DCMS officials on AI,
before the new PM was announced, underlining the need
for photographers9 rights to be urgently addressed
against the backdrop of generative-AI.
And finally, as ever, lots of activity from our members
which we9re excited to showcase this month, together
with highlights from our AOP Student Awards – it9s a
bumper 8summer9 edition worth checking out.
