Members have been looking at two existing sets of guidelines as the basis of discussion so far; The National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics and Reuters Guide to Standards, Photoshop and Captions.

The working group is open to all branch members and will report it’s findings to the branch as it continues.

Our next meeting will be on the future of copyright with Andrew Wiard, Guy Smallman and NUJ freelance organiser John Toner. The panel will be discussing current negotiations with the Guardian, the Bauer Media dispute and future strategies for negotiating changes to copyright law. The meeting will be next Tuesday 27th of April at 6pm in Headland House. Any motions to the branch should be sent to the branch secretary prior to the meeting.

Facebook Event Google Map

Hostile Reconnaissance

The rally which the branch organised earlier this month was a fantastic success with 200 hundred people filling Friends Meeting House. You can read a full report, including audio from the rally on the branch website.

Ethics & Photojournalism

Our last branch meeting featured photographer Stuart Freedman who gave a talk on Ethics and Photojournalism, the text from his talk is on the branch site along with audio of the discussion afterwards.

Lets Start the Debate

Branch Vice-Chair Antonio Olmos introduced the new debate section on the branch site with an article outlining some of the issues that photographers face today.

If you’d like to write something for the branch site you can submit articles to editor@londonphotographers.org. Articles should be 400-600 words, can be on any subject related to the business or practice of photography and if you can provide related images even better!

Congratulations to Clause 43 Campaigners

Congratulations to all those photographers who have campaigned and lobbied against Clause 43 of the Digital Economy Bill.

We have won! On April 12th the Digital Economy Act was given Royal Assent, with Clause 43 of the bill, which created ‘Orphan Works’, removed.

As the far-right rises, we must protect our members

At the last branch meeting a motion was passed condemning the violence of the EDL against branch members, videographer Jason Parkinson who has covered EDL protests across the country wrote an article for the branch site talking about his experiences.

Surviving the Downturn – how to thrive in a tough market

Photographer Nick McGowan-Lowe will be giving a one day training course on the business of photography on the 21st May. It costs £90 for NUJ members, £130 for non-members and £67 for student NUJ members, space is limited to 12 people. The course will not be advertised to the wider NUJ membership until Thursday (on the training section of the NUJ website), so LPB members have a chance to get in early.  You can sign up by emailing Linda King in the training department.

Emergency Life Support Training

The London Photographers Branch is offering members the opportunity of attending a First Aid one day course tailored to street photographers. This course is open to branch members only and the 12 places will be on a first come, first served basis at a special LPB rate of £5. Email training@londonphotographers.org if you wish to take part.

The White Star Medical, First Aid certificated course and will take place at Headland House on Wednesday 2nd June, 10am – 5.30pm

Tutor Elliott Rodgers plans to teach the core principles of a one day Emergency Life Support course. The one day course will train photographers to take immediate life saving steps until further medical assistance can be bought to the casualty.

Minutes

All the minutes for branch committee and branch meetings are available online (registration required)

The branch aims to reach out to as many photographers as possible to address the issues facing us today; the collapse of the commission market, the fall in rates and library percentages, job cuts, questions of ethics, safety and press freedom.

We will be tackling all these and more in the coming months but most importantly this is your branch, it will be member led. Every individual member, staff, freelance and contract has an equal say.

This is our opportunity to shape the kind of union branch we need and tailor it to photographers’ needs across the sector.

We had a very animated inaugural meeting last night. Nearly 60 members have transferred to the new branch, most of whom attended last night.

We are looking for photographers keen to help organise the branch, we have already had some volunteers who were elected unopposed:

• Chair – Jess Hurd
• Vice-Chair – Antonio Olmos
• Secretary – Marc Vallée
• Treasurer – Jonathan Warren
• Membership Secretary – Guy Smallman
• Committee Members without portfolio:
  • Phillip Wolmuth
  • Carlos Guarita
  • Jane Hobson (Co-Opted)
  • Jason Parkinson

The remaining positions would remain unfilled until the next meeting. The positions still vacant on the committee are:

• Welfare Officer
• Equality Officer
• Learning Representative

Two auditors who shall not be members of the committee are also required to audit the branches finances. You can read our Standing Orders as agreed by the meeting also.

If you have ideas/suggestions for campaigns, issues, speakers, panel debates, fundraisers bring them along… Find out how to join the London Photographers’ Branch.

Future meetings will be held on the last Tuesday of every month, the next being February 23rd at 6pm in Headland House.