The BPPA - The British Press Photographers' Association

16/02/2026

The association's new Chair, Dave Johnston, uploaded a short invitation to members to get in touch with him if they have anything they want to say and/or ask. He wrote the following:

"Hi all, this is a brief post to introduce myself and to - hopefully - address any concerns or questions you may have head on.

Firstly a bit about me. I'm 58 and a full time news and sport photographer based just outside Edinburgh. I've been doing this pretty much since I left school with the odd break away when the grass seemed greener elsewhere (which it never really is!)

I don't need to tell anyone that our industry has changed almost completely over the last 10 years, and even more rapidly since COVID, which is why the association is more important now than ever - to promote the positive's in our industry whilst acknowledging our flaws not only to the trade but to the wider public, who have as low an opinion of us as I can ever remember. It's in all our interests to do what we can to change this.

I should perhaps have posted something on here once i'd decided to stand and that's on me. This is and will continue to be a learning curve for me, with errors as well as positives, hopefully more of the latter rather than the former!

I'm keen to hear what you think, and am always happy to talk, so you can reach me on 07999 891346 or by email on [email protected]

Really looking forward to working with each and every one of you.

Cheers

Dave"

05/10/2025

Very sadly we have to report that Brian Harris, one of the founding members of The BPPA, has died after a short illness.

Obituary: Brian Harris, 1952 – 2025Posted on 05/10/2025By jamie-lorrimanIn UncategorizedWe are deeply saddened to announce the passing of photographer Brian Harris. Brian was a founding member of The Press Photographers’ Association, which became The British Press Photographers’ Association, w...

23/09/2025

We are excited to reveal our evening talk with renowned press photographer and founder member of The BPPA Brian Harris. As some of you may know Brian is facing end of life medical care and we are delighted that he has chosen to share the highlights of his career at The Bridewell Theatre on Wednesday 8th October 2025. Tickets are available now at the link below.

The British Press Photographers’ Association are delighted to host an evening with Brian Harris at the Bridewell Theatre, off Fleet Street.

16/04/2024

We are delighted to reveal our panel of curators for Assignments 2024: The BPPA Exhibition will be David Burnett, Suzanne Plunkett, Steve Back, Jane Barlow and Justin Setterfield. Visit our website to find out more...

Posted on April 16, 2024By adthebppaIn Assignments, Assignments 2024, Press PhotographyWe are delighted to reveal our panel of curators for Assignments 2024: The BPPA Exhibition will be David Burnett, Suzanne Plunkett, Steve Back, Jane Barlow and Justin Setterfield. We would like to take this opport...

27/03/2024

The British Press Photographers’ Association is pleased to announce that ASSIGNMENTS 2024 is now open for entries....

Posted on March 27, 2024By jamie-lorrimanIn AssignmentsThe British Press Photographers’ Association is pleased to announce that ASSIGNMENTS 2024 is now open for entries. The BPPA Exhibition will return to London’s Bargehouse on the Southbank in May 2024. We can also now reveal that the touring l...

19/03/2024

We will shortly be opening ‘Assignments 2024: The BPPA Exhibition’ for entries. Now is the time to start digging through your archive for photographs shot on or after the 11th March 2023. Details of the entry procedure for members will be announced in the coming days!

11/03/2024

Here is a link to a statement issued by The BPPA about the image manipulation story that has been dominating the news agenda todayhttp://thebppa.com/content/uploads/240311-statement_from_the_bppa.pdf or you can read it below:

The British Press Photographers’ Association applauds the actions of the major agencies who have had the courage to withdraw the recently distributed image showing Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales and her children by issuing a ‘kill notice’. Their suspicions that the photograph had been digitally manipulated are well-founded and it is important for the reputation of press photography that they have acted as swiftly and decisively as they have.

We are lead to believe that HRH The Princess of Wales has said that she edited the image and has apologised. That should not be an end to the matter however. Whether the picture was manipulated to ‘look nice’ by someone who didn’t understand the importance of truth in images or whether there is something else behind their actions is not as important as getting the message out there that it is wrong.

The BPPA has always spoken up in favour of making sure that the public has trust in the photographs produced by our members as well as those who supply images to the news media. This has become more of an issue since pictures supplied by such a variety of sources have become more common and we would urge all of those sources to have a look at item 1, clause i) of the Editors’ Code of Practice which says:

The press must take care not to publish inaccurate or misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text

We would urge everyone involved to make the original images available for inspection so that we can assess what has been done, make sure that it doesn’t happen again and allow this story to be the last time that manipulated images are distributed to the media.

Monday 11th March 2024

07/03/2024

Please read our statement on the use of Generative AI by photo agencies, which we've just published:

Posted on March 3, 2024By Joel GoodmanIn Current Affairs, Journalism, Photojournalism, Press Photography, The BPPAThe 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 report...

28/02/2024

We are delighted to announce the return of the 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. Tickets are on sale NOW!

The British Press Photographers’ Association are delighted to welcome you to this International Women’s Day Panel Talk at The Frontline Club

30/11/2023

Following a recent report that a member of The BPPA issued a manipulated image from a Royal Rota which was used in good faith by the media, the Board wrote to them asking for their version of events. The member offered to resign from the association and the Board accepted that offer.

The BPPA code has two sections that were relevant:
“Press photographers should:
2. Not materially alter their images, or edit them in such a way as to give misleading impressions of news
events
6. Always be aware of the codes of conduct observed by their employers and clients and act appropriately
when working on their behalf”

The BPPA is committed to promoting and inspiring the highest creative, ethical and technical standards of press photography as laid out in our code.

You can read or download the code here:

20/06/2023

We are delighted to announce that Hannah McKay of Reuters will be in conversation with our Chair Paul Ellis during Assignments 2023 - The BPPA Exhibition at Ffotogallery on Wednesday June 28 at 6pm

Hannah McKay is a staff photographer for Reuters based in London. She covers a variety of news, sport and features. Hannah completed a BA (Hons) in Photography at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in 2009 before gaining industry experience as an intern for The Coventry Telegraph newspaper. In 2012 Hannah moved to London as a photographer for a regional photo agency before freelancing for international wire agencies. Joining Reuters in 2017, Hannah has had the opportunity to work on assignments worldwide, including; an Olympic Games, the Fifa World Cup, the Migrant Caravan, a Royal Wedding, Funeral and Coronation, the US Presidential Election and the Queen’s Funeral. Hannah was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the Rohingya Refugee Crisis. She won The Guardian’s Agency Photographer of the Year and her work has been recognised by the British Journalism Awards, The Picture Editors’ Guild Awards, The British Press Photographers’ Association (The BPPA) and the International Photography Awards (IPA).

Paul Ellis has been an Agence France-Presse staff photographer in the north of England for 17 years covering pretty much anything and everything that happens. A lot of sport, but often breaking news, royal visits and political events in this country and abroad. He is the chair of The BPPA. A role that he is incredibly proud of ensuring, the association’s commitment to promoting photojournalism and press photography. He studied photojournalism with the NCTJ in Sheffield more than 25 years ago, working at weekly and regional newspapers, local and national press agencies, as a freelance for national newspapers and internationally with The Associated Press and now AFP.

Tickets are available to book now via the link below

Join us on Wednesday 28 June from 6pm for a special ‘in conversation’ event between photojournalist Hannah McKay & Paul Ellis.

07/06/2023

Assignments 2023 is almost ready to view at Ffotogallery in Cardiff!

Opening June 8th and running until July 22nd