At the beginning of March, 2009 FIAP decided to change the minima required for their AFIAP distinction. No longer do you have to exhibit in FIAP patronage exhibitions over 5 years and collect points from your acceptances, in theory you can now do it in just 12 short months!
The new minima for an AFIAP is: 30 acceptances in FIAP approved exhibitions, using a minimum of 10 different works from 10 different salons in 5 different countries. The PAGB have added the requirement that you gain 1 award.
My initial reaction was one of disbelief!
Under the previous system, the one which I was about to claim under, you were awarded 1 point for a projected image and 2 points for a print. You needed a minimum of 75 points, 15 of those points most come from overseas salons and you needed not 1, but 2 awards.
For me, obtaining your AFIAP was something to be proud of, not something that you could “Knock Off” in 12 months. I was gutted!!
I started entering FIAP approved exhibitions way back in 1990, as a member of Wallheath Camera Club, but gave up photography in 1992, see Introduction Page. It wasn’t until 2007, that I started entering exhibitions again, this time as member of DAPA Group.
My early success had been with just 5 transparencies (Slides), from which I gained 13 acceptances, spread over 4 different countries.
Call it beginners luck, but I gained my very first award, a Highly Commend in the 1990 Midland Salon of Photography with a transparency entitled, Impressions of Spring.
Not only was this my first award winning image, but my very first exhibition acceptance! It would be another 19 years before I gained me next FIAP award!
Part of the requirement, when applying for your AFIAP, is to provide a portfolio of 5, or more, A3 prints, transparencies are no longer accepted by FIAP as part of your portfolio. My plan is to send eight (8) prints, four (4) colour and four (4) monochrome. You also have to donate three (3) or more prints to the PAGB for possible use in future FIAP biennial events.
In addition to your portfolio you have to list all your accepted images and provide printed evidence of them in the form of contact sheets. Listing my acceptances was never going to be a problem as I’ve always maintained a detailed record of images I’ve used and where they’ve been accepted. The problem I faced was finding my 20 years old slides?
30 Acceptances, 14 Images, 13 FIAP Salons – 6 Different Counties
After a few days of searching I finally managed to clear a path to my five (5) missing slides. I found them tucked away in a dark corner of the loft, hidden in a shoe-box, but luckily for me, still in their glass mounts. Now all I had to do was scan them! Which is easier said than done when you don’t own a film scanner!! Fortunately I knew a man who did! . . . Thanks Phil.
Setting up the Nikon Coolscan IV ED, (on loan from Phil) went without a hitch; my main concern was in having to produce a decent size print of, “Impression of Spring”, It’s not what I would normally print these days, but as it’s the only award winner in my claim so I’m pretty much expected to send it.
The Coolscan IV ED is a cracking bit of kit, making light work of the 5 slides. Each image was scanned at full resolution, 4203px X 2870px @ 2900dpi, this took approximately 40 seconds per scan to complete.
At Home in the Sun, Scanned using the Nikon Coolscan IV ED, shot with a Nikon FE © 1987
As far, so good – I’ve completed all the pages in the dossier, including contact sheets, A3 prints and having my picture taken for my FIAP Photographers Card. At one time, pre 2004, a photographers card was optional, but not any longer! The total cost of applying for your AFIAP, is going to be around £120, this will depending on the value of the pound in December, when you have to send your application off.
Fingers crossed, I should receive my distinction around March, 2010. Hopefully by that time I will have fulfilled the criteria for my EFIAP, but more about that nearer the time.
Thanks for stopping by, catch up with again soon.
dotcom:photography 