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Hi all
I was just wondering if there are any benefits in joining the SWPP/SINWP for a non-professional looking to learn and improve.
Has anyone used the mentor me scheme and is it simply like the RPS days where they assess your images before submission?
Any thoughts\advice\information would be much appreciated.
Olly
The MPA went full-time only a few years back and SWPP was set up to provide a home for all the part-timers who were forced to leave.
SWPP has a few professional members but the majority seem to be part-time or aspiring, so this means that the Society may be just right for you.
Thanks for the advice. I got the free copy of the magazine and its a good read, certainly a step up from the RPS journal.
Will re-read the info I've been sent and may join up next week.
Thanks again
Olly
The MPA only accepts members who provide work to be assessed and that work passes certain technical standards (you have 6 months from joining to submit a panel of work).
The SWPP will accept anyone who has £99 in their pocket
Gareth Bowers of Fresh Images was a member of the SWPP but not of the MPA.
Make your own judgement as to which one might do you more good as an aspiring professional 
Do you need any of these societies at this stage in your development as a photographer at all ? - ask yourself if joining will benefit you and how.
Maybe the SWPP mag is worth the money alone ??
to answer your question, for me the SWPP is helpful to me as a pro but I doubt that it will help the aspiring amateur to better things; if you are staying as an amateur have a good look at the RPS if you really feel the need to join such a society as they cater for the amateur more than say the MPA, BIPP or SWPP
You can join the MPA as an affiliate if you're looking to go full time. Both the MPA and BIPP have mentoring schemes where established professionals in your field will assess your images and give you guidance on how to improve etc, a worthwhile scheme and completely free to members.
The main thing that puts me off the SWPP is when they send the blurb every couple of months there is also SISLP, SINWP, SITTP, SIMPP, SICIP, SISEP, SIFGP - a different Society for each branch of photography. Strikes me as a money making exercise rather than an organisation geared towards improving standards in photography.
Tony
It pains me to disagree with Mr Harwood but he left out the most important qualification for MPA. You have to prove that you're full-time professional to get full membership but could join as an Associate with very few of the benefits.
THe MPA is owned by its members as a Company limited by guarantee, whereas SWPP is a private limited company that exists to make a profit. THe RPS is a registered charity.
BIPP, RPS and SWPP all welcome part-timers and amateurs. You can remain a member of all three without having to submit work for a lettered grade.
The RPS distinctions are run as rigorously as the MPA qualifications, so LMPA or LRPS have international standing.
thewilliam - Very clearly stated and well worth pointing out the differences - thank you very much.
Quote: I was just wondering if there are any benefits in joining the SWPP/SINWP for a non-professional looking to learn and improve.
Is it me, or have I just got this totally wrong....
Did the author of this post just not want to learn and improve his photography in a NON Professional Way?? What would be the point of joining these organisations.
I would think just sticking with Epz would be a better use of his time and money in regards to learning.
Just my thoughts anyway, maybe I've missed something here.
Lee
Quote: Quote:I was just wondering if there are any benefits in joining the SWPP/SINWP for a non-professional looking to learn and improve.
Is it me, or have I just got this totally wrong....
Did the author of this post just not want to learn and improve his photography in a NON Professional Way?? What would be the point of joining these organisations.
I would think just sticking with Epz would be a better use of his time and money in regards to learning.
Just my thoughts anyway, maybe I've missed something here.
Lee
Lee, you haven't misunderstood but maybe the way I asked was wrong. I had been sent some information about the SWPP and noticed mention of their mentoring scheme. I really wanted to see if this sort of initiative within the type of society would be benficial for a non-professional. At some point I would like to be able to reach a level of proficiency where I would be confident in charging for work and saw this as a possible option for receiving structure critique.
I agree that EPZ is an invaluable learning tool but I also wanted to explore additional methods of improving what I do.
Going by the comments, and thanks to all those that have replied, joining the societies would not be the right move for me to take right now. I'll put the money I would have spent into something more productive and start using the critique galleries here more frequently.
Olly
Totally off topic (ish).. but surely in these enlightened days, shouldn't the MPA be renamed to Master/Mistress Photographers Association? 
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