© Thandiwe Muriu, Female in Focus Single Image Winner 2021.
After a two-year hiatus Female in Focus is back, tackling the persisting gender disparity in the photography industry – as found in our recent survey
Five years ago, British Journal of Photography reported a shocking statistic: only one in nine photography award winners* were women. This was the impetus behind Female in Focus, an award that launched in 2019 to tackle inequality and reward women photographers making remarkable work around the world.
Today, some progress has been made. According to BJP’s research, one in three award winners are now women. Still, the picture is far from perfect. A new survey conducted by BJP reveals that gender disparity continues. This year’s survey, featuring 1000 respondents of whom 43% identified as women, paints a stark reality. The women taking part reported earning 30% less than their male counterparts on average. More than half have faced gender-based discrimination at work, and a third said their gender has stalled their career progression – compared to 7% of men.
Awareness around gender inequality is growing, but the numbers are changing very slowly. After a two-year hiatus, Female in Focus returns today with a landmark edition. For the first time, it partners with Nikon – a leading power in imaging technology – as its main sponsor, allowing the award to reach wider audiences than ever before.
The theme of this year’s edition is Renewal, delving into the transformative process of rejuvenation and rebirth. This theme captures the essence of starting anew, whether through personal growth, environmental restoration, or societal change. Through evocative imagery, it explores the beauty and strength found in moments of revival and regeneration, highlighting the hope and possibility inherent in beginning again.
Now in its fifth edition, Female in Focus has fostered a substantial platform for over 100 artists, who have collectively exhibited their work at leading galleries in London, New York, and Miami. The alumni include Lina Geoushy, Paola Jiménez Quispe, and Marisol Mendez, who have gone on to achieve further success.
“Unfortunately it’s still such a male-dominated industry, especially when it comes to folks of colour”
Heather Agyepong – Female in Focus judge, Multi Disciplinary artist and Nikon Ambassador
In joining the award, previous winners have become part of a sustaining circle for women photographers. “Female in Focus not only elevated my work… It granted me something far more invaluable – community,” says Mendez, who won the award in 2022. “Meeting fellow women photographers through this platform has created a strong network of support, where we uplift and help each other navigate an industry that often feels isolating. This sense of connection and solidarity among women colleagues has had a profound impact on my journey. It’s an opportunity that I cherish deeply.”
For the 2024 edition, the jury will select 20 single images and two series winners. For the first time ever, the ‘People’s Choice’ award will give the public a chance to pick their favourite images. The winners will be exhibited at East London’s 10.14 gallery and The Glasgow Gallery of Photography in 2025.
This year’s judging panel includes notable curators, gallery-owners and tastemakers, including Galerie Number 8’s Marie Gomis-Trezise, Financial Times’ Naoise O’Keeffe, 10.14 Gallery’s Effie Price, Singapore International Photography Festival’s Gwen Lee and the Bronx Documentary Center’s Danielle Jackson. We also welcome arts writer Charlotte Jansen, who curated Photo London’s Discovery section in 2023, and artist and Nikon Ambassadors Heather Agyepong and Alia Ali.
Agyepong, who is a Nikon Ambassador, creates multidisciplinary work around race, history and mental health. She comments on the importance of centering female and femme photographers, particularly BAME women who are especially underrepresented, and face additional barriers within the industry. “Unfortunately it’s still such a male-dominated industry, especially when it comes to folks of colour,” she says. “Problematic gazes around our work create warped ideas about the sort of photography we should be making. I’m glad that Female in Focus can really and truly be inclusive of the female gaze in all its hues.”
Indeed, our survey found that a multitude of social factors compound the challenges women face in photography. Discrimination against mothers is widespread. The women with children who took the survey reported earning 40 percent less on average than the men who had children, and many said having kids impacts access to equal opportunities. “When you become a mother, you just disappear,” said one anonymous respondent.
Older women also face additional hurdles. While some male photographers acknowledge the benefits of entrenched networks and the respect that comes with age, many women said increasing in years has led to alienation. “When you’re older, being a woman makes you pretty invisible,” said one respondent. Another said “Everything is geared to the young.”
Despite progress in the industry, BJP’s new survey shows that women in photography are still up against unfair barriers, which affect their pay, recognition, and career progression. Female in Focus is one avenue to fighting these disparities, offering a global stage for underrepresented talent to shine.
Enter today and be part of a celebration of exceptional work by women photographers. Entries close 10th December at 23:59 [UK Time].
With thanks to our partner, Nikon UK
*IPA Award, The Lucie’s, Visa Pour l’Image, Hasselblad Award, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Sony World Photo (other categories), Sony World Photo (Photographer of the Year), Palm Photo Prize, Taylor Wessing, Lensculture Awards, Deutsche Börse Photography Award, World Press Photo – Photo of the Year, Portrait of Britain, Portrait of Humanity, BJP IPA, Decade of change, Edition 365
