The Royal Photographic Society Awards
RPS Awards 2021
Now in its 143rd year, the RPS Awards recognise individuals working across both still and moving image. The Awards celebrate significant achievements, showcase new and emerging talent, and highlight notable contributions from RPS members.
The 2021 recipients tell remarkable stories, and their work is a testament to the power of photography to inspire, uplift, incite change and bring about personal, social, and cultural wellbeing.
Join us as we celebrate the 2021 recipients, including Katie Bouman, Bruce Davidson, Zelda Cheatle, Phoebe Boswell, Vanley Burke and Gerhard Steidl.
Online talks
An ongoing series of free talks with recipients of the RPS Awards.
We’ve invited photographers and artists working across all genres of image-making to discuss their practice and inspirations. The conversations will be led by those who know the award recipient well and are followed by a Q&A.
Book upcoming talks and watch past recordings below.
Journal Awards issue
Learn more about the outstanding work of our 2021 Awards recipients in this special, free edition of the RPS Journal. Featuring an interview with trailblazer Tyler Mitchell, the timeless work of Bruce Davidson, a celebration of RPS member achievements, and more.
If you enjoy reading this issue of the Journal, learn more about RPS membership here.
Previous recipients
The RPS have awarded outstanding contributions and ground-breaking achievements from hundreds of individuals over the past 143 years. Previous recipients include Sally Mann, Steve McCurry, Annie Leibovitz, Sir David Attenborough, Martin Parr and Sir Don McCullin.
The Awards also recognise the annual RPS bursary recipients, and the IPE 163 award winners.
Journal stories
Read more about our 2021 recipients in a series of exclusive stories by the RPS Journal. Interviews include Bruce Davidson, Azu Nwagbogu, Lola Flash and Tyler Mitchell.
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RPS Awards 2022
Nominations are open throughout the year and are reviewed each January.
The RPS Awards are offered annually to individuals who have made significant contributions to the art and science of photography.
The categories span different genres and applications of photography, including the recognition of achievements in moving image, new media, science and imaging, education, and curation. The categories continue to evolve to reflect new ways of seeing, making, and sharing photography.
RPS Fenton Medallists 2021
This award is named after Roger Fenton, an RPS founder and for several years its Honorary Secretary. The award is made to a member or non-member who has made an outstanding contribution to the work of the RPS. Usually, no more than three or four Fenton Medals are awarded each year. Since 1998 this award carries Honorary Membership of The Society.
This year's Fenton Medallists are:
Mary Crowther ARPS
Mark Reeves ARPS
Stewart Wall ARPS
Rex Waygood
Peter Hayes FRPS
RPS Honorary Fellowships 2021
Honorary Fellowships are awarded to distinguished persons having, from their position or attainments, an intimate connection with the science or fine art of photography or the application thereof.
This year's Honorary Fellows are:
Vanley Burke
VALIE EXPORT
Lola Flash
LaToya Ruby Frazier
Dana Lixenberg
Alec Soth
Mitra Tabrizian