Professional Photographic Qualifications

BIPP qualifications are highly regarded and are recognised across the world as a benchmark of excellence. Our tiered qualifications structure offers you continual professional development - each level reflects increasing levels of experience, skill and achievement.

We work with various organisations including HM Forces and the National Police Improvement Agency, along with several colleges and universities to ensure the achievements and skills of professional photographers are recognised.

There are three levels of photography qualifications, each reflecting increasing levels of experience, skill and achievement. 

Licentiateship (LBIPP) This is the first level of qualified membership which assesses a true measure of competence. The candidate will be required to produce a panel of work produced to a standard that can be reasonably expected from a professional image maker.

Associateship (ABIPP) is midway between Licentiateship and Fellowship and denotes a high standard of craftsmanship and individual creative ability. At Associateship level the work will demonstrate a refinement of technical skills and creative input, added to the competence of Licentiateship.

Fellowship (FBIPP) is the highest qualification attainable and recognises distinguished individual ability and exceptional standards of excellence. Fellowship requires the candidate to produce a panel of work that demonstrates extremely high levels of technical and creative ability and to show a uniqueness of style and approach to image making.

If you're interested in gaining a professional qualification, please take time to read the 'Guide to Qualifying'.  This details the levels of qualifications, the categories or areas of photography, and the criteria you need to meet.

Candidates decide the category of photography, complete an application form and submit a panel of images, alongside supporting evidence.  This work is reviewed by a panel of assessors.  Assessment dates are set throughout the year, but as a rough guide, there may be 5 Licentiate assessments and two Associateship/Fellowship dates.  Specialist panels (eg, forensic, armed forces, scientific etc) may be assessed at any point throughout the year.  Please see the guide for more details.

The Federation of European Professional Photographers (FEP) has over 20 member countries and offers a European photographic qualification.  The BIPP is the UK's official link to the Federation and if you're interested in gaining your QEP (Qualified European Photographer) or Master QEP, please contact BIPP head office on .