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Awards Categories

Select categories and nominate here

Nominate

Nominations for the 2023 Awards are now closed, with the exception of the Combined Royal Colleges Medal which is open to nominations until 1 May.

1) Find a suitable category for your award nominee below

2) Fill in the nomination form here

The RPS International Awards are offered annually to individuals who have made significant contributions to the art and science of photography. 

The Society has adopted a wide definition of photography which refers to the art or science of the recording of light or other radiation on any medium on which an image is produced or from which any image may by any means be produced.

Where a team or group is put forward, the nomination should show the role of each person concerned and to what extent and in what way each contributed to the initiation, development and exploitation of the subject of the proposal. 

Nominations will continue to be considered by the Awards Committee for three years after the first submission.  Should further information relevant to a nomination, where an Award has not been made, become available during this period the Awards Committee would like to be informed so that it can take it into consideration.  Nominators should be aware that when an Award has not been made during this three year period a fresh nomination may be made, but should realise that a further significant contribution to photography during the intervening period needs to be shown.

Awards categories

The RPS Centenary Medal and RPS Honorary Fellowship
Instituted in 1993
Awarded in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the art of photography.

The RPS Progress Medal and RPS Honorary Fellowship
Instituted in 1878
Awarded in recognition of any outstanding invention, research, publication or other contribution which has resulted in an important advance in the scientific or technological development of photography or moving image.

The RPS Eastlake Medal and RPS Honorary Fellowship NEW AWARD
Instituted in 2023, previously the RPS award for Outstanding Service to Photography
Awarded in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the public appreciation, enjoyment or understanding of photography through education, criticism, research, curatorship or publishing.

RPS Honorary Fellowship
Awarded in recognition of a significant personal achievement and any of the three areas of: the art of photography and moving image; the science of photography and knowledge of photography which includes curatorship, education or publishing.

RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography NEW AWARD
Instituted in 2023
Awarded to a photographer in recognition of a notable personal achievement in the art of photography.

RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography (under 35yrs)
Instituted in 1999
Awarded to a photographer under the age of 35 in recognition of a notable personal achievement in the art of photography.

RPS Award for Technical Contribution to Art in Moving Image
Instituted in 2017
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the production and development of moving image.

RPS Award for Creative Contribution to Art in Moving Image
Instituted in 1999
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in visual artistry and creativity of moving image.

The RPS Combined Royal Colleges Medal
Instituted in 1958
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable contribution to the advancement and/or application of medical photography or medical imaging.

RPS Award for Scientific Imaging
Instituted in 2016
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the promotion of public knowledge and understanding of scientific imaging, or in the application of scientific imaging to creative practice.

RPS Award for Environmental Responsibility NEW AWARD
Instituted in 2023
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable use of imaging that highlights or contributes to demonstrable improvement in public awareness of environmental issues.

RPS Award for Social Impact NEW AWARD
Instituted in 2023
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable use of imaging that highlights or contributes to demonstrable improvement in public awareness of social issues.

RPS Award for Photography Education
Instituted in 2011
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the field of photography education.

RPS Award for Photography Criticism or Research
Instituted in 1998
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the field of photography criticism or research Including but not limited to historical research).

RPS Award for Photography Curatorship
Instituted in 2016
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the field of photography curatorship.

RPS Award for Photography Publishing
Instituted in 2016
Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the field of photography publishing.

The RPS President’s Medal with Honorary Life Membership
Instituted in 2023
Awarded in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the Society over a sustained period. This is not normally a reward for service on a committee but it does not exclude committee members where an outstanding contribution can be cited

The RPS Fenton Medal with Honorary Life Membership
Instituted in 1980, carries Honorary Membership of the Society
The award is made to a member or non-member who has made an excellent or notable contribution to the work of the Society. Usually, no more than four RPS Fenton Medals are awarded each year.

RPS President’s Commendation
Instituted by RPS President Walter Benzie HonFRPS
This is a personal award from the President given on behalf of the RPS in recognition of particularly long and meritorious service by a volunteer. It carries no honorary distinction and is intended to formally acknowledge and record the thanks of the RPS.