The Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) has received official certification from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), representing a ‘symbol of trust’ from the Government agency.
This is an important initiative for both professional photographers and anyone who hires a photographer to record important events or capture images of places or products.
For the first time, clients can be assured that all jobs will be handled professionally. Hitherto, the industry has suffered from minimal regulation and sadly many ‘less-than-professional’ practitioners.
This is the first time Australian photographers have received certification from the Government as meeting the requirements necessary for a professional body and it’s a step that many committed photographers have been seeking for a long time in order to safeguard their businesses and reputations.
It means photographers will be held accountable to the same legal status and regulatory requirements as other Government- and state-regulated professions.
The announcement of ACCC certification was made yesterday evening at the Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards by AIPP Chairman Felicity Biasi. The certification is based upon existing AIPP Accreditation standards, which have been in place for five years. To qualify for accreditation, photographers must:
1. Meet the required business and experience criteria (including insurance) before applying for accreditation.
2. Undergo an entry assessment.
3. Commit to continuing professional development, which includes maintaining up to date skills and business practices each year.
Certification by the ACCC means that the AIPP is now the only de facto membership body for the profession of photography in Australia. It also means that only AIPP Accredited Members can appropriately call themselves professional photographers or video producers, thereby acting as a clear benchmark of quality for anyone looking to employ a photographer and offering reassurance of that person’s trusted experience and commitment to improve.
As the AIPP rolls out the ACCC certification scheme, it will work to raise awareness across its membership base of over 2,000 working photographers and video producers in Australia in order to encourage swift engagement with the new visuals so that public awareness of the official standard can grow organically.
Members of the AIPP with current accreditations will receive new logos and a new Code of Professional Practice and Terms and Conditions will be sent to members outlining the changes.
Under the new Code, from 1 January 2016 photographers will be required to include the new logos on all business documents, with checks being made by the AIPP from June onwards. In addition, Accredited members are also encouraged to use the logo on all marketing materials to help promote public awareness of their status.
For non-members nothing will change, however the AIPP hopes that the benefits of being a member will be highlighted through the increased awareness of its ‘badge of trust’ across both public and private clients.
Regardless of the ACCC certification, complaints made against AIPP members will continue to be handled by the AIPP, with the new Code of Professional Practice laying out revised mandatory guidelines under membership. The AIPP will handle client-practitioner complaints with a Compliance Committee, and internal member complaints through a Review Committee.
Bringing further authority under the ACCC backing, any photographer or video producer using the APP or APVP logos without being an Accredited Member can now face legal action from the AIPP.
See more details on the AIPP website.
