Category: AWPF Distinction

Congratulations to all those who achieved their AWPF distinction as the recent Assessment day. You can see a list here.

The WPF Executive wish to extend a huge thank you David Lewis who has now stepped down as AWPF distinction Co-ordinator after many years service.

The Welsh Photographic Federation Merit Awards workshop takes place on Sunday 30th November 2025 starting at 10.00am (planned finish time 4.00pm) in Talbot Green Community Hall. Everyone is welcome.

Teas and coffee will be provided but please bring your own lunch.

The awards have been put together at the clubs request and we need members from the clubs to attend.

The Welsh Photographic Federation is delighted to invite applications for the 2025 Associate of the Welsh Photographic Federation (AWPF) distinction.

This prestigious award is open to a maximum of 25 applicants annually and welcomes photographers from around the world. Achieving the AWPF requires submitting a cohesive panel of 12 images that will be assessed by five highly regarded, experienced photographers.

The WPF is one of the few Federations within the PAGB to offer this highly sought-after distinction. Successful candidates earn the lifelong privilege of using the letters AWPF after their name, a testament to their photographic excellence.

The workshop is on May 17th at Cynon Valley Museum 10 am – 4pm

The assessment will be held on the 16th November.

For more information, please visit the WPF website:
https://mywpf.org/category/awpf-assessments

A series of e-books showing the recent succesful AWPF panels can now be seen here.

The same panels and those from previous years can also be seen in traditional gallery format here.

Congratulations once more to all the succesful applicants.

My Journey to a Successful AWPF Panel – Jan Wilson-Chalon AWPF.

In the first of a series of articles, our AWPF coordinator Paul James asks photographers who were successful in achieving the AWPF distintion to tell us about their journey towards creating their successful panel.

First up is Jan Wilson-Chalon AWPF who successfully submtted the two panels you can see below for consideration on the 2024 Assessment Day.

You can read about her journey here.

If you’re interested in pursuing an AWPF distinction, you can find more information here.

The 2024 AWPF Assessment took place on 3rd November at the Talbot Green Community Centre, and it was heartening to see so many attendees from across the country supporting this significant event in Welsh photography. I extend my sincere thanks to everyone who came to witness the assessment process and to those who contributed to its success.

I am pleased to report that this year’s AWPF assessment had a total of 18 candidates: 16 submitted printed panels and 2 submitted digital panels. It was inspiring to see the quality of work presented, with 11 out of 16 print submissions meeting the rigorous standards required for the award, resulting in a 69% success rate in the print category. While the digital submissions were not successful this year, the overall success rate for the assessment was 61%.

Congratulations to the following candidates who achieved the AWPF distinction for 2024:

Assessors
The day was led by a panel of experienced assessors who brought their expertise, fairness, and insightful feedback to each candidate. We are grateful to:

• Leigh Woolford, AWPF DPAGB EFIAP BPE4 HonFWPF (Chairman)
• Jenny Hibbert, MPAGB AWPF EFIAP/G BPE3
• Gary Shinner, LRPS EFIAP/s MPSA2 AWPF BPSA GAPU A.APS CMD for PSA in Wales
• Peter Brisley, DPAGB EFIAP BPE2
• Sue O’Connell, DPAGB EFIAP/d3 ABPE MPSA ABPE

Each assessor took the time to provide thoughtful critiques, ensuring candidates understood the high standards of the AWPF distinction and offering guidance for continued growth.

Acknowledgements
This event’s success relied on the dedication of numerous volunteers who generously contributed their time and effort. Special thanks go to:

• WPF President Ron Lines for opening and closing the proceedings.
• Cliff Emery for providing display stands.
• Dave Condon and Dave Lewis for transporting equipment.
• Dave Condon, Del Jones, and Guy Butler-Madden for setting up and organizing the prints for display.
• Cliff Emery and Peter Young for managing the laptop and projector.
• Martin Smith, who provided refreshments throughout the day, and to Mrs. Smith for the wonderful cakes enjoyed by assessors and helpers.
• Guy Butler-Madden for serving as the official photographer for the event.

Mentorship and Support
This year, the high quality and the success rate is a testament not only to the hard work of the candidates but also to the invaluable mentorship they received. I would like to extend my gratitude to mentors Peter Young, Dave Condon, Julie Morgan, Suzanne Slee, and Les Loosemore, whose guidance played a crucial role in the success of many candidates. Their encouragement and constructive advice reflect the supportive spirit of the WPF community.

To those candidates who did not achieve the distinction this year, we commend you on your efforts and urge you to continue pursuing your photographic journey. The assessors provided valuable feedback, and we hope it will serve as inspiration for future submissions.

In closing, the 2024 AWPF Assessment Day was a resounding success, showcasing the talent, dedication, and collaborative spirit that define the Welsh Photographic Federation. Thank you to everyone involved in making this event a memorable one. Your contributions help uphold the high standards of the AWPF distinction and inspire the wider photographic community.

Paul James, AWPF

The workshop will take place on the 4th of May 2024 at the Cynon Valley Museum in Aberdare.  The workshop is open to everyone and not just AWPF applicants so if you would like to come along please contact Paul James distinctions@thewpf.co.uk for further information.

The AWPF assessment day will take place on the 3rd of November 2024 at Talbot Green.  Details will be released closer to the date.

For any other information regarding the AWPF please feel free to contact Paul at the email address above.