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This Campaign is photography related so that's why it is inspirational to me.

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Data from Women Photograph, showing just how many of the photos published by different newspapers were taken by women.

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Data from Women Photograph, showing just how many of the photos published by different newspapers were taken by women.

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Photography remains stubbornly male-dominated. In terms of commissioning, exhibition and publication of work, there is a conspicuous lack of equality in the industry. Data collected by Women Photograph - an initiative to promote and support female photographers - shows that between April and June 2019, eight of the world's leading newspapers printed far fewer lead photographs by women than by men. Figures ranged from just 4.2% (three out of 72 photos published) in Le Monde to 47% (44/92) in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Go deeper into the photojournalism industry and it gets bleaker. Looking at UK National Union of Journalists (NUJ) membership, the photography sector is partiularly lacking in gender balance.

In the latest global report on The State of News Photography (published in December 2018), 69% of women photographers said that they faced discrimination in the workplace. When further asked about obstacles to success, they cited sexism (54%), industry stereotypes or practices (53%), and lack of opportunities for women (49%).

Commercial photography contains worrying inequalities and biases too. Studies have found gender imbalances across commissioned projects, professional membership and representation. Only 18% of The Association of Photographers's accredited members are women. While research by advertising industry equality initiative Equal Lens has found that less than 25% of the commercial photographers represented by 70 of the industry's leading agents are female.

Read more: Big data analysis reveals staggering extent of gender inequality in creative industries

Considering that two of photography's earliest trailblazers - Anna Atkins and Julia Margaret Cameron - were female, this situation is extraordinary. These energetic and resourceful women paved the way for many practitioners, yet 150 years later gender inequality in photography is still very apparent.

Snap change?

Historically, patriarchal dominance and institutional power structures in the industry were reinforced by the language and imagery used in photographic advertising aimed at women. While adverts targeting male photographers assumed more technical knowledge and greater ability, characters such as the Kodak Girl were used to sell to women. First introduced in 1893, she was widely presented as a symbol of female independence, freedom and progress for 80 years - but the underlying implications of phrases like "even mum could use it" were less positive.

Despite such negative stereotyping, not all women were dissuaded from picking up their first camera, but the longer term impact of gendered language is manifested in the statistics mentioned above.

This is not just about making sure women have access to more and better opportunities within the industry, however. The NUJ has noted: "Men and women experience life differently and have different perspectives to offer, yet the view of what constitutes 'good photography' has largely been defined by the work of men ... To remain relevant and authentic, the photography industry must seek to become more diverse to fairly reflect the communities it reports on".

Thankfully things are slowly starting to improve, and both women and men are challenging photography's patriarchal discourse. One example is Les Rencontres d'Arles, the most prestigious photography festival in the world, which runs from July to September every year. In 2018, only 34% of photographers chosen to exhibit were women. An open letter was subsequently sent to artistic director Sam Stourdzé by more than 300 high-profile creative professionals who criticised the festival's programming and asked him to aim for gender parity in 2019, the 50th anniversary of the festival.

Early reports from this year's festival indicate that such challenges can and do have a positive impact. Many more women are included in this year's programme, including younger and emerging practitioners as well as established names. Such diversity makes for a richer and more nuanced collection of visual responses to the world. Yet the fact of the matter is that it took a challenge to the status quo for the issue to be addressed, rather than gender equality being an inherent part of the festival.

The type of intrinsic equality that the industry needs is starting to appear at more of a grassroots level, however. Collectives such as Phrame in Cardiff, and Redeye in Manchester, as well as female-artist only galleries such as Finkelstein in Melbourne, Australia are appearing. They promise to show that greater diversity makes for a richer and more nuanced collection of visual responses.

But more can certainly be done to make the work of female photographers more prominent. Speaking at the NUJ's Women in Photography conference earlier this year, industry researcher professor Adrian Hadland shared data gathered from female photographers about what could be done to ensure better support and career progression for them and other women. The top answer was "more assignments". Mentorship was also high on the list and can be highly effective in building confidence and developing professional networks.

These are not big asks. It would be quite easy to make the industry as well as photographic output more gender equal - we just need to be more proactive about it.

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Women were photography pioneers yet gender inequality persists in the industry today

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Male and female artists have different perspectives to offer - and no less so within the photography world.

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There has never been a more topical time to talk about female representation in photography, not only the number of female photographers working in the male-dominated photojournalism industry, but also with regards to how women themselves are depicted. Magnum photographer Susan Meiselas has first-hand experience of both of these aspects of the issue. Speaking at a recent event, where she discussed female representation, Meiselas referenced how her own "dwelling" within these two worlds has influenced her work: "The dwelling is the more mysterious place that interconnects you, and the work you find yourself doing."

One of the thirteen female photographers who have been a part of Magnum, Meiselas frequently places women at the center of her photographic projects. Over four decades, her wide-spanning practice has evolved across boundaries, from photographing young girls who hung out in her neighborhood of New York, to the women of America's traveling girl shows of the 1970s to more recent portraits of rooms within a domestic violence refuge in the UK. Throughout, Meiselas has offered an alternative to the default position of the male gaze, asking, 'Who has the power to look, and why?'

Meiselas spoke at a Magnum Photos Now event at the Barbican Centre in London, in April 2018, along with Amy Sherlock, Editor and Deputy Director of Frieze. Here, we present some of the ways in which Meiselas has made interventions in the photography world to expand the way women are represented, as discussed at the event.

Giving a voice to female subjects

Meiselas is often drawn to those women considered most vulnerable and marginalized in society. While visual representation of closed worlds can often slip into voyeurism, or as Sherlock describes it 'aestheticization,' Meiselas ensures the authentic voice of her subjects can be heard. In Carnival Strippers, she explains: "I did a sound collage early on, recording the women, their managers, and clients. It's the way I felt my photographs should be experienced." For the photographer, introducing subjectivity into a series is vital. "To mediate is to bring their voices forward, with their own deep knowledge," she asserts.

With (2015-17), a project that focused on a women's shelter in the Midlands, UK, Meiselas describes her approach in photographing a protected place of refuge. Establishing trust was vital, not just between herself and the women involved, but also with the institution whose space she entered. "You can't reveal the place or their identity; these shelters are refuges," she says.

Meiselas was hyper aware that her photographs caught 'moments' in a painful process; "I know how fragile, and how vulnerable the women are." As she explains. "I didn't know to what extent the women there, who are transient, were going to be interested in sharing any of their stories. It's a test of trust."

The collaborative project included collages and diary notes made by the women and their children, which were created in group workshops. "In each workshop we hoped to create a space where women could participate as little or as much as they were comfortable and willing to commit time for," wrote Susan when the book was published. The book is much more than a photo documentary publication, it is a printed testament to Meiselas's characteristic inclusion of of the people she photographs. The women pointed out which corners of the room could be photographed and the images were presented in the book alongside writing and collages they had made.

Changing perceptions

Similar to Carnival Strippers (1972-1975), whereby Meiselas brought her lens to expose a private world filled with sexual desire and complex power dynamics, Pandora's Box (1995) focused on an S&M club. Although set decades apart, both worked to upend stereotypes, presenting highly sexualised worlds, built on and for the male gaze, from a female perspective, sympathetic to the experiences and conditions of the women working in them.

Meiselas interviewed Pandora's Box manager Mistress Raven and her female employees. The photographer cut through the constructed sexual fantasy playing out within the confines of the loft, and in a wider context, preconceived ideas about sex and power in society. "The women felt empowered," she describes. "Mistress Astrid was a musician, for example. They had other lives; this was just their part-time work. It was a case of what do people do, to do what they really want to do. There's a duality working within themselves. We are all familiar with that."

Through extensive interviews with the mistresses and through letters from their clients, Meiselas was able to delve deeper into their worlds and offer an insight into Pandora's Box that challenged contemporary attitudes towards S&M, sex and power. "Some people will say that it is kinky, perverted sex and some that its role play, and others even a lifestyle. Because it's really not definable except by the person who is engaging in it," explained Mistress Delilah. Drawn from all walks of life, the majority of the club's clientele were working professionals - doctors, lawyers, and stockbrokers - unanimous in their willingness to give themselves over to the control of these women.

Experimentations with Control

Meiselas thinks seriously about her responsibility as a photographer, taking into consideration the wider impact both making, and later publishing an image may have on the lives of those featured, and even those outside the frame. Meiselas says what she finds most problematic in photography today "is often the lack of any kind of exchange and understanding with the subject." She explains that "people take images of anyone, at any time, with no reciprocity. There is a no real sense of subject as presence, rather than an object for one's self."

In her project 20 Dirhams or 1 Photo?, Meiselas attempted to give back agency to the women she photographed. Realized as part of a 2013 Marrakech trip with Magnum Photos and MMPVA Foundation, Meiselas tapped into the transaction that takes place between snap-happy tourists and the country's native women, trading on their image as they sell traditional wares.

Meiselas set up an open air makeshift photo studio on the fringes of a spice market and invited women traders to be photographed there. She then gave them control over what happens to that image; they could choose whether they wanted to keep their picture or receive 20 dirhams (the cost of a local studio portrait) in recompense for loaning their portrait for public view.

"The women in Morocco choose a wide variety of self-representation, fully covered or not, sometimes partially veiled. The question was would they want a picture of themselves made at all? We assume that we know what they feel or want with a photograph. But it is a transaction, they get to choose to interact and participate or not." Further discussing the issue, she says, "It's about whether or not they want to be seen publicly, or have their image seen or kept, and if so, kept by whom? Ultimately what value does a photograph offer them?"

Reflecting more widely on the feminist movement, Meiselas said, "Women continue to live in a society that is not the one we would hope to live in; we are still fighting for something fifty years later, that was declared urgent long ago." "It takes a lot of work to create a more equal world," said Meiselas, acknowledging her position of both privilege and ongoing responsibility as she added,"That's why it's so important to create space for others, to sustain this work and push our ambition forward."

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On Female Representation * Susan Meiselas * Magnum Photos

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There has never been a more topical time to talk about female representation in photography, not only the number of female photographers working in the male-dominated photojournalism industry, but also with regards to how women themselves are depicted. Magnum photographer Susan Meiselas has first-hand experience of both of these aspects of the issue.

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This website is similar to what my idea is, it features all female and non-binary photographers all around the world, brining up their voices which is ultimately what I'd like to do.

They offer mentorship, workshops and even a space to donate to the artists.

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My final ''product'' or outcome would consist of a website and a poster campaign which would include a lot of female creatives. Unfortunately that's not really possible right now due to Covid. I would also make a website with information and resources and fun things like meet-ups, collaborations etc.

I would also like to have other inspirational resources like podcasts and interviews with known female photographers or bloggers etc. later on if the website becomes visited a lot.

Since I am from Bulgaria, I want the website to be for Bulgarian female photographers so it is more ''local''. We can do the meet-ups in the main cities like the capital Sofia and towns like Plovdiv and Varna, where I know are a lot of aspiring photographers.

I would make the website both in English and Bulgarian as there are female photographers here from other countries and I would like to include as many people as possible.

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It's no secret that women make less than men for the same job, and get less opportunity than men. Women photographers are no exemption to this. We track down some of the most common issues women face regarding gender inequality in the realm of photography.

Photography history will suggest that women have been equally active when the medium came to be. Look no further from Anna Atkins, the cyanotypist-botanist who made great contributions to scientific illustration by being the first to use photography in research. Dorothea Lange remains one of the most iconic and important photographers to date, securing legacy with the photograph "Migrant Mother".

But not everyone gets the same opportunity, luck, circumstance, and publicity - very few still know about photographers Jessie Tarbox the earliest female photojournalist in the USA, and Harriet Chalmer Adams, the WWI photo-correspondent, geographer and one of America's greatest adventurers - even the Farm Security Administration had more affinity to male photographers than female ones (10 men and 3 women). Female photographers will most likely be underrepresented unless they're Annie Leibovitz or Cindy Sherman, and this is largely attributed to the art world's and industries' biases for male creatives.

Historical role models: Yvette Borup Andrews was overshadowed by her husband who wrote the journal of their travels in Central Asia. While he wrote, Yvette captured them all in photos. Dorothea Lange is one of the most championed female photographers in history in the FSA. Jessie Tarbox is the first female photojournalist in America, and the first female night photographer, who knew how to hustle in the business. Images are from Wikimedia Commons.

Photographer and instructor Nicole Young gathered a comprehensive list of gender statistics in photography brand ambassador programs, and the consensus remains that there are more male than female. In her list, noteworthy official September 2017 brand ambassador program reports of Nikon (7 women, 17 men), Canon (8 women, 32 men), Sony (8 women, 43 men), and Fujifilm (8 women, 47 men in North America alone) hire more male photographers than female photographers.

Now, one may argue that this might just be a case of forced gender balance or of unintentional ratios, but there's been little reason to give the benefit of the doubt. Look no farther with Nikon's 32 male photographers scandal last year. To promote their new camera, Nikon launched a PR campaign featuring 32 male professional photographers to represent the product in Asia and Africa. Zero were women.

What does this say, exactly? Success in photography careers is still a boys' club when opportunities for women photographers remain so little.

"We either get told to smile, catcalled, followed or receive obscene gestures. For some reason there seems to still be something unusual or fetishized about seeing a woman with a camera, taking a picture of another woman." - Eliza Hatch

To be a woman on the street is one thing; to be a woman street photographer is another. Eliza Hatch, the founder of the analogue photojournalism project Cheer Up Luv. She also reflected that while she's yet to experience inequality on the field of professional photography itself, some problems arise when she's with her female subjects.

"Ironically and unfortunately, I find that I experience the most unwanted attention and inequality when I'm actually on a shoot with a girl - especially when I'm working on the @cheerupluv project! Pretty much every time I do a shoot with a girl, in a public location, we get harassed! We either get told to smile, catcalled, followed or receive obscene gestures. For some reason there seems to still be something unusual or fetishized about seeing a woman with a camera, taking a picture of another woman," said Hatch to Lomography Magazine.

Photographs from Cheer Up Luv, taken by Eliza Hatch, courtesy of Eliza Hatch.

It doesn't stop there, however. The public space remains predators' territory.

"Also being a street photographer that I am, there is a sense of vulnerability because of the unwanted attention you can attract. I have had friends in the industry approached whilst on shoots by men asking if they want to take nude pictures with them, and expose themselves to them on the street." added Eliza Hatch.

Moving across the public space remains a cautious task not just for photographers, but for women of all professions and walks of life.

There is no doubt improvements have been made over the last century, not just in photography, but also in other aspects of society, art, and culture. Perhaps it's thanks to the aid of technology, social media and the silence breakers of the #MeToo movement, the ever-enduring Guerrilla Girls or the efforts of She Shoots Film that allowed and empowered more women, artists, and photographers, to speak up, be heard, and to express.

The independent analogue artist Susu Laroche believes that for women can cope by learning to be independent, and not let the patriarchial society box them. She summed it up in a short, simple advice: "My advice to women (photographers) is to not let anyone (men) tell you what you should or shouldn't do."

On the other hand, some women photographers believe that their gender is an advantage. Jill Corral, a writer and street photographer, noted in PetaPixel that while being a woman makes her vulnerable on the street, being a woman is an advantage to the photographer in her. Even street photographer Meg Hewitt thinks so, as she personally believes that her gender does not hinder her photography, In fact, she is empowered by being a female photographer.

"As a female I feel no particular hindrance regarding gender with my work. Maybe this is because I have no experience as a man to compare to... I assume that it's much harder for a male photographer. it would be harder to approach a mother in regards to photographing their child or a woman to make a portrait without some hint of a come on. I truly feel blessed as a woman photographer, by showing ones own vulnerability you can make people feel more comfortable and hopefully make a more meaningful connection with your subject." said Hewitt to Lomography Magazine.

Though the issues tackled remain rampant in society, more female photographers noticed the increase of awareness for gender inequality and the strive for balance. Hatch expressed that there's still much room for improvement, addressing some issues with the professional industry.

"Because of the style of my photography and subject matter, I normally get sought out for specific things. However, it is still very early days, as I feel as though I've just started to dip my toes into the industry and I have a lot to learn. But there is a still a way to go with complete equality in the industry. Like everything, it will take time. We need to work towards a place where female photographers normalised into the industry and, given the same opportunities and pay as men." said Hatch.

Photographer Marianna Rothen, known for her deconstruction of the femme fatale trope in portraiture, expressed that while there remains a harrowing statistics of how women are represented in museums and how they're compensated for their work compared to men, now is the best time for women photographers to take lead. Notable shows from last year were the MCA Chicago's Woman with a Camera, Mangum Agency's Women Seeing Women, and ZKM's Feminist Avant-garde 1970's, as well as continuous recognition for contemporary shooters Vivianne Sassen and Elina Brotherus and young blood artists Coco Capitán and Petra Collins.

"I think its a very exciting and wonderful time to be a female photographer. Over the past five years, there has been a shift, an overflowing of support especially from galleries, curators and magazines. There has been a big run of women's exhibitions, many books and articles have been dedicated to showcasing this seemingly new abundance of female photographers," stated Rothen to Lomography Magazine.

Additionally, there's been an improvement in ArtReview's Power 100 ranking, one of the most important contemporary art rankings in the world. In 2002, only 17% are female that gets to be on the list. Although the progress was slow, this was highly improved last year, with a report of 38% female.

It's not just the art museums and institutions contributing to this progress led by women, but so do individual men, too.

"People are interested and people want change... Despite what we have to overcome, now is the time to speak up. People are listening. I have found many men in the industry to be as dedicated to the cause as women." added Rothen.

Notable reads would be New York Times' "Lens" section founder James Estrin's Highlighting Women in Photojournalism, and Lee Miller's editorial Photography: Is It Still A Man's World provide deserving recognition and address issues that are unique to women photographers.

There's still a long way to go, and the numbers in statistics remain unfairly low, but there's no way to go but forward Hang in there ladies, now is your time to shine, so get loud. And as for the gentlemen? It's high time to get informed and support them with their creative endeavors, too.
Hey female Lomographers! Have you experienced some form of gender inequality or sexism while on your analogue grind? Male Lomographers, how about a piece of advice on gender equality for your fellow men? Share us your inklings in the comments section!

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Lomo In-Depth: Women Photographers on Gender Inequality

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It's no secret that women make less than men for the same job, and get less opportunity than men. Women photographers are no exemption to this. We track down some of the most common issues women face regarding gender inequality in the realm of photography.

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This song is also an inspiration since it too makes me feel irritated at how much I relate to what Gwen Stefani is singing, and I've also ''had it up to here''.

''The world is forcing me to hold you hand'' - implying we can't be our own people, we can't be independent and do what we want.

''I can't do the little things I hold so dear'' Although I feel that phrase is more about her feeling unsafe, in my situation it reminds me that I have been told to pick something else to do as I won't be successful. Along with the phrases ''I'm just a girl'' and ''That's all you'll let me be.''

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+ Camera Shutter, hearing it often as I study photography.

+ Brings positive feelings as I'm doing something I enjoy, however at times it reminds me of being critiqued for choosing that as a career.

+ That brings feelings of irritation.

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The ''This Girl Can'' campaign is a very popular campaign which was developed by Sport England to promote sport amongst women. That gives me an idea that I would also like to create a product, or in this case a space for women photographers.

Looking at their website they have a lot of resources for women such as activities to do and stories from other women.

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No one gets to choose how you exercise other than you. Your body, your call. And whatever that looks like, we think it's worth celebrating. This Girl Can, funded by The National Lottery, believes that there's no "right" way to get active. However you jiggle, kick, lift, stretch, or sprint, it's time to get moving how you damn please.

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No one gets to choose how you exercise other than you. Your body, your call. And whatever that looks like, we think it's worth celebrating. This Girl Can, funded by The National Lottery, believes that there's no "right" way to get active.

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Fashion

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Sarah Biddlecombe

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It's no secret that women have been woefully underrepresented throughout art history. The stories of men have classically dominated most artistic fields, from music to literature, for decades.

But while the landscape has improved considerably for women in recent years, the picture for females attempting to forge a career in photography is still considerably bleak.

Consider these statistics: only 5% of the pictures used by leading photography publishers are taken women, and just 2% of photographers on the books at most commercial agencies are women.

These are the research findings of photographer Anna Fox, and they reveal an undeniably sexist landscape across the field.

At a time when females can achieve anything they want, the question of why women are so underrepresented in photography has never been more important.

Fashion photographer Lara Jade is one example of a successful female creative who has managed to smash through the proverbial glass ceiling of the photography industry.

Born in the West Midlands, she developed an interest in self-portrait and conceptual photography at 14 years old, before moving to London when she was 19 to pursue fashion photography.

Two years later, with a number of high profile clients including Harper Collins and The Observer under her belt, she moved to New York, where the 26-year-old's business has been flourishing ever since.

But although Jade has seen sexism in the photography industry gradually progress from the days when male "rockstar photographers" dominated, there is still a long way to go.

"I feel like it's harder to have your voice heard as a woman in fashion photography. Like many industries, such as acting and singing, women in photography are still dramatically underrepresented."

The lack of recognition for female talent in photography is, Jade says, particularly apparent when she attends talks and seminars on the industry. As a rising talent, she is regularly asked to host panels and discussions on forging a career in photography, but is constantly surprised to find she is the only woman who has been invited to speak.

"There are so many fantastic female photographers out there who are majorly talented, but when I get on a stage, every other speaker is male. Wait! Why?"

Jade hints at intrinsic differences between men and women that could have, historically, helped swing the balance in favour of males within the industry.

Physically speaking, all of her assistants are male because, she says, she would "feel bad" asking a woman to hold heavy photography equipment for hours on end.

When it comes to propelling their careers forward, women are also more likely than men to be riddled with self doubt and the feeling that they aren't good enough. Which is sadly not surprising, as Jade herself has faced discrimination from people who believe she doesn't have the power to run a photography set - simply because she is female.

"I'm very softly spoken and a nice person, but I feel like I have to have a different personality when I go to meet people. I know how to be a leader on set but, because I don't have that powerful persona, and as a woman, people question whether I would be able to do this."

Fortunately, there is one area of photography where women rule the roost - but it's not for the right reasons.

"Females dominate the family portrait industry," says Jade. "I don't know if that's because it's easier, or because it's expected that women will do it because they have that link with children."

So what can be done to address the imbalance? Shining a spotlight on the talents of female photographers seems key - and luckily, a number of art institutions have already started championing their work.

Last year, the Tate held a two-day conference called Fast Forward: Women in Photography, celebrating females in photography. The Imperial War Museum are currently running a popular exhibition looking at the importance of female war photographer, Lee Miller's work, Lee Miller: A Woman's War.

And Jade has solid advice for any woman looking to enter the photography industry. The digital landscape means it can be harder to get your voice hard, but social media can be a hugely viable marketing tool.

"Keep your exposure going and reach out to people. Never underestimate the value of face-to-face meetings," says Jade, who herself used the early days of social media to network and promote her work.

With current followings of over 152,000 people on Twitter, 180,000 on Instagram and over half a million fans on Facebook, she is a prime example of a woman who uses digital to advance her career.

"Be creative and stick to your voice as an artist. People will tell you to do something different and change, but every photographer is building toward a certain style so keep your voice," she adds.

Jade is also keen to emphasise her hopes that, over the next decade, the current landscape of photography will change.

"There are more female leaders in photography now, and more women are encouraged to follow that. In the next five to ten years, there will be a huge change."

Lara Jade's top tips for running a successful Instagram account

Give your followers a peek behind the curtain

Art direct your own images by thinking carefully about content and colours

Be mindful of your feed and consider how your images will look when placed next to each other

Most of all, be authentic

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Sarah Biddlecombe

Sarah Biddlecombe is an award-winning journalist and Digital Commissioning Editor at Stylist. Follow her on Twitter

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Why are women so underrepresented in photography?

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Fashion Posted by Sarah Biddlecombe Published background Layer 1 Add this article to your list of favourites It's no secret that women have been woefully underrepresented throughout art history. The stories of men have classically dominated most artistic fields, from music to literature, for decades.