IPPA Licence Proposal

Sunday, Mar 7th, 2010 in Photography News, The IPWS Blog by Alan Murphy | 1 Comment

Following on from Dominic Lee’s post there has been a lot of activity on boards.ie concerning the IPPA’s announcement that they were looking at a “Licence to Trade” proposal and that they are making a list of all who photograph for gain in Ireland.

Like all forum activity, Dominic’s Blog and the boards.ie forum,  got a fair amount of rubbish posted and some unfair comments relating to the IPPA members.  They also got some fair comment and there were some good points made.

A Licence to Trade – For Photographers

Unlike many photographers I am against anything that potentially restricts entry into the market.  Photography is a profession which has always benefited from the free flow of new people into it.  Long before the digital era electricians, postmen and IT professionals were giving up fully pensionable jobs to become photographers.  Some were successful and some not – but they were attracted to photography and they thought they could do well in it.  Sure a few were chancers and couldn’t deliver the goods – but there are bad bankers, bad doctors and bad architects.  The vast majority were excellent and the life skills they had collected prior to taking up photography went to make them better photographers.

A licence to trade, as described in the latest IPPA email is a very carefully chosen term – it is not a licenced photographer.  Perhaps what they are proposing is similar to the municipal licence  in France.  If you wish to start making money there you have to complete forms in the local authorities office.  If this is what is proposed (and although I am not fully clear why it is being proposed as legislation concerning tax etc already exists) then I see no reason to object provided the fee was nominal.  But why restrict to photographers – surely everyone trading should have such a licence.  If, however, it is a licence to prove quality or that you are registered with one particular group  then I say “No”.  With such a licence there are too many intangibles – too much left to perception, presentation, style and fashion.  How could you judge what is good quality and what is poor, is it Fine Art or rubbish?  What would the criteria be – price or quality – and who will be responsible for the running of the regulators office?

Such a scheme could not ethically be policed by any organisation involved with photographers and therefore would require the setting up of a new regulator’s office.  Watch as the fees for a licence go sky high to cover the administration of the licence -the RIAI register ( which recently got into trouble with the advertising authority) charge 4000 euro to join.

While I apprciate why IPPA members might see the licence as a good idea it is important that they consider fully the implications on the industry – long term it could lead to lower standards and higher prices for the client and increased business costs for the photographer. And will it deliver any benefit for photographers? – Will clients who already use the black economy really care about a licence?   A licence based on quality and qualifications is restrictive, anti competitive and hugely expensive to implement and operate  – and a “licenced photographer” requiring tax compliance, insurance requirements etc is simply a licenced business – and all professional businesses are required to be tax compliant and should have the necessary insurance etc in place.

If the IPPA wish to proceed with this I would suggest that they publish the full proposal before they submit anything to the politicians so that all parties concerned can debate it.  And of course if I can assist in anyway I would be delighted to – after all that is what photographers.ie is all about.