Senior Lecturer Alexandra Murphy discusses female representation in photography for International Women’s Day
BNU Senior Lecturer and Course Leader Alexandra Murphy was interviewed by the Association of Photographers for International Women’s Day.
Alexandra joined BNU in 2020 but has had a career spanning more than 20 years with a background in editorial and documentary photography.
In a publication looking at what it’s like to be an established professional or aspiring female photographer today, Alexandra was featured in a three-page interview which included a selection of BNU student artwork.
Asked about the influence and representation of women in the industry, Alexandra said: “Women are visible in the curriculum [at BNU], in terms of the gender of the teaching team and materials used e.g. lecture slides, inclusivity of things like a balanced gender representation is really important.
“However, this doesn’t quite play out the same way in industry when it comes to student opportunities. There are women in industry who have a presence, but they are largely self-employed photographers, and when it comes to work opportunities or industry experience for students, I have found it quite difficult this year to source women visiting speakers. Thus, women are not so visible to students when they look at industry options – this is especially the case in commercial and advertorial work.
“Also, most of my students are female, which isn’t really mirrored in industry, so where do they go after they graduate and why aren’t more males studying photography in HE?”
It is recognised that women have been underrepresented in the arts throughout history, and though a more modern medium, photography is no different. In 2017, Stylist reported that only 5% of the pictures used by leading photography publishers are taken by women, and just 2% of photographers on the books at most commercial agencies are women.
Alexandra noted that of her female students, only approximately 50% aspire to work in professional photographic careers while the rest hope to use their skills in sectors such as marketing or teaching. Whether this is due to their perception of gender inequality in the industry is unknown.
BNU’s practical approach to education aspires to produce multiskilled, employable graduates who will be prepared for a wide range of careers such as these, however there is still work to be done in industry to ensure that the next generation of graduates can, and aspire to, break through the barriers that still exist in this male-dominated industry.Alexandra Murphy Senior Lecturer and Course Leader
You can read the full publication by the Association of Photographers here.
BNU’s BA (Hons) Photography course is accredited by the Association of Photographers, providing an industry link for current students.
You can also read the BNU Photography course blog here.