In conversation with the Royal Photographic Society

Marcus flies solo this week for a conversation with Dr Michael Pritchard from the Royal Photographic Society — on what the RPS actually does, and where photography stands as AI reshapes the tools we all use.Michael’s path started as a Saturday boy in a darkroom at 11 and eventually led to running the RPS’s education and programmes work, so this one covers both a personal photography story and an inside view of a 150-year-old institution.How a Saturday darkroom job at 11 turned into running the RPS’s education armWhat the RPS actually does for its mostly-amateur membershipThe distinctions photographers can earn, and what they actually meanWhere the RPS draws the line on whether an AI-generated image counts as photographyWhy Michael thinks working with AI beats fighting it, within the right limitsIf you’ve wondered where a body like the RPS stands on AI, this is a straight answer from someone who has to actually decide.Education pathways are a recurring thread — Modern Photography Apprenticeships with Anthony Milner is worth a listen for a more hands-on route into the industry than the one discussed here.