Learning through the lens: an interview with Victoria Humphries

As CEO of The Royal Photographic Society (RPS), Victoria Humphries leads one of the world’s oldest and most respected photographic societies. With a background in education and leadership, she brings an approach that champions curiosity, creativity and opportunity at every stage of a photographer’s journey.

We caught up with Victoria to talk about the parallels between education and photography, the challenges and possibilities of AI, her favourite images from the Student Food Photographer of the Year category, and why competitions like this can be truly transformative for emerging photographers.

You come from a background of education and leadership. How does the world of photography compare?

My immediate reaction was to reflect on how different they are, but actually my roles as a leader in education and now as a leader in photography are very similar, and it is all about learning. Schools are there to educate our young people, to prepare them for the future and to inspire a love of learning. At the RPS our charitable objective is to educate the public, promote high standards, and encourage appreciation of photography. The RPS is here to inspire all photographers (regardless of their experience or equipment) to try new things, to grow as a photographer, to stretch themselves and ultimately to develop a love of learning.

AI is a huge topic of discussion in photography. Do you see it as a threat or an opportunity to photography?

AI is both an opportunity and a threat and we mustn’t let the threat stop us from exploring the opportunities. Our role at the RPS is to support and guide our members through the challenges and threats of AI, however our role is also to show our members the incredible possibilities of AI. How it can be used in so many innovative and creative ways, help make photography more accessible and can really push photographers to redefine what is possible.

What are your favourite previous finalist images of the RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year category and why?

Cowculating by Raquel Rodrigues, Highly Commended, RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year, 2025

a) It reminds me of my grandparents (they were cattle farmers) but b) it is really important to educate children as to where our food comes from

Carnal Supper by Chloe Dann, Winner, RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year, 2019

Bonkers, creative, made me laugh out loud but also made me think about the greed (& food waste) in society today.

On Edge by Sarah Cherry, 2nd, RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year, 2021

Still life – beautiful and so sharp, how long did it take to stand the limes up (or were they glued down?!)

The RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year is free to enter. Why do you think it’s important students take opportunities such as this as part of their photography journey?

Opportunities like this give students a real-world platform to showcase their work, build confidence, and receive invaluable exposure. Entering competitions like this also encourage experimentation, feedback, and learning beyond the classroom. Invaluable skills for when they leave education and start to make their way in the world of photography.

In addition to an RPS membership and an interview published by the RPS Journal, the winner of the RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year gets the unique opportunity to have a 60-minute one-to-one Zoom meeting with Commercial Photography Consultant and Mentor, Zoe Whishaw. The meeting includes website review, analysis of creative direction, as well as options and ideas to take a career forward. How transformative can guidance from an experienced professional be for a student at this stage?

Guidance from an experienced professional at this stage can be genuinely transformative; offering clarity, confidence, a different perspective and guidance at a pivotal point in a student’s development. Receiving personalised feedback from someone who is not their regular teacher or tutor can be very impactful and Zoe’s 30+ years of experience will be so invaluable – what an opportunity!

If you, or someone you know, are studying photography, do consider entering our RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year category. It’s free-to-enter, so there’s nothing to lose! See previous finalists and find out more here.