The Association’s Board of Directors is made up of up to eleven non-executive Directors, who are all unpaid volunteers and the AOP CEO, who is the sole executive Director oon the Board. The non-executive Directors of the Board are comprised as follows;
- Seven working Accredited Photographer members (which can include one Agent member), formally elected at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company. A Director can be co-opted on to the Board at any time subject to the majority vote of the rest of the Board, but needs to stand for formal election by the membership at the AGM.
- One Assisting Photographer member, elected at an annual general meeting
- Up to three Independent Directors, elected by the Board to bring strong business experience and expertise with them, one of whom is elected as Chair
Information about each of the Directors, including where relevant the dates of original appointment and re-election are given below.
Isabelle Doran
Chief Executive Officer
Isabelle is the current CEO for the Association of Photographers. Having undertaken a Foundation course at Harrow College of Art and Design (now part of the University of Westminster), she went onto graduate with BA Hons in Photography at Surrey Institute of Art & Design, before embarking on her professional career. During her mid-career she completed an MA in Museum Management at the University of Greenwich.
Throughout her 25 year career in the photo industry, Isabelle has been both a supplier and client, previously working in the design sector for various organisations, such as Conran Design Group and Luminous, as well as for several picture libraries - including as a photography graduate for Tony Stone, working as a darkroom technician to managing photographers’ contracts, leaving not long after it became Getty Images, and Magnum Photos, where she commissioned commercial shoots and stock sales for ad and design agencies on brands ranging from Absolut, Sky, and Universal to charities such as St. Mungo’s and Amnesty International. The latter of which was instrumental in influencing Isabelle’s appreciation for photojournalism and artistic storytelling, as well as copyright. She launched and managed an image library for a book publisher specialising in lifestyle, interiors and food, for over 14 years, during which time she volunteered to join the British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies as a non-executive director, before chairing the organisation, in which she focused on safeguarding and championing the photo industry through lobbying efforts resulting from the Hargreaves Review.
As a strong advocate of the industry, Isabelle regularly attended stakeholder meetings with government, particularly the IPO, on matters affecting copyright legislation, as well as presenting on issues relating to copyright enforcement and the interests of photographers at various events, including CEPIC Congress, Westminster Media Forum, All Party Parliamentary Group on IP, and the British Copyright Council. Isabelle is currently a board director (representing Artistic Works) for the British Copyright Council. She was also formerly chair of PICSEL, a collective management organisation for professional image rightsholders, and a board representative at the Alliance for IP.
Joined the AOP as CEO: 1 November 2021
Hamish Crooks
Independent Director and Chair of the AOP
Hamish Crooks spent twelve years as Archive Director, Online Director and Deputy Bureau Chief at Magnum Photos, with four of those years doubling up as a part-time sports journalist & sub editor for The Telegraph. Moving onto Reuters News Agency in the early 2000's, Hamish had various product-based roles over nine years, including Head of Picture Products, before returning to Magnum Photos as Global Licensing Director. Hamish is now a freelance Media Licensing & Archive consultant, working on various projects, and manages the Abbas Photos estate (https://abbasphotos.org/) for Magnum Photos photographer, Abbas. Hamish also acted as picture editor on the series of books, Reuters Sports in the 21st Century (published 2009) and Magnum Football and has written articles on subjects such as Brexit and ethnic minorities as well as on photographers such as Ernest Cole.
He has spoken on many industry panels, including several on supporting young emerging talent to tell their stories, and judged various photographic awards including the AOP Photography Awards, this year's (2022) Open Award, and others.
Joined the Board: 7 April 2022
Re-stands: 2024 and 2026
Tim Flach
Member Director and President of the AOP
Accredited Photographer
Tim Flach is a photographer best known for his stylised portraits of animals and for the originality that he brings to capturing animal behaviour and characteristics. His work is driven by a desire to better communicate stories of the natural world and to explore questions around art, communication and conservation science.
Tim is a long-standing member of the AOP, since 1986. From the late 90s to 2003 he sat on the council chairing the Awards Committee, along with forming a group of photographers to negotiate a new Getty Images contract during a critical transitional period. In his role as President, he intends to continue to represent and support the advocacy of the AOP.
His photographs are showcased in books, exhibitions and galleries around the world. He has seven internationally published books: Birds (2021), Who am I? (2019), Endangered (2017), Evolution (2013), More Than Human (2012), Dogs Gods (2010) & Equus (2008). He has also contributed to books and group projects, including Surveying the Anthropocene: Environment and Photography Now, which was published by Edinburgh University Press in 2021, and A Cabinet of Curiosities for the Anthropocene, published by Chicago Press in 2018.
He has also contributed to academic research into how photographs of animals impact their audiences. In 2020, he published a study with two social scientists, Professors Cameron Thomas Whitley and Linda Kalof, which used empirical evidence to show that anthropomorphic animal portraits promote empathy. Tim has been invited to speak at conferences such as The Zoological Society of London and St Petersburg International Economic Forum, and has lectured at universities worldwide.
In recognition of his work, he has received a number of awards, including an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the Arts London (Norwich) in 2013.
Joined the Board: 17 Feb 2022
Re-stands: 2024 and 2026
Adam Shaw
Member Director
Accredited Photographer
Like many of us my reasons for originally joining the AOP were to be part of a respected industry organisation. The work it has done to raise standards and champion our rights as creatives made it stand out so being part of this group was always a professional aspiration. What I’ve found here is a community of support, encouragement and acceptance, which in our potentially isolated practices has been of huge benefit to myself and my business.
I want to add my shoulder to that work. To develop and pass on those benefits to our current and future membership as I’m grateful for what I’ve received here. I’ve also previously been part of the working group looking at the AOP Iconic Fellowship.
The areas that are dear to my heart are to broaden our collective education and to work to see a greater increase in the inclusion of creatives from less represented backgrounds - be that racial or economic. To paraphrase one of our members who spoke at an online meeting during lockdown, ‘to remove the smoke and mirrors’. These are an impediment not just to our growth as individuals but to those who are finding their feet. It ultimately makes us all weaker.I think we can agree we’ve found something of a treasure in this organisation and I believe its presence is needed now more than ever in our industry; to educate, to champion and help protect our working lives. I’d love to play my part in helping to shape and develop the great work that has already been done for its members and for those to come.
Joined the Board: 19 October 2021
Re-stands: 2023 and 2025
Faye Thomas
Member Director
Accredited Photographer
Faye Thomas is an editorial portrait & fashion photographer specialising in work with actors. Her work has appeared in publications including Vanity Fair, Tatler, Harpers Bazaar, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Irish Independent, The Times, The Telegraph and many more outlets around the world. She is entirely self-taught, and has been working professionally in the industry since 2005. She is currently working on her first book; a series of portraits and interviews with prominent female directors and writers.
Faye stood for the AOP board as she felt that photographers are facing some unique challenges with regards to usage in the uncharted territory of fast evolving new media platforms and AI, and wanted to be part of the conversation to develop strategies for how photographers without law degrees might address the inevitable copyright issues that may arise. She would like to be an advocate for the rights of professional photographers and the value of their work in a world increasingly hungry for endless free content.
Joined the Board: 19 October 2021
Re-stands: 2023 and 2025
Gabrielle Motola
Member Director
Accredited Photographer
Gabrielle Motola specialises in portrait, travel and documentary photography. Her work focuses on long-term projects, often evolving into immersive journeys that take her around the globe. Her work has won multiple awards, has been published in international journals, and has been exhibited in England, France and Iceland.
Gabrielle studied psychology, film and photography at the University of Miami and the Spéos Institute in Paris. She has also worked as a photographic printer, as an editor and colourist in cinema, a professional speaker, and teacher of cinema and photography.
She spent the better part of five years living in Iceland, where she produced her first book, An Equal Difference, published in 2016. A collection of essays, portraits and landscapes exploring the Icelandic mindset, An Equal Difference is inspired by our modern search for gender equality and shared humanity. It takes inspiration from, and analyses Icelandic society, but seeks to understand how we all could build equal and benevolent societies. It was during the making of this book that she began writing professionally.
Gabrielle is also a self-confessed motorcycle addict and has completed a return journey from England to Iceland on a 250cc motorcycle, resulting in a body of work entitled "Henge to Henge". She recently completed a 3,500-mile solo motorcycle journey through Scotland, including the inner and outer Hebrides and The Orkney Islands. This adventure resulted in a new body of work exploring the Scottish mindset and its relation to England.
Her most recent commission was a wide brief to follow the musician, performance artist and activist Amanda Palmer on her "There Will Be No Intermission" tour through Europe and the UK. This album of the same title explores challenging and too infrequently discussed subjects such as death, abortion, motherhood, sexual assault and radical compassion.
Gabrielle is exploring sustainable ways to fund and make work with integrity, direction, and compassion in our changing world where consumer culture and news media blur into each other. Gabrielle operates a Patreon subscription service where she presents stories and shares her process with a growing community of supporters.
It is an exciting new world for those with the courage to step outside the box and evolve alternative ways of making work that both provides an income and helps grow a community at the same time. Gabrielle is working to join the old and the new ways to create a stronger, healthier culture for herself, other artists, collaborators, and appreciators to produce and share work in.
Joined the Board: 30 October 2019
Re-stands: 2021 and 2023
Gandee Vasan
Member Director
Accredited Photographer
Gandee Vasan is an award-winning artist and photographer with over 30 years' experience. He started as a Fine Artist and Portrait Painter, before doing a Postgraduate degree in Computer Graphics in the early days of the craft. Gandee believes that powerful, emotive imagery can drive expressive communication and aims to bring to his work an element of whimsy, surprise and humour. He draws inspiration from, and is constantly fascinated by, the poignancy of faces, both animal and human.
As a 23 year-old, Gandee won the 1985 Royal Society of Portrait Painters' competition to paint Harold Macmillan, the former Prime Minister and the painting hangs in the Worshipful Company of Stationer’s and Newspaper Maker’s Hall in the City of London.
In 1991 Gandee undertook the restoration of the ceiling in The Queen's House, Greenwich, entirely digitally. This groundbreaking work, in which he applied his Fine Art experience to the digital medium, was featured both in the Sunday Times and Tomorrow's World on the BBC.
Gandee then worked as an retoucher in the advertising sector. He was also responsible for commissioning and creating pictures for Getty Images picture library, producing some of their most evocative images. His work was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery as part of the Taylor Wessing Portrait Awards (2005 and 2013); the BP Portrait Awards (2019); the AOP Awards (2005, 2012 and 2017) and the AOP Open Awards (2005 ,2006, 2007 and 2010).
Gandee went on to specialise in animal photography, undertaking commissions for global pet food brands. He has also created successful photo-books of cats and dogs, which are sold internationally.
Gandee now divides his time between creating powerful conceptual digital imagery for photo-libraries, advertising commissions, and pursuing his first love - portrait painting: both human and animal!
Joined the Board: 13 June 2022
Re-stands: 2024 and 2026
Ira Giorgetti
Member Director
Assisting Photographer
I am a photographer, entrepreneur and proud queer immigrant of colour. I love to shoot striking, dynamic and joyful photos that celebrate diversity, culture, gender and all the beautiful intersections in between.
Originally from the Philippines, I came to London in 2016 to chase my dreams, create a better life and tell the stories I’ve always wanted to tell. It’s been a bumpy road with a lot of twists and turns but I’m grateful for all the opportunities and good luck!
Being a Board member is an opportunity that will genuinely help me give back to the photographic community and show both new and long-standing members that being an outsider is something worth celebrating. I relish the chance to represent the views of younger, up and coming and underrepresented talent in a quickly evolving space that's ripe for change and modernisation.
I truly believe the world we live in has so many wild and wonderful stories just waiting to see the light, and I can only hope that my contributions might serve as an example to everyone out there who don’t think there’s a place for their stories, their creativity or their vision.
Joined the Board: 19 October 2021
Re-stands: 2023 and 2025
Hat Margolies
Member Director
Agent
With a drama degree and jobs both in front and behind the camera, a job in photography wouldn't seem a natural progression. But for Hat Margolies, a temp job in a photolibrary led to over 10 years commissioning photography for editorial shoots on national magazines and newspapers and turned her love of photography into a career.
In 2008 Hat set up her own photographic representation and production agency, Lucid Rep, and works with international and UK clients in advertising and corporate marketing. Her role involves producing and organising stills and moving image shoots, often dealing with large budgets, and complex set ups but making sure it all works smoothly, gets the desired shots and stays on budget.
She sees her role as an agent as key in an increasingly competitive market - giving her photographers support, constructive criticism and a a sounding board. An agent can be a protective layer between client and photographer, someone to deal with the nitty gritty details while the photographer concentrates on the creative work.
Having been a member of the AOP for many years, Hat has seen the importance of a strong and supportive trade association, especially when the industry is constantly changing and skills and knowledge needs to be kept up to date. She is very keen to continue to support the work the AOP has started on sustainability in shoot practice and to increase diversity across the industry, both in front and behind the camera. She is keen to make sure members feel safe and secure at work and supported by the AOP, at all stages of their career in the exciting and rewarding industry.
Hat has two children and they live in South East London, with her graphic designer husband. When not working she enjoys cycling, reading and writing fiction and cooking with her family.
Joined the Board: 12 January 2021
Re-stands: 2023 and 2025
Tanja Adams
Independent Director
Tanja is the founding partner of Another Production; a female owned creative production company that collaborates with Brands and Agencies to deliver high quality stills and film content whilst driving and championing diversity behind the lens. Tanja was born and schooled in Windhoek, Namibia after which she studied marketing in Cape Town, South Africa. In 1997 she moved to the UK to continue her career in advertising and left McCann Erickson in 2002 to start Another Production. She lives in Richmond, London and has two children.
Joined the Board: 27 July 2021
Re-stands: 2023 and 2025
Claire Arroyo
Independent Director
Claire has been working in the photographic industry for the past 25 years.
After graduating from Kent Institute of Art Design, she pursued a career in photographic management; from picture libraries, corporate photo libraries to art buyer for global brand and marketing agencies.
Since establishing her own business in 2008 she has been working directly with global brands providing consultancy services in strengthening their branding and campaigns through curating imagery, improving procurement practices and managing their impactful visual assets.
With a background in photography and deep understanding of the value of photography as a commercial asset, Claire provides valuable insight into the challenges and successes of photography for both brands and photographers.
Claire is delighted at joining the AOP as a board member to support the industry by providing useful and constructive insight into the photographic commercial industry.
Joined the Board: 13 June 2022
Re-stands: 2024 and 2026