RPS Fenton Medal

During the AGM on 21st September, the Fenton Medal Awards were announced.

The RPS Fenton Medal is named after Roger Fenton, one of the founders of the RPS who served for several years as its Honorary Secretary. It was first awarded in 1980 and since 1998 it carries with it Honorary Membership of the Society. No more than three or four Fenton Medals are awarded each year.  

The award of the RPS Fenton Medal is made to a member or non-member who has made an excellent or notable contribution to the work of the Society.

One of the recipients this year was our Benelux Chapter Organiser, Carol Olerud FRPS.

Born in Brisbane, Australia to Dutch parents and now living in The Netherlands, Carol is an active photographer in all its aspects. A long-time member of the Royal Dutch Fotobond and since 2017, a member of the Royal Photographic Society, UK. Carol gained her Associate Distinction in 2018 and then her Fellowship Distinction in 2021, both in the genre of Contemporary/Conceptual. Carol has been taking photos since she was 12, when she first got a small instant camera.

She is the RPS Benelux Chapter Organiser since 2020, an active group of photographers from all over, they meet monthly, be it on Zoom, or in person in Rotterdam. The Chapter also does photo walks, workshops, photo challenges and every two years, they support the International Photo Festival in Pelt, “Lens op de Mens”, where they also have their Members’ print Expo. The next one being in 2025.

An eJournal is produced quarterly so the Chapter is showcased nicely.

The main type of photography Carol enjoys is people! Documentary, contemporary, street photography, social documentary, weddings, funerals, pregnancy and even birth. Carol likes to work on series and recurring themes. Carol photographs for her local theatre, DE KOM, be it of children’s performances in dance, music, theatre or events in the foyer.

Carol has been sitting on jury’s, locally, nationally and also internationally. Being of dual nationality and bi-lingual, with Australian English as her mother-tongue, this enables Carol to do this well.

The RPS has been fantastic, opening many doors, to meeting new people, doing projects, making books, joining competitions, joining online talks, this list is endless – Carols says the best part is that it’s in English!

For more info on Carol, visit her website, also to see her panels for F and A. Her F is of a sensitive nature, so please be prepared (if that’s even possible). www.carololerud.com

Carol is also on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carololerud/

For full information see the RPS website:

members awards 2024 recipients

All photographs © Carol Olerud FRPS RPS Fenton Medal