No Beige Here: I’m Now a BIPP Ambassador

Well, here we are. I’ve officially joined the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) as their newest ambassador — and if you’re surprised they picked someone as loud and unapologetic as me… good.

Because let’s be honest: this industry doesn’t need more beige. It needs more fire, more truth, and a hell of a lot less fluff. That’s exactly what I’m bringing to the table.

Before I ever picked up a camera professionally, I served in the military. Discipline, grit, and a no-excuses attitude were wired into me early. Then came a multi-award-winning stint in the entertainment world: performance, pressure, presence. And now? Photography.

But I didn’t build my career on filtered highlight reels and soft-sell nonsense. I built it on blunt honesty, striking visuals, and treating photography as a business, not just a pretty passion project.

What Being a BIPP Ambassador Means to Me

This isn’t just a badge to stick on my website. As a BIPP ambassador, I’m here to do the work — and that means:

Promoting BIPP to photographers who want real support, not surface-level validation.

Supporting members through meetups, collaborations, and honest conversations — even the uncomfortable ones.

Assisting with qualifications and being that approachable, no-BS person you can actually ask questions without fear of being judged.

Offering guidance that’s grounded in experience, not ego — especially around branding, business, and cutting through the noise.

I’m Not Here to Play Nice

You already know I host The Loud Lens podcast, I’ve written two books (the 2nd one is due to be released soon) that don’t sugarcoat a damn thing, and I speak out constantly about ethics, accessibility, and the pressure to perform in this industry. So yeah, I’m not your typical ambassador. But that’s the point.

Photography needs less pedestal-standing and more real talk. I’m here to challenge the gatekeeping, call out the comparison culture, and help photographers build businesses that actually work — not just look good on Instagram.

If that ruffles some feathers? Perfect.

If it helps just one photographer stop doubting themselves, stop people-pleasing, and start doing the work their way? Even better.

Let’s make some noise.

— Khandie Rees
Ambassador, BIPP