A statement of objectives must be provided by (OPS) Associateship and Fellowship applicants to introduce the work submitted, but is not required for Certificate of Merit or Licentiateship applications. The statement should be concise and written using simple English likely to be understood by anyone. Technical or flowery language should be avoided.

A statement of objectives may be used to explain the context of the images, why they were created and what the photographer set out to achieve. Descriptions of individual images and technical details are of little importance and should be avoided wherever possible. The statement will be considered carefully during an assessment, and should reflect the simple reality of the photography undertaken rather than make claims not supported by the work.

The maximum length of a statement of objectives is 250 words, although shorter statements are preferred.