PSA
The SPF is not a member of PSA but we have had PSA Patronage of our Scottish Salon for many of the years it has run, and we have added this page to enable our SPF Members to easily obtain more details about this International Organisation.
Photographic Society of America (PSA) was founded in 1934, is a world-wide organization providing abundunt resources for photographers, from the novice to the professional. PSA offers on-line learning, webinars, study groups, competitions, mentors and consultants. Membership is in over 80 countries, 5,000 members, 460 Camera Clubs and 12 Chapters across the United States. To find out all about PSA (click here).
A variety of photographic options are available to Scottish Photographers including PSA's Whos Who listings and PSA Distinctions.
PSA Photographic Distinctions are available to individuals who are members of PSA. Firstly, you must participate in salons with PSA recognition to gain acceptances. A full list of these qualifying Exhibitions (Salons) can be found on the PSA Website (click here)
We have supplied some details below which should help get you started. If you require additional information then please contact Andrew Hayes, Scottish Membership Director and Liaison Officer. To contact him (click here)
There are also options for Clubs to become members and compete in PSA's Club Competitions (click here)
New PSA Nature Rules
There has been changes in the PSA NATURE DEFINITION, which has also been agreed with FIAP. From the 1st Jan 2022 these Rules apply to any entries you make to Exhibitions held with PSA patronage, or FIAP and PSA patronage when entering Nature and Wildlife sections.
PSA Patronage Salon in Scotland - Closes 7th Dec 2021
The Edinburgh Photographic Society are this year running their First Edinburgh Photographic Society International Digital Exhibition.
The Exhibition has both FIAP and PSA patronage, as well as that of the SPF. SECTIONS AND FEES - The Exhibition consists of Four (4) Sections with up to Four (4) entries allowed in each: Open Mono, Open Colour, Nature and Wildlife AWARDS - A total of 80 Awards will be presented including 4 Gold Medals from each of the Photographic Society of America, Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique and the Scottish Photographic Federation.
Entry fees are £10 for the first section then £3 for each additional section. Payment is via PayPal
Entries Open 1st September 2021 Entries - Close 7th December 2021
The salon is conducted in accordance with the recommendations and approval of: The Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP) 2021/503 and The Photographic Society of America (PSA) 2021-1666
Click on the following web link (click here) and scroll down for all of the details you require together with access to their online entry.
PSA Small Print Exhibition 2021 - Judged in UK
THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED - Print exhibitions have been few and far between this last year but the PSA International has a SMALL PRINT section that will be judged in Hoylake in England so the cost of postage should make the cost associated with the event more reasonable. Closing Date 20th August 2021.
This exhibition is open to all whether or not you are a member of PSA. This exhibition is organised on behalf of the PSA by Hoylake Photographic Society and West Cumbria Photo Groups.
8 Sections - Sections (all recognized by appropriate PSA Divisions): Open Color (PPDC) - Open Monochrome (PPDM) - Nature (ND) - Nature Wild-Life (ND) - Travel People in their Environment (PTD) - Travel Architecture and Landscape (PTD) - Photo Journalism (PJD) Color or Mono - Photojournalism Human Interest (PJD).
A PDF with full details is available to download below.
Alternatively see details for the following closing 6th July 2021 - PSA International Digital Circuit 2021 click here or the PSA International 3D Print and 3D Digital Exhibitions 2021 click here
If you require any help or assistance with entering these events or you'd like to know more about PSA please contact Andy Hayes click here
Downloads
Scottish Member's Newsletter
The Scotland Newsletter is produced by Andrew Hayes on a quarterly basis MAR, JUN, SEPT and DEC and supplied to Scottish PSA Members. Some examples of past newsletters are given below. To visit the SCOTLAND MEMBERSHIP HOME PAGE or contact Andrew Hayes please (click here)
You can also access PSA Scottish Member's Galleries from there. We have linked to a couple for you - Andrew Hayes (click here) and Jim Stevenson (click here)
Downloads
PSA Distinctions
PSA Photographic Distinctions are available to individuals who are members of PSA. Firstly, you must participate in salons with PSA recognition to gain acceptances. A full list of these qualifying Exhibitions (Salons) can be found on the PSA Website (click here)
The PSA distinctions are called Recognition of Photographic Achievement Awards (ROPA) and they consist of QPSA, PPSA, EPSA, MPSA, MPSA2, GMPSA, GMPSA/b, GMPSA/s, GMPSA/g and GMPSA/p. You can apply for these awards sequentially or you can skip awards and apply for higher levels if you have sufficient qualifying acceptances. You have to be a member of PSA to apply for PSA distinctions. For these distinctions you can count only acceptances achieved in PSA recognised International exhibitions.
In the PSA system, the verification process and the application for a distinction are separated. Verification takes place through what PSA calls the Star Ratings system. Applications for Stars are checked by a Star Ratings Director using the PSA’s electronic database of exhibition acceptances. Each Star application requires a specific number of acceptances from a specified minimum number of different images. For example, you can apply for Star 1 with just 18 acceptances from 6 images. You then need a total of 36 acceptances from 12 images to qualify for Star 2, and so on up to 288 acceptances for Star 5. If you continue to accumulate acceptances beyond those required for Star 5, your acceptances are verified through the Galaxy Rating system. Once you have accumulated sufficient verified acceptances (through Star or Galaxy ratings) you can apply online for the appropriate ROPA award.
In the PSA system the verification process through the Star/ Galaxy Ratings system is done through different Divisions of PSA (Colour Projected Images, Monochrome Projected Images, Nature, Photojournalism, Photo Travel, Pictorial Prints and 3D). You cannot mix acceptances across Divisions for Star or Galaxy applications. For example, when applying for Star 1 in the Nature Division all your acceptances must have been obtained in PSA recognised Nature sections of exhibitions. However, once acceptances are verified through Star or Galaxy Ratings they can be combined to give the required number of acceptances for ROPA applications. For example, Star 4 in Nature plus Star 4 in Photojournalism would give the required 288 acceptances for the PPSA distinction.
PSA, Star Ratings applications can be made at any time. When sufficient acceptances have been achieved the relevant ROPA application can be made online at any time. There is no mandated waiting period between achieving one distinction and the next. With sufficient acceptances you could, for example, achieve QPS, PPSA and EPSA in the same calendar year.
There are no special requirements on the number of exhibitions or countries in which acceptances must be obtained and there are no requirements for achieving awards.
There is no special requirement for prints in the PSA system unless you are applying for Stars or Galaxies in the Print Division.
In the PSA Star Ratings system there is no limit to how many acceptances can be claimed for each image. However, once Star 5 is achieved in a Division (Nature for example) the images that were used up to that point have to be retired and acceptances that are claimed for Galaxy ratings have to be from new images and the number of acceptances that can be claimed for each image is limited to three. Beyond the Galaxy system there are Diamond ratings that require new images that have each received three acceptances.
| PSA Distinctions (ROPA) | Number of Acceptances |
|---|---|
| QPSA (Qualified)* | 54 acceptances |
| PPSA (Proficency) | 288 acceptances |
| EPSA (Excellence) | 700 acceptances |
| MPSA (Master) | 1500 acceptances |
| MPSA (Master 2) | 2250 acceptances |
| GMPSA (Grand Master) | 3000 acceptances |
| GMPSA/b (GM Bronze) | 5000 acceptances |
| GMPSA/s (GM Silver) | 7000 acceptances |
| GMPSA/g (GM Gold) | 9000 acceptances |
| GMPSA/p (GM Platinum) | 11000 acceptances |
More about PSA and PSA Distinctions can be found on the PSA Website. For more on PSA (click here) or more on PSA Distinctions (click here) or to email Scottish Membership Director and Liaison Officer please see the details on the download available below.
A few of Scotland's holders of PSA Distinctions Images are shown on this page.
Downloads
PSA Guidance
During 2020 PSA developed Judges definition guidance notes for both Travel and Nature. For any SPF members who Judge these sections in Internationals, please see the below documents.
Entrants to PSA Internationals may also find this information useful in knowing what is eligible to be entered into these sections.
Whos Who
During the formation of PSA, a Who's Who in Photography listing was created - the only such list in the world. Each exhibitor had to enter a minimum of ten exhibitions each year to be included in the Who's Who list for that year. A favorable review of this program created the impetus to develop the Pictorial Division's Award of Merit, which evolved into the PSA Star Ratings program. The first actual publication of the Who's Who in Photography list was in the January 1942 issue of the PSA Journal.
How to Get Listed Exhibitors in each division and section who have met the minimum number of acceptances in PSA-recognized exhibitions the previous year are listed. The minimum number is 5% of the total possible acceptances in each section for that year. The minimum number and the exhibitions for that year are listed with each section. If the minimum number is four or less, the added requirement is acceptances in two or more judgings. Any section with 20 or less judgings must meet this requirement. To find out more (click here)
