APSA (Associate) 

This honor is awarded to PSA members in good standing for excellent service to photographers, within PSA and/or in other photographic organizations such as clubs, councils, federations, national and international societies and other organizations, or to the general community, worldwide.  A majority vote of the eight (8) members of the Honors Committee is required for the Candidate to be approved as an Associate.

FPSA (Fellow) 

This honor is awarded to PSA members in good standing for exceptional service to photographers, within PSA and/or in other photographic organizations such as clubs, councils, federations, national and international societies and other organizations, or to the general community, worldwide.  Service may include organizational or administrative work, lecturing and presentations, writings and publication of articles, instruction and judging, among other contributions.  A high degree of proficiency or photographic achievement, or a work background or education relevant to these services may help explain the value of these services.  Given eight (8) Honors Committee members six (6) affirmative votes are needed for a FPSA.  If the Committee has only seven (7) members, five (5) affirmative votes are needed for a FPSA.

HonPSA (Honorary Membership) 

This honor is awarded to PSA members in good standing for exemplary, long and impactful services to photographers, within PSA and/or in other photographic organizations such as clubs, councils, federations, national and international societies and other organizations, or to the general community, worldwide.  Service may include organizational or administrative work, lecturing and presentations, writings and publication of articles, instruction and judging, among other contributions.  A Candidate’s credentials may also include significant leadership, and/or significant, impactful or critical non-leadership services beyond the levels identified in the FPSA credentials.  Merely a continuation of the same services or roles in a Candidate’s FPSA honor is not sufficient.  Often a HonPSA Candidate will show independent thinking or leadership in developing a new process for performing existing roles, or in launching a new service or significantly enhancing a service or program that has already existed.  Service on the PSA Board of Directors or a governing body for other organizations is an example of leadership, but not a requirement.  Other examples include handling critical, impactful positions and taking on greater responsibility at higher levels.  A high degree of proficiency or photographic achievement, or a work background or education relevant to these services may help explain the value of these services.  Given eight (8) Honors Committee members, six (6) affirmative vote are required for a HonPSA. If the Committee has only seven (7) members, five (5) affirmative votes are required for a HonPSA. In all cases where the Committee voting requirements are met, the HonPSA Candidates require majority vote by the PSA Board of Directors.

HonFPSA (Honorary Fellow) 

This is the highest of the Honors bestowed by PSA.  It is awarded to PSA members in good standing who have gone far above and beyond the call of duty for many years in their service to PSA and/or to the photographic community, other photographic organizations, and photographers generally.  Significant leadership in PSA and other organizations are important factors, but so is long and distinguished service in other roles.  The credentials for HonFPSA will often show extensive teaching, writing, judging, assessing, and other kinds of important services to other organizations and to photographers.  A high degree of proficiency or photographic achievement, or a work background or education relevant to these services may help explain the value of these services.  Typical of Candidates receiving this honor is exemplary and distinguished service over many years, a virtual lifetime of membership in PSA, including service which were considered for the other PSA honors.  The total number of HonFPSA honors is limited to twenty-five (25) living members of the Society at any time.  Given eight (8) Honors Committee members, seven (7) affirmative votes are required for a HonFPSA.  If the Committee has only seven (7) members, six (6) affirmative votes are needed for a HonFPSA.  In all cases where the Committee voting requirements are met, HonFPSA Candidates require majority vote by the PSA Board of Directors. 

For assistance applying for PSA Honors, see our Honors Consultants page (requires member login).

1. » Honors Proposal Instructions & Forms: (each is available either as a pdf or a doc)
   Download the required individual documents as follows:

   • Instructions and guidelines: pdf - doc (updated November 2019)
   • Proposal cover page - pdf - doc (updated November 2019)
   • Proposer - pdf - doc (updated November 2019)
   • Endorser (honors proposals require two) - pdf - doc (updated November 2019)
   • Summary of previous honors (not required for APSA proposal) - pdf - doc (updated November 2019)
   • Candidate's record - pdf - doc (updated November 2019)
   Can be downloaded, printed, typed, scanned and emailed to HQ@psa-photo.org
2. Each proposal requires a Proposer and two Endorsers. All three individuals (a married couple is considered one person) must be PSA members in good standing. The Proposer must know the Candidate personally through close association over a period of time. The Endorsers must also be familiar with the Candidate's work, but need not have the intimate knowledge of the Candidate as required by the Proposer.
3. The Proposer has the responsibility of obtaining the two endorsements and submitting the entire proposal to PSA Headquarters via email by December 1 of the year prior to that in which the Honor would be conferred.
4. The proposal must be no more than nine pages: one page each for statements by the Proposer and each of the two Endorsers, each page signed and dated; and a maximum of six pages outlining the Candidate's activities following the numbered categories in the official Candidate's Record. If a translation page is necessary for a Proposer and/or Endorser's statements, it is not added into the final count. No attached cover pages, or other material other than specified above is permitted. If the proposal contains more than the maximum number of pages, it will be rejected in its entirety.
5. All information, including the statements, digitally prepared. Long lists of recognition and medals should be condensed. Neatness does count.
6. The Proposer and the two Endorsers must weigh carefully the responsibility they are assuming and their duty to the Society. A proposal should not be submitted unless the Proposer and both Endorsers are fully convinced the Candidate's qualifications fully meet the requirements listed above, and the Candidate's qualifications are unquestionably above average.

An Honors Service Award is given out to Honors Proposers and/or Endorsers for each accumulation of 25 points earned.

Proposers receives 5 points for a successful Proposal Packet (no points are earned if the Candidate is not successful). 
Endorsers receive 2 points if the Candidate is successful.  

Awards earned by July 1 of each year will be given out at the following PSA Annual Conference or mailed if the recipient was not in attendance.. 

PSA Directors and Officers, and Honors Committee members, are not eligible because they are not able to Propose or Endorse, and may be participants in approval of Honors.  

There is no limit to the number of Honors Service Awards a Proposer or Endorser may receive, and no requirement for a five (5) year wait between awards.  

• Guidelines for Preparing an Honor Proposal - doc (updated May 2020)
• Who Do you Know? Proposing a Candidate for PSA Honors, by Terry Carroll, FPSA, PSA Journal, September 2019 - pdf