Divisions : Study Groups

Division Study Groups

 
PSA Study Groups Director
✉ Tom Pickering, APSA·

Sound boring? I can assure you study groups are anything but.

So what are study groups?  They are small groups of photographers, from all experience levels (beginner to pro), who share an interest in a particular type of photography, such as nature, monochrome, macro, etc.

What is being studied?  Other members' images that the makers are looking for help with – images that have not received awards or exhibition rankings.  Study groups are not meant to be a showcase of our celebrated works.

Why are they so popular?  When it comes to our own photography, we sometimes become blind to the things that hold an image back.  A study group provides a safe place to get helpful feedback from others.  They're also a great place to meet others who share a common interest and whose insights can help you quickly progress in your photography.

How does it work?  Images are submitted on a regular basis and, once they are online, other members critique (and sometimes score) each image, offering tips and techniques to capture the image better and/or post-process the photo and, in some cases, demonstrate the process described on that image.  Some study groups provide specially trained commentators who will furnish their critiques as well.  We have study groups for those who prefer to work on their images in private and study groups that are completely public for the benefit of member and visitor alike.

Is there any fee involved?  You're free to join as many different groups as is practical to add to your schedule – the only requirement is an up-to-date PSA membership.

Please watch this short video for a quick visual introduction: 

I'm interested. What's the next step? The chart below lists all the currently available study groups by division. Note the following abbreviations: ND (Nature Division), PID (Projected Image Division), PJD (Photojournalism Division), PPD (Pictorial Print Division), and PTD (Photo Travel Division). More study groups to be added in the coming months.

Div.	Name	Visibility	Images / Round	Round Length	Theme(s)	Groups	Link	Contact
ND	Digital Study Groups	Public	1	1 month	Nature	4	Info	Email
PID	Digital Dialogue	Public	1	1 month	Various	99	Info	Email
PID	Digital Study Groups	Private	1-4	1-3 months	Various	33	Info	Email
PJD	Image Discussion Groups	Public	1	1 month	PhotoJournalism	3	Info	Email
PPD	PPD Study Groups / American Portfolios	By Mail	1-4	1-3 months	Various	20	Info	Email
PTD	Image Discussion Groups	Public	1	1 month	Travel	6	Info	Email