Degree Program

An exciting part of being a member of the AZPPA and the PPA is the opportunity to participate in print competitions. Image competitions are designed to challenge yourself and sharpen your skills and improve your photography.  This provides you with a way to gain attention within your profession and community by being recognized by your peers and winning awards.  Participating in print competition you can benefit in the following ways:

● Justify and explain your prices

• When potential clients ask why your prices are so high.
• Additional achievements in your background might allow them to accept the prices more easily.

● Be recognized for your accomplishments

• Status in your industry may increase trust that others put in your ability.
  • Including potential clients.
• Increase the recognition and explain how you earned the awards.

● Push yourself to continue learning and achieving

• Photography is not a static industry.
  • new techniques and technologies always appear.
• The actions you take to earn your merits and degrees will help keep you aware of changes.
  • Demonstrate that knowledge to others.

There are two recognition awards that AZPPA members can earn:

The Association presents two recognition awards to its members that can be earned by the member.

Each of these awards duly recognizes the professional abilities and talents of the individual, or the outstanding service provided to the Association, and to the profession in general.

SPECIAL NOTE ON CRITERIA FOR THE NATIONAL AWARD AND THE CRYSTAL APPLE AWARD:

These two awards are the highest honors that can be bestowed on AZPPA members in behalf of PPA (National Award) and AZPPA (Crystal APPLE Award).  Because of this and the esteem that goes with this award, these awards are not to be given out just because they are “available”.  Both awards are for recognition of outstanding service “above and beyond” what is normally expected of a person who serves the association.

Whereas the National Award may be considered for extraordinary efforts and service for a shorter period, the Crystal APPLE is more restrictive in that it was created to recognize a “lifetime” of achievement.  That requirement alone denotes that many years of service must be considered before it is to be awarded. These restrictions were placed on these awards to preserve their integrity and luster.

APPLE AWARD

Award for Professional Photography Leadership and Excellence

● Is presented in recognition for outstanding photography.

• 25 STATE merits:
  • 13 merits
    • Earned through STATE image competition
  • 12 merits
    • can be a combination of STATE Exhibition and/or Service.

● This award has a red ribbon

ARTISAN AWARD

●  Is presented in recognition for outstanding service to the State Association.

• 25 STATE service merits required
• NO exhibition merits may be used
• This award has a grey ribbon

To receive both awards, it is necessary to have earned 50 STATE merits – a minimum of 13 exhibition merits and 25 service merits

BARS

● Once both awards above have been achieved, members will be presented with a bar to wear on the ribbon once 20 merits have been achieved.

● The ribbon will be a grey and red ribbon representing both awards.

DISTINGUISHED PHOTOGRAPHER AWARD

●  Is presented when 25 image critique merit points have been awarded.

●  This award has a brilliant silver ribbon

The NATIONAL AWARD - The Association may, at its discretion, present the National Award to an association member.

The President shall appoint a Committee and Chairman prior to September 30th. The entire Committee should be comprised of previous National Award recipients.

This committee shall review the membership and determine if there is a qualified recipient for the year.

If a recipient is decided on, the Committee Chairman will notify the President and the Executive Director that the award is to be given.

The identity of the recipient is not to be revealed outside of the selection committee.

The Executive Director, upon learning that the award is to be given, will order same from National Headquarters.

When the award is received, the Executive Director will see that the proper engraving is performed.

The engraving will be paid for by the association.

The Selection Committee Chairman will maintain possession of the award until the next scheduled Annual Convention, at which time it will be presented to the member named.

It shall be the responsibility of the Selection Committee Chairman that the named individual is, in fact, in attendance at the meeting.

In the case that no National Award is to be given, the Selection Committee Chairman will advise the President and the Secretary/Treasurer, the latter who will record this in the Association's records.

●  The association may present the National Award to an association member.

●  The AZPPA President appoints a committee and chairman prior to 30 September

●  The committee is comprised of previous recipients of the award

●  The award is presented at the next annual convention

HONORARY CRYSTAL APPLE AWARD

The honorary CRYSTAL APPLE AWARD - The Association may, at its discretion, present the Crystal Apple Award, to an association member.

The President shall appoint a Committee and Chairman prior to September 30th. The entire Committee should be comprised of previous Crystal Apple recipients.

This committee shall review the membership and determine if there is a qualified recipient for the year.

If a recipient is decided on, the Committee Chairman will notify the President and the Executive Director that the award is to be given.

The identity of the recipient is not to be revealed outside of the selection committee.

The Executive Director upon learning that the award is to be given, will order the award and see that the proper engraving is performed.

This engraving will be paid for by the association. The Selection Committee Chairman will maintain possession of the award until the next scheduled State Convention, at which time it will be presented to the member named.

It shall be the responsibility of the Selection Committee Chairman that the named individual is, in fact, in attendance at the meeting.

In the case that no Crystal Apple is to be given, the Selection Committee Chairman will advise the President and the Secretary/Treasurer, the latter who will record this in the Association's records.

The Crystal Apple Award entitles the recipient to Life Member status in the Association. At the inception of this award, it was noted that it should not be presented frivolously.

This is the highest award that can be bestowed upon a member of the Association, therefore, to maintain its integrity, the proposed recipient must qualify for that acclaim.

●  The association may present the Crystal Apple Award to an association member.

●  The AZPPA President appoints a committee and chairman prior to 30 September

●  The committee is comprised of previous recipients of the award

●  The award is presented at the next annual convention

The Crystal Apple Award entitles the recipient to Life Member status in the association. This is the highest award that can be bestowed upon a member of the association.

The two above awards are the highest honors that can be bestowed on AZPPA members on behalf of PPA (National Award) and AZPPA (Crystal Apple Award).

AZPPA STATE MERITS

Merits are awarded to members in good standing after successful completion of the duties involved.

The maximum number of service merits a member can receive per year is 13. Categories where state service merits can be earned:

●  President – 6

●  Vice President – 3

●  Secretary Treasurer – 3

●  Executive Director – 10

●  All Directors - 3

●  Convention Worker – 1

●  Committee Chair – 2

●  Committee Member – 1

●  Board Advisor – 3

●  Merit Image – 1

●  Image of Excellence – 1

●  Staff Photographer - 2

●  Local Speaker – 2

●  PPA Councilor – 1

●  Print Critiques Judge – 1

●  Mentor - 1