Membership

Everyone is welcome to attend the Chapter meetings but you must be an Individual Member of both PSA and the PSA Arizona Chapter in order to participate in the Chapter’s activities. The Chapter membership year runs from July 1, through June 30 dues will be announced at a later date.

New individual members of PSA residing in Arizona receive a one-year complimentary membership in the Arizona Chapter.

Chapter membership includes participation in Chapter activities and events.

Forms to Join:

PSA Arizona Chapter Photographic Society of America

About Photographic Society of America

The Photographic Society of America (PSA) is a worldwide organization providing a wide range of services that promote photography and offers various benefits to its members. Individual members can participate in competitions, study groups and on-line education programs desinged to advance their photographic knowledge and skills. Competitions are held for clubs, councils, federations and chapters. Member image galleries are always available for viewing. An annual youth photography showcase, open to all students of high school age, is conducted as well. Opportunities for image analysis and critique, as well as discounts for both hardware and software products, are available for all members. In addition to special access to a Member's Only area on this dynamic and informative website, every member receives the high-quality PSA Journal each month.

Headquarters:

8241 S. Walker Avenue, Suite 104

Oklahoma City, OK73139

Phone 405 843-1437

Toll Free (US) 855 722-4636

Website: http://psa-photo.org

PSA Mission Statement

• PSA promotes the art and science of photography as a means of communication, image appreciation and cultural exchange.

• PSA provides education, information, inspiration and opportunity to all persons interested in photography.

• The Society fosters personal growth and expression, creativity, excellence and ethical conduct in all aspects of photographic endeavor.

PSA Annual Conference

One of the most enjoyable activities of PSA is the week-long Annual Conference. The Annual Conference is held in September or October in a different location each year. During the Annual Conference registrants can participate in photo tours, classes, workshops, and photo shoots. There is an Opening Meeting of the Society with award presentations, an extensive Print Exhibition, a variety of programs, featured speakers in the evenings, social events, a vendor area with product demonstrations, numerous photographic activities, and a banquet on the last evening. The Conference is a great way to meet people, have a personal encounter with a known photographer, or renew longtime acquaintances.

Membership

There are nearly 6000 PSA members, including both amateur and professional photographers, residing in nearly 80 countries. Many members serve in various positions and are responsible for the supervision and execution of PSA's activities.

PSA Journal

As a benefit of membership, PSA members have the opportunity to read feature articles in the monthly, full-color PSA Journal, which is under the supervision of the Publications Vice President. The articles are written by members, for members, and include knowledge and experience gained from travel and many photographic activities. There are many "how-to" ideas and techniques to cover a broad range of topics of interest to any photography enthusiast. On a recurring basis, member-columnists provide various series on social networking, information for beginners, and selections from the online New Member gallery. Additionally, there are photography software, hardware and photography book reviews. The journal is available as a print copy (for additional dues) or online through the member's only area (My PSA).

PSA Board of Directors

A 15-member Board of Directors serves as the primary governing body of PSA, which is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Each odd-numbered year, board members are elected and hold office for a 2-year term, beginning at the close of the annual conference.

Chapters, Clubs and Councils

There are twelve Chapters which may be considered as "local" PSA branches and are composed of only PSA members. They are located along the East Coast, in the upper Midwest, and the South West. Because of legalities, there are no Chapters outside of the United States. An annual PSA Chapter Showcase competition is held at the PSA Annual Conference. Chapters also have activities including competitions, field trips, and speaker programs.

There are over 500 camera clubs throughout the world which are members of PSA. One of the primary activities of PSA-member clubs is participating in the PSA Interclub Competitions.

There are 25 camera club Council’s through out the world. A camera club Council may also be known as an association, federation, or organization of camera or photography clubs. A camera club Council consists of a number of camera clubs, usually located in a geographic area, which join together to participate in photographic activities as a group.

The annual PSA Newsletter and Website Contests are also available to Chapters, Clubs, and Councils. The Chapters, Club, & Council's Vice President has the primary responsibility for overseeing the activities of these organizations.

Study Groups

PSA offers several digital and print Study Groups for individual PSA members that allow them to receive feedback on their images from other more senior members. This is a great way to allow the members to share knowledge and experience.

Youth Programs

PSA Greenhood scholarships are awarded to second-year students majoring in photography at a school that offers a degree in photography. The PSA Scholarships and Grants Committee, works with an education foundation, which oversees the scholarship process for over 20 Art Institutes with photography programs in the US and Canada. Once the process narrows down the list of possible candidates each year, the Committee completes its works by reviewing the students' work for itself before making final decisions, which are announced at the annual PSA conference. In addition to receiving the scholarship, the selectees must provide a portfolio of prints for display at the next conference. They are given the opportunity to attend the conference, free of charge.

Each year PSA conducts a Youth Showcase, which is a competition that is open to all high school age students worldwide. Entry is free, however each student must be sponsored by a Chapter, PSA-member club or council, or 4H club. A school, in coordination with a single sponsor, may submit no more than 6 digital images and 6 prints. Some of the award-winning images are displayed at the annual PSA conference and receive cash awards. Chapters, clubs and councils may submit their digital images on-line.

Summary

PSA is a not-for-profit corporation (501(c)(3)) organized under the laws of the State of Illinois, USA, with a Certificate of Authority in the State of Oklahoma, USA, where the PSA Headquarters is located. It is a membership organization, and does not have shareholders, is not a governmental organization, and is not connected with any branch of the United States government.

While the majority of PSA's members come from North America, a significant number of members come from outside North America, from over 70 nations around the world, making PSA a truly “global" organization. The Society members (individuals, clubs, and councils of camera clubs) have activities and interests consistent with those of PSA.

All images found on this website are © Copyrighted material by the individual members and may not be copied or used without permission. We ask that you respect the artists and their work. Please contact us for more information.