FIAP Portfolio Distinctions are earned by submitting ten images that are reviewed for quality and coherence and can be applied for independently from other FIAP distinctions.
Applications for FIAP Portfolio Distinctions are made online via the myfiap.net platform. Applicants must be holder of a FIAP Life Card which can be requested by following the instructions at: https://www.myfiap.net/user/register/fp.
The FIAP Liaison Officer for the national federation must approve the application online, indicating that the candidate is a member of that national photography organization. For example, in the USA, FIAP Portfolio Distinction applicants must be a member of the PAA.
Applications for a Portfolio Distinction can be submitted three times in a year: by January 15th, by May 15th, and by October 15th each year. Applicants must pay a fee.
The applications of fifteen (15) participants maximum per country per distinction will be accepted on each of these three (3) dates (applications of previous participants that were refused and that reapply are not included).
FIAP Portfolios must have a theme. The title should briefly describe the theme and must be in the English or French language. These are examples of themes: Abstract, Aerial, Animals, Architecture, Birds, Cityscape, Concert, Creative, Drone Photography, Flowers, Journalism, Landscape, Macro, Model, Monochrome, Music and Dance, Nature, Night, People, Portrait, Scape, Still Life, Street, Sports, Travel, and Underwater.
FIAP Portfolio images must be coherent and show a good level in Artistic Photography. Each theme must have either color or black & white images. Each image must have the following properties: JPG format, 300 dpi, best quality, at least 3600 pixels on the longest side of the image, and having at least 2 MB.
Images and themes submitted for the various Portfolio distinctions must be distinct from one another and not similar. They must have different titles. The same or similar images cannot be used in different portfolios. Images used for successful MFIAP applications cannot be used. Other pictures accepted in FIAP salons and used for distinctions (other than Portfolio distinctions) can be used.
There must be a minimum of one year between each successful application. The distinctions for PFIAP, PFIAP/Bronze, PFIAP/Silver, PFIAP/Gold, and PMFIAP must be obtained in this specific sequential order. The date on the certificate will be the date of one of the closing dates, e.g., the certificate of a portfolio submitted by January 15th and approved by the judges will be dated January 15th. Therefore, an application for the next distinction can be submitted by January 15th the next year.
If a distinction is not accepted, the candidate may reapply for the specific theme that was not approved, during the next submission periods. A minor supplementary 30 Euro fee will apply. After one year of refusal, the initial complete fee must be paid again. The date on the certificate will reflect the most recent closing date.
By submitting an entry, the applicant certifies that he/she has captured all parts of the images and that all eventual post processing work has been done by him/herself.
FIAP Portfolios are examined by a panel of three or five FIAP international portfolio reviewers, with either of the MFIAP or minimum EFIAP/platinum distinction and having judged at least 30 international photography contests. The same portfolio reviewers will remain for the year’s three judgings. Final decisions are determined by majority vote. In the event of a split among the judges, e.g., 3 votes to 2, the members of the board who meet the judging criteria will provide the final ruling.
When the FIAP Portfolio distinction is awarded, the country Liaison Officer receives the
certificate and pin for the candidate. In the USA, FIAP Portfolio Distinctions are formally
presented at the PAA Annual Meeting.