PAA Honors

Beginning in 2023, PAA recognized the PAA and FIAP service of PAA members to those organizations and to the advancement of USA photography around the world. The first PAA Honors were presented at the 2023 PAA Annual Meeting in Williamsburg, Virigina.

No written Proposal or Endorsement is required. The PAA Honors spreadsheet lists service and the point value for each service: Sample PAA Honors Spreadsheet. Holding a position will not be considered for PAA Honors points, rather the tasks completed while in a position will each be given points. Any PAA member meeting the minimum requirement may receive a PAA Honor each year. A Blank PAA Honors Spreadsheet is available for download, completion, and emailing to the PAA Honors Chair for validation: paahonors@gmail.com.  PAA Honors recipients are listed below.

The graphic below shows the PAA Honors pins. The PAA Honors for the four pins on the left are described first. The two Honorary PAA Honors black pins on the right are described second.

PAA Honors

• SSPAA (Significant Service) – Awarded to a PAA Member for Significant Service to PAA and to other members of PAA as accounted for by earning 50 points.
• RSPAA (Relevant Service) – Awarded to a PAA Member for Relevant Service to advance PAA and provide visibility for USA photographers and USA photography. Additionally, this honor requires extensive service to other members of PAA. The Exceptional Service Honor is awarded as accounted for by earning 100 points.
• XSPAA (Exemplary Service) – Awarded to a PAA member for Exemplary Service and Leadership to advance PAA Nationally and Internationally, provide international visibility for USA photography, and mentor PAA members to achieve FIAP Distinctions and provide leadership for PAA. The Exemplary Service Honor is awarded as accounted for by earning 150 points, including at least 10 leadership points.
• LSPAA (Leadership & Service) – Awarded to a PAA member for Extensive Service and Leadership to ensure the future of PAA and the potential for USA photographers to continue to earn FIAP Distinctions. The Leadership & Service Honor is awarded as accounted for by earning 200 points, including at least 25 new leadership points.

PAA Honors Requirements: 

There is a minimum requirement of five consecutive years of membership in PAA and have a FIAP Life Card for at least four years. If proof of the date of application for the FIAP Life Card cannot be confirmed from PAA records, the Director of the FIAP Card Service will be contacted.

Each PAA Honor must be earned and presented at least one year before the next honor is earned and presented. That means that if someone already has 105 points when they are eligible for their first PAA Honor, they will be awarded the first PAA Honor (SSPSA-50 points) and will receive the second PAA Honor the next year (RSPAA-100 points).

PAA Honors Service Points: 

• Publishing a mini recommendation describing a photography opportunity in the USA in the FIAP News (10 points).
• Publishing an article or section of an article in the FIAP News (article 10 points, section 4 points).
• Publishing a photograph (not a head shot) in the PAA News in the PSA Journal (3 points).
• Attending a FIAP Photo Academy online program (5 points).
• Presenting a program to the FIAP Photo Academy (15 points).
• Attending a PAA Annual Meeting (10 points).
• Attending a FIAP Photo Meeting or Congress (10 points).
• Arranging & Chairing a PAA Program/Presentation for a minimum of 20 participants at/for a USA PSA-member Club/Council/Chapter (10 points).
• Judging one section of a PAA-Patronage salon after January 1, 2023, to a maximum of two sections in any one PAA-Patronage salon (5 points).
• Serving as General Chair of a PAA-Patronage salon after January 1, 2023. Being General Chair of a Circuit is counted as one salon, considered same as a single salon. (12 points)
• Judging a PSA-recognized and FIAP-Patronage salon not in the USA after January 1, 2023, to a maximum of two sections in any one salon. For this purpose, a Circuit will be considered one salon. (2 points - limit 5 per year).
• Serving on the PAA Executive Committee (10 points/year).
• Serving on the PAA Board as the Director of a PAA Service (1 point).
•  Accomplishing the tasks of a PAA Service Director (9 points).
• Providing unexpected, unplanned relevant service as a PAA Service Director (variable).
• Providing ideas, suggestions, plans, or concepts for the continued development and future of PAA (variable).
• Preparing a chart, graph, sample, example, certificate, artwork, etc., for a PAA operation (variable-points based on item produced).
• Helping with PAA Annual Meeting physical set-up and take down, including the audio- visual equipment needed, and layout of the certificates, pins, and cards (variable).
• Conducting PAA-member sign-in for PAA Annual Meeting (5 to 10 points).
• Taking and providing photos of the PAA Annual Meeting (variable).

Honorary PAA Honors

• HonAPAA (Honorary Advisor to PAA) - Awarded to non-PAA Members who provide outstanding, unique, and extraordinary advice to advance PAA internationally through specific activity/action.
• HonFPAA (Founder’s Honorary Award) – Awarded to the Founder of PAA who is not eligible for any other PAA Honor (only one Founder’s Honorary Award will be bestowed).

All members of the PAA Executive Committee must approve of those to receive Honorary PAA Honors. If the recipient of an Honorary PAA Service Award attends the PAA Annual Meeting, the PAA Honorary Advisor Pin will be formally presented. The HonAPAA pin will be presented at another appropriate meeting or sent via mail if the recipient cannot attend the PAA Meeting.