Awards & Merits
F/PPOC - MPA - SPA - CPA
What Accreditation means
HLM Honorary Life Member
National Citation for Service Recipients
Recipients for Photographers of the Year
Wedding Album Award
Feature Album
PPOC Coporate Brochure Award
PPOC Judges
F/PPOC - MPA - SPA - CPA
* PPOC members can achieve awards -Master of
Photographic Arts, Service of Photographic Arts, and Craftsman of Photographic Arts - by accumulating merits through participation in the PPOC national print show, by working for the association or its provincial member associations, and by promoting professional photography within the community.
* The highest honor which can be bestowed upon a member of PPOC is that of Fellowship. To become a Fellow, the member must submit prints displaying superior photographic ability, as well as a 7,000 word thesis of a technical, specialized or general photographic nature.
* Returning something to the profession which provides their livelihood is part of the responsibility of holders of the F/PPOC, MPA, SPA and CPA titles.
What Accreditation Means
* Accreditation denotes the first elevation above the general membership level, and is achieved by submitting samples of the applicant's photography to a PPOC Board of Review. The award proves that the photographer is capable of delivering above average quality of photographs in a chosen category of photography.
* Some of the criteria judges use in assessing Accreditation submissions are: impact, style, presentation, creativity, composition, centre of interest, colour balance, lighting, subject matter, print quality, technique, and story telling.
HLM - Honorary Life Member
* Beside a number of member listings throughout this directory, you will notice the designation HLM.
* This award indicates that the photographer is an Honorary Life Member of that particular provincial association. The honour is a means of recognizing members who have contributed significantly to the operation and development of their provincial organization.
National Citation for Service Recipients
* The National Citation for Service may be presented to a company or an individual who, over a number of years, has rendered outstanding service to PPOC for the advancement of professional photography.
* Names of nominees are submitted to the Awards Committee, along with a documented resume listing the services rendered. All nominations are placed before the Federal Council for final approval of the Citation.
* Only one National Citation for Service may be given to any company or individual.
* In addition to the National Award, each provincial association may annually present a Citation for Service to one of its own members for outstanding service, and the nominations are placed before the provincial executive for approval.
Image Competition Awards
Recipients Photographers of the Year 
* The Canadian Photographer of the Year is the PPOC member chosen from the top scoring entries in the annual salon, based on four accepted photographs (in two categories or more), that display the best overall impact, technical merit, composition and overall variety of skills exhibited.
* PPOC revamped the award in 1994 to better reflect the various disciplines within the field of Photography and started awarding the national titles for Commercial Photographer of the year, Portrait Photographer of the Year and Specialist of the Year. The winner of each title is chosen from the top scoring entries based on aggregate rating (of four accepted photographs in the appropriate categories) and selected by a panel of judges that bases its decision on overall impact, technical merit, composition, presentation and overall variety of skills exhibited. Winners receive a framed certificate, trophy and, thanks to the generosity of sponsors, a cash award. Their work is also featured on the PPOC website and En. Vision Magazine.
Wedding Album Award
* The Wedding Album Award recognizes the overall talents of photographers who work in this field. Each entry is judged under similar conditions to regular print entries and the winning album is selected by a panel of judges that bases its decision on overall impact, technical merit, composition and presentation. The winner receives a trophy and a cash award.
Feature Album
* A new addition in 2006, the Feature Album Award allows for the presentation of images depicting a subject or occasion. Each entry is judged under similar conditions to regular print entries and the winning album is selected by a panel of judges that bases its decision on image content, as well as overall quality of design, flow and impact. The winner receives a trophy and a cash award.
PPOC Corporate Brochure Award
* The Corporate Brochure Award showcases corporate photography that has been incorporated into a printed piece. A minimum of 75% of the images in the printed piece must have been created by the entrant. Each entry is judged under similar conditions to regular print entries and the winning brochure is selected by a panel of judges that bases its decision on overall impact, technical merit, composition and presentation. The winner receives a trophy and a cash award.
PPOC Judges
* Each year during its Annual Convention, PPOC hosts a judging clinic which is open to members who are Masters or Craftsmen of Photographic Arts. MPA graduates are eligible to judge up to National level. CPA graduates are eligible to judge up to provincial level.
* Members may attend as many clinics as they wish. However, their eligibility expires if they have not attended a clinic or actually judged professionally in the past three years. For information about the PPOC Judging Clinic, judges, or conduct of salons, contact the PPOC Office at ppoc@rogers.com.
* National Jurors have attended one or more PPOC judging clinics and have kept their status current by judging at national or provincial salons during the past three years.