PSNZ Honours
The Photographic Society of New Zealand (PSNZ) offers three levels of “Honours Distinction” - Licentiate, Associateship and Fellowship. The basis of all three levels is a portfolio presentation (print or DPI) of the Applicant’s work.
The purpose of this blog is to summarise a few key points and to document informations sources that I have found to be useful in applying for Honours. The PSNZ website has a significant amount of material on PSNZ Honours - so for anyone pursuing these Honours I recommend carefully reading the material there.
Typically submissions open around mid January and close towards the end of February each year.
The Levels
Licentiate (LPSNZ)
For the distinction of Licentiate, members are asked to demonstrate general photographic craft and skill through a portfolio of 10 images. In order to apply for Licentiate you need to either be an individual member of PSNZ or belong to a club that is Affiliated to PSNZ (and yes - Manawatu Camera Club is affiliated to PSNZ). Categories that can be applied for are open or nature.
Associateship (APSNZ)
For the distinction of Associateship, members are asked to demonstrate advanced photographic craft and skill through a portfolio of 12 images. A high quality of imagery is expected throughout the portfolio. In order to apply for Associateship you need to be an individual member of PSNZ. Categories that can be applied for are open, nature, scientific and technical.
Fellowship (FPSNZ)
A Fellowship is the highest level of Distinction. Members are asked to demonstrate photographic mastery through a portfolio of 18 images. A Fellowship application can take a thesis like approach. The following statement summarises the requirements of the Fellowship:
” I have mastered the craft of photography and I can use it to express myself uniquely. I am an artisan, an artist, and I have my own recognisable style which I use to communicate through photography.”
In order to apply for Fellowship you need to be an individual member of PSNZ and already hold the APSNZ. Categories that can be applied for are open, nature, scientific and technical.
Don’t forget!
If you are using the DPI approach to your submission, an extra final image of all the images in thumbnail form is required. You should set them out as they best fit in the frame and in the order they are shown. Number it as #11 (with an L set), #13 (with an A set) or #19 (with a F set). This image is not used by the honours board to assess the layout of a digital set, it is only used for reference purposes.
Key links
Full details can be found at the PSNZ website (https://photography.org.nz/honours/) including the guidelines for applying (https://photography.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Guidelines-Applying-for-PSNZ-Honours-2019.pdf).
There have also been a number of articles in Camera Talk (PSNZ’s official magazine) including, most importantly, one from December 2019: https://issuu.com/photographicsocietyofnewzealand/docs/cameratalk_december2019