Photographic Craftsman Degree

Nobody has ever asked me to see my paper merits. The only thing I ever use the paper ones for is to copy and send to my state fellowship chairman so I get my state credits towards my state degrees. The only time a paper merit might be important is if you have one but it never shows up on PPA records.

As far as not getting merits from different associations that promised them. I assume you have a contract with the association? It should state in the contract how many merits you should get. It's not a great idea to speak without a contract. If you have sponsorship, they will want a copy of the contract for verification. If you don't get your merit from the association get on the phone and call them once a week until you do get it. That's not harrasment, that's making them do what they have promised in your contract.

I do know that sometimes I get a paper merit and sometimes I don't. I am not sure what the difference is, except it seems like if PPA is giving you the merits directly ( like from national comp, working print crew at national judging etc etc) you don't get the paper copy, it just shows up on your record. If you are getting a merit from an affiliate association ( speaking for them, being a state or local president) then PPA sends them a paper merit to present to you. Not sure if this is right but that's what it seems like to me.

Keith

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Originally Posted by Keith_A_Howe

If you don't get your merit from the association get on the phone and call them once a week until you do get it. That's not harrasment, that's making them do what they have promised in your contract.

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I've had to do this in the past. Kind of a pain, but sometimes necessary. Keep in mind that these associations, especially if you're speaking for a small guild, are all operated by volunteers, and sometimes some folks bite off more than they can chew :)

I'm not saying it's right, just saying it's not uncommon. I haven't had issues like that at state or regional levels, only with the small guilds. If they don't get it done, become the squeaky wheel. One set of merits took me 4 months to receive - and that was after lots of emails and phone calls. And, as a side note, PPA national can't really do anything to help in that situation - it's between you and the guild.

For speaking gigs to count, do they have to be to other photographers?
Like in October I'm speaking to our local artists association about copyright.
Would things like that count?

I was wondering the same thing.

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Originally Posted by Cindi_Delaney

For speaking gigs to count, do they have to be to other photographers?
Like in October I'm speaking to our local artists association about copyright.
Would things like that count?

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The only way that you can receive a merit is to do a program for a PPA affiliated organization or for an event that is sponsored by a PPA affiliate. Your local artists association is probably not a PPA affiliate. The PPA affiliate organization has to send in the merit request to PPA in order for you to receive a merit for speaking before their group.

Thanks Rick.

Thanks Rick. I thought I had read that some where.

Keep in mind as well that you local affiliate is limited to the amount of merits they recieve from PPA per year. It is proportional to the amount of PPA members that are in your local affiliate to some degree.
Jeff

Unless it's for the convention. Unless things have changed you can get as many merits as you need if it's for your convention.

But...it's been a long time since I chaired a convention. I know it worked like Jeff stated for our monthly events but I thought convention was different.

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Originally Posted by Joe_Campanellie

Unless it's for the convention. Unless things have changed you can get as many merits as you need if it's for your convention.

But...it's been a long time since I chaired a convention. I know it worked like Jeff stated for our monthly events but I thought convention was different.

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Joe,
Conventions are unlimited in the sense that they dont count against your allocation. I did not bring that up so as to not confuse anyone!!