There are many professional photographer associations available, each with its distinct mission and purpose. You should know about each and determine their relevance to your work and your business. Keep in mind, though, that the benefits of all far outweigh the cost of membership. Regardless of experience level or time in the business, we are all on a road of learning and development. We change, we learn, we improve our art, and life also changes, with new styles, new customer tastes, and new technologies.
Photographers find themselves overwhelmed with a never ending series of annual dues and expenses for joining valuable organizations. Because it is difficult to join every group, it is important to invest our dollars wisely. It is especially important to know why you should join certain local, state, and national/international associations.
National/international associations offer frequent and important business news, insurance and other business services at a discount, and annual conventions that offer a wealth of educational seminars by well-know speakers and experts in their field. Groups include, PPA, WPPI, NAPP, ASMP, and others.
Sate and regional associations also offer powerful convention seminars and connect you to the best photographers in your state or region. State associations are often "chapters" of national groups. Conventions are normally held within easy driving distance for most members.
Serving as local chapters of both national and state associations, you will find local sections, also known as guilds or associations. Each state may have many of them serving different cities or local regions. These groups normally meet monthly, offering seminars, local discussions, print competition, and local networking with fellow professionals.. Membership serves to hone the skills of the professional photographer in many ways including monthly access to local and regional speakers and accomplished print competition judges with degrees. Competition helps all photographers to see what others see in their work, and where to improve before submitting prints to state or national competition.
A few Professional Associations to consider:
Professional Photographers of America (PPA) -.ppa.com
Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) - wppionline.com
American Society of Media Professionals (ASMP) - asmp.org
National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) - photoshopuser.com
The Digital Wedding Forum (DWF) - digitalweddingforum.com
State, regional and local associations are too numerous to list here, but you can get contact information for local chapters by visiting the national association web sites.
This is not by any means a comprehensive list, nor does include many fine national associations available in other countries.
Contributed by Bill Hitz - 2008-2009 president of The Professional Photographers Guild of Florida (PPGF) - ppgf.com