The next assessment session will open for submissions on February 1, 2024 and close on February 28, 2026.

A PSA member may apply for a Portfolio Distinction starting with the BPSA, then the SPSA, and finally the GPSA.
In order to apply your PSA membership fees must be paid up for the next six months.
PSA requires that all Portfolios submitted for assessment be original. They should not have been previously awarded a Distinction by and other organization.

The Portfolio Assessment is designed to be an educational process, not a competition, and is conducted by a panel of five rotating Assessors, led by a non-voting Coordinator. Portfolios are assessed anonymously.
Each Assessment begins with the viewing of the Overview Image while the Title and Statement of Intent are read. The individual images are then viewed one at a time. There is no discussion at this time as the Assessors are individually considering what they are seeing and have heard.
The process is then repeated, and the Assessors begin by determining whether the overview image presented is cohesive and reflects the Title and Statement of Intent. Assessment is done by individual scoring “in” or “out,” followed by discussion, if needed, and an agreement regarding comments to be sent to the Portfolio’s marker.
Each image is then assessed individually, once again by individual scoring and by discussion, to assess the technical quality and fit within the Portfolio. The final result is made by consensus of the assessment panel.
There are 3 possible results – either the portfolio will be passed, failed, or the applicant may be offered a resubmit. Results will be sent via email.
Passed - Certificates will be sent via email to those applicants who passed. Printed certificates are available, at an additional charge, on request to the Chair.
Failed - If a portfolio is failed it may not be resubmitted in any form nor may it be reworked in any way. The applicant must work on an entirely new portfolio with a new theme/topic if the applicant wishes to apply again.
Brief feedback will be given regarding the Statement of Intent, Overview Image & Overall quality of the images.
Resubmit –An applicant whose portfolio has up to four failed images (including the Overview Image) is entitled to a resubmit of that portfolio. Applicants will be contacted soon after the Assessment and asked to rework their Overview Image, Statement of Intent, and/or supply additional images for a re-Assessment, if they wish to resubmit.
The resubmit fee is $40, regardless of the Bronze, Silver, or Gold level. These applicants are to resubmit the same portfolio replacing the failed image(s), and rearranging the images to accommodate the new images, and providing a new Overview Image and the images as well as a new SOI, if required, by the date given to them. Usually, that will be within 30 to 35 days after the email regarding their opportunity to resubmit. One of the assessors will offer guidance to the applicant, ideally through a platform such as Zoom or Teams.
Resubmittal instructions will be provided in the result email.

• Portfolio entries must originate as photographs (image-captures of an object via light sensitivity) made by the entrant on photographic emulsion or acquired digitally.
• I certify that the images; the Statement of Intent text; and the layout, design, and format of the Overview Image included in this Portfolio that I am submitting are my creation and my work.
• By virtue of submitting this entry, I certify this work as my own and I permit PSA to reproduce all or part of the entered material free of charge for publication and/or display in media related to the Portfolio Distinction program and training. This may include an audio-visual program of the successful portfolios which may be shown at the following PSA Festival and may also be shown at other PSA sponsored events. It may also include publication in the PSA Journal and posting on the PSA website.
• I acknowledge that I must forward a signed Model Release to the Portfolio Distinction Chair with my entry for every portrait image, including all the recognizable likenesses of a human face, which were not taken in a public location.
• By virtue of submitting an entry, the entrant certifies that he/she has captured and edited all the images in the portfolio. He/she also certifies that they created the Overview image including but not limited to layout, format, or design and have written the Statement of Intent without the direct assistance of any third party.
Submitting any images/part of images or text that could be considered the work of others or computer generated is a violation of the PSA Ethics Policy.
If, in the discretion of the assessors, an entrant has submitted images that may fail to comply with the Conditions of Entry, they may request unedited or raw files of the submitted image. For composite images all files are required.  The committee and assessors may verify that: 
     • the images are the original work of the entrant 
     • the images comply with the rules and definitions
Please refer to the latest PORTFOLIO REQIREMENTS

DATA PROTECTION:
• By applying for this PSA distinction, I am explicitly consenting to the personal details I have supplied (including email addresses) being held, processed, and used by the PSA recognition organizers for purposes associated with this PSA distinction.
• I also explicitly consent to such information being sent to organizations that have accorded official recognition or accreditation to this PSA distinction. I acknowledge and accept that by applying for this PSA distinction that the status and results of my entry may be made public.

In addition to the payment as detailed below each application requires the following:
Title (Maximum 5 words)
Statement of Intent (Maximum of 50 words)
Overview Image
Images

Bronze – 10 images
Silver – 15 images
Gold – 20 images

Applicants must also acknowledge and agree to the following statement:
"By virtue of submitting an entry, the entrant certifies that he/she has captured and edited all the images in the portfolio. He/she also certifies that they created the Overview image including but not limited to layout, format, or design and have written the Statement of Intent without the direct assistance of any third party. Submitting any images or text that could be considered the work of others is a violation of the PSA Ethics Policy."

I. Title
The Portfolio must be themed. The title should briefly describe the theme.

II. Statement of Intent (SOI)
Up to 50 words outlining the theme, purpose, objective, or intent of the work are permitted.
Using fewer words is usually better.

The SOI should not include personal information or technical details.

The photographer’s intent should be stated clearly and succinctly. Words such as “The intent of this portfolio…” or “This portfolio will show…” may help the candidates crystallise their thoughts but are not a requirement.

III. Overview Image
The Overview Image is a single composite image/page showing all the individual images organised in a cohesive manner on a sympathetic background and presented in support of the theme described in the SOI.

The Overview Image is not just a composite showing the layout of the images but is in fact the backbone of the entire portfolio.

The individual images in the Overview Image must be identical to those submitted for individual assessment. Applicants may use features such as drop shadows and black strokes on the Overview Image and these do not have to appear in the individual images. Both can enhance the Overview Image but will not show on the individual images which are viewed against a black background. Any other effects used in the Overview Image must be used on all the individual images.

No text may be used on the Overview Image.

The size of the Overview Image is 1920px x 1080px and if a different format is used either the vertical or the horizontal dimensions must be exact, i.e., either the vertical height must be 1080px or the horizontal width must be 1920px.

The choice of layout of the individual images as a part of the Overview Image is for the applicants own choice, however good use should be made of the overall space. Any choice of presentation is acceptable so long as the Overview Image is a successful image in its own right.

The layout of the images is important - it should be cohesive, consistent, balanced and have symmetry.

Cohesion occurs when the photographer successfully illustrates their Statement of Intent with images that are not only consistent in terms of camera skills and post processing quality but also presents them so that the Overview Image successfully combines the requirements for balance and symmetry.

Consistency implies a uniform standard of visual awareness, camera skills, post-processing skills and presentation of individual images.

Balance refers to the structured organization of individual images with respect to their size, shape, orientation, color content and tonality.

Symmetry contributes to the Cohesion of the Overview Image and describes how, at the start of the row, the position of the subject(s), key shapes, direction of movement of subjects and sight lines are matched with similar mirrored features in images at the opposite end of the row.

IV. Images
The size of the Individual images is the same as for the Overview Image, i.e., 1920px x 1080px and if a different format is used either the vertical or the horizontal dimensions must be exact, i.e., either the vertical height must be 1080px or the horizontal width must be 1920px.

It is not only the number of images that changes as a photographer progresses through the levels, but the quality of the images as well.

A successful Bronze Portfolio might reflect the standard of a successful club photographer.

For success at Silver, it is expected that the photographer will have continued their educational journey and will offer images of a higher standard which may be manifest as an emerging personal style with respect to their ability to see and interpret their theme. A higher standard of post-processing and presentation of images is also expected.

For Gold, the submission must be of a high technical and aesthetic quality. The images should demonstrate a developed personal style. The placement and organization of the images in the Overview Image should demonstrate creativity and style.

V. Naming of Portfolio Elements - All portfolio elements should be named with specific prefixes as follows:
Statement of intent: SoI
Overview Image: OI
Individual images: All individual image names must start with a numerical number beginning with 01 for image 1 and ending with 10, 15, or 20 depending on whether it is a Bronze, Silver, or Gold portfolio.
The prefix can also be used as the only name for the specific element.

Successful Applicants

An email will be sent to each successful applicant approximately one and a half months after the Assessment advising them of their results. Certificates and pins will be mailed to the successful applicants after the email has been sent.

Successful Portfolio Overview Images with the portfolio Title, Statement of Intent, and the maker’s name will be posted on the PSA website. Those members with more than one successful portfolio will be listed on the PSA web site under their most recent portfolio (i.e., Bronze, Silver, or Gold); however, their additional Portfolio Overview Images will be linked below their latest. Portfolios and/or Overview Images may also be included in training programs and may be showcased at the next PSA Festival.

Unsuccessful Applicants

Applicants who were not successful will be sent brief comments regarding the unsuccessful portfolio. It is recommended that unsuccessful Bronze Portfolio applicants sign up for the free PSA Education Online Course, “Creating a PSA Portfolio,” found under the link for Education.

Resubmits: For those with up to Five Failed Images

Any applicant whose portfolio has up to five failed images (including the Overview Image) is entitled to a resubmit of that portfolio. Applicants will be contacted soon after the Assessment and asked to rework their Overview Image, Statement of Intent, and/or supply additional images for a re-Assessment, if they wish to resubmit.

The resubmit fee is $40, regardless of the Bronze, Silver, or Gold level or the number of resubmitted images. These applicants are to resubmit the same portfolio replacing the failed image(s) and providing a new Overview Image by the date given to them. Usually, that will be within 30 to 35 days after the email regarding their opportunity to resubmit.

Resubmittal instructions will be provided in the email. It is not necessary for the replacement images to be in the same position on the new Overview Image as in the original Overview Image; however, since the Overview Image needs to be balanced and cohesive and changing some images will throw off previous cohesiveness, some rearrangement may be necessary. Only the new images and the revised Overview Image need to be submitted.

If this resubmit fails, the applicant may not rework the unsuccessful portfolio (theme/topic) and submit it as a new or reworked portfolio.

For those with six or more failed images or those who failed a resubmit:

Unsuccessful applicants who were not offered a "resubmission" may not rework the unsuccessful portfolio and submit it as a reworked portfolio. The applicant must work on an entirely new portfolio with a new theme/topic if the applicant wishes to apply again.

BPSA - Bronze
Required: Title, Statement of Intent, Overview Image, and Images
Number of Images: 10
Qualifications: PSA Individual Membership for next six months


SPSA - Silver
Required: Title, Statement of Intent, Overview Image, and Images
Number of Images: 15
Qualifications: BPSA PSA Individual Membership for next six months


GPSA - Gold
Required: Title, Statement of Intent, Overview Image, and Images
Number of Images: 20
Qualifications: BPSA SPSA PSA Individual Membership for next six months