News of divisions

The Photographic Society of America (PSA) has a drawn out history of providing services and activities for the world's photographers in its many areas of interest. In its early years, PSA had single one division, the Pictorial Print Division (PPD) As interests changed, additional divisions were created to adapted the needs of the membership. These divisions have operated for many years with the same arrangement and activities. With the advent of digital technology, there is a sweeping change in the field of photography, affecting the way PSA members capture and view images. To hold fast abreast of these changes, PSA created the Electronic Imaging Division (EID) and more newly allowed dual projection of slides and digital images in the Color Slide (CSD) Nature (ND) Photojournalism (PJD) and the Photo Travel (PTD) Divisions.

PSA's content-based divisions (Nature, Photojournalism, and Photo Travel) publicly have the capability to recognize international exhibitions with all three formats (i.e., print, slide, and digital). To allow this option for pictorial photographers as well and to abundantly embrace digital technology sooner rather than later in all divisions, the PSA Board of Directors, at its meeting in April, 2006 has commended that a Pictorial Image Division (PID) be created. The propos PID would be another content-based division (that is, pictorial images) and would be formed by the agency of combining the PPD, CSD and EID. This will be a "loosely coupled" merging since the services and activities that exist in each of these divisions (such as Star Ratings) may remain as is.

Since May, the leadership of the three affected divisions has been considering the board's proposal and is developing options for a merger The propos merger will also be discussed in many of the division meetings at the 2006 PSA annual talk in September. It should be noted that no action upon a merger will take place before the discourse This plan is designed to detain up with technology; preserve the unique programs of the PPD CSD and EID; position the Society to function more efficiently, and assure the leadership part that PSA holds with photographers around the world.

If you have a make notes or a suggestion please hurl it to divVP@psa-photo.org.

Vijay Karai, APSA

Divisions Vice President

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