(as passed June 9, 2009)
The name of the association is the National Press Photographers Association, Inc., hereinafter referred to as NPPA.
The National Press Photographers Association is dedicated to the advancement of visual journalism, its creation, practice, training, editing and distribution, in all news media and works to promote its role as a vital public service.
The objects and purposes of this association are to advance visual journalism in all its forms.
The membership of this organization shall consist of professional visual journalists and others whose occupation has a direct professional relationship with visual journalism.
Membership will be distributed among the eleven (11) regions on the basis of the individual member's current home or employment address. Members who move overseas will remain on the membership roll of the regional division to which they were assigned at the time of their moving overseas.
Past National Presidents, past National Secretaries, past National Treasurers and charter members of the NPPA shall have Life Membership and shall not be required to pay dues.
The Board of Directors may elect an individual who has a contributory interest in NPPA, but who does not otherwise qualify for membership, as an honorary member, without the obligation of dues and without voting privileges.
Every member in NPPA is required to endorse the Code of Ethics.
Preamble
The National Press Photographers Association, a professional society that promotes the highest standards in visual journalism, acknowledges concern for every person's need both to be fully informed about public events and to be recognized as part of the world in which we live.
Visual journalists operate as trustees of the public. Our primary role is to report visually on the significant events and varied viewpoints in our common world. Our primary goal is the faithful and comprehensive depiction of the subject at hand. As visual journalists, we have the responsibility to document society and to preserve its history through images.
Photographic and video images can reveal great truths, expose wrongdoing and neglect, inspire hope and understanding and connect people around the globe through the language of visual understanding. Photographs can also cause great harm if they are callously intrusive or are manipulated.
This code is intended to promote the highest quality in all forms of visual journalism and to strengthen public confidence in the profession. It is also meant to serve as an educational tool both for those who practice and for those who appreciate photojournalism. To that end, The National Press Photographers Association sets forth the following.
Code of Ethics
Visual journalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards in their daily work:
- Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
- Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.
- Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one's own biases in the work.
- Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see.
- While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.
- Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images' content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.
- Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.
- Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.
- Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.
Ideally, visual journalists should:
- Strive to ensure that the public's business is conducted in public. Defend the rights of access for all journalists.
- Think proactively, as a student of psychology, sociology, politics and art to develop a unique vision and presentation. Work with a voracious appetite for current events and contemporary visual media.
- Strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects, recommend alternatives to shallow or rushed opportunities, seek a diversity of viewpoints, and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view.
- Avoid political, civic and business involvements or other employment that compromise or give the appearance of compromising one's own journalistic independence.
- Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects.
- Respect the integrity of the photographic moment.
- Strive by example and influence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. When confronted with situations in which the proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit the highest standards of the profession. Visual journalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it.
For administrative purposes National and International membership shall be partitioned into the following regional divisions:
Regional officers shall be the Chair and Associate Chair from each region.
To be eligible for election to regional office, a member must be an NPPA Professional member in good standing for at least one year prior to being nominated.
Regional Officers shall be elected by the members of the Region, by mail or electronic ballot distributed, collected and counted by the National Secretary, and shall serve two-year terms or until their successor is elected.
A vacancy shall exist upon resignation or upon removal from office. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Regional Chair, the Regional Associate Chair shall automatically assume the office of Regional Chair. In the event of a vacancy in both of the offices of Regional Chair and Regional Associate Chair, the NPPA President shall appoint an interim Regional Chair.
The Board of Directors shall consist of six (6) Elected Directors (elected by the national membership), three Appointed Directors (appointed by the President) and the National Officers. Each Elected Director shall serve a staggered three-year term or until her/his successor is elected. Elections shall be held annually to fill the two expired terms.
To be eligible for election as an Elected Director, a member must be a Professional member in good standing for at least one year prior to being nominated.
A vacancy shall exist upon the resignation or upon removal from office of an Elected Director. Such a vacancy on the Board of Directors shall be filled by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors shall convene at least one meeting per year (the “Annual Meeting”) and may convene as many other meetings as the Board shall see fit.
Directors shall receive written Notice of Meeting from the National Secretary at least 10 days in advance of said meeting. The Notice of Meeting may, but is not required to, include a draft Agenda. The Notice of Meeting shall state the date, time and place of said meeting.
A quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the Elected Directors, but at no time less than three Elected Directors.
The National Officers of the association shall be the President, Treasurer, Vice President, Secretary, Immediate Past President and Regional Chairs Representative.
To be eligible for election to a national office, a member must be a Professional member in good standing for at least one year prior to being nominated.
National Officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors and shall serve one-year terms (except for the offices of Secretary and Treasurer, which are two-year terms) or until his/her successor is elected.
A vacancy shall exist upon the resignation or upon removal from office. A vacancy in the office of President, Treasurer, Vice-president, Secretary, Regional Chairs Representative or Immediate Past President shall be filled by majority vote of the Board of Directors. National Officers thus elected shall serve the unexpired term.
The Executive Committee is empowered to act on behalf of the Board of Directors during the intervals between meetings of the Board of Directors.
The executive committee shall be composed of the National Officers: President, Treasurer, Vice President, Secretary, Regional Chairs Representative and Immediate Past-President. The Executive Director shall serve as ex-officio member of the committee.
The Executive Committee shall convene upon the call of the President or the call of any three members of the Executive Committee.
The quorum of the Executive Committee shall be a majority of the National Officers.
The Board will appoint the chairs of standing committees. Chair and committee service terms are not limited but may be changed at the will of the Board. Standing Committees will meet twice annually. All committees are required to report to the Board (in writing) and other committees after each meeting.
Task Forces may be temporarily created by the Board as needed to address short-term projects and will report to the Board or standing committee (including the Executive Committee when appropriate) that is most associated with the project. Liaisons are optional, as assigned by Board.
The Board of Directors shall have the authority to employ an Executive Director and determine the salary and size of his/her staff.
Rules of Order: The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the association in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the non-profit corporation laws of the State of New York, the by-laws of the Association and any special rules of order the association may adopt.
A Professional Parliamentarian shall be hired by the Executive Director with the consent of the President to act as parliamentarian for any Board of Directors meeting. The advice of the parliamentarian on questions of parliamentary procedure shall be considered persuasive and shall not be ignored by the chair except by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors present.
These Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof.
