Governance

Mission & Bylaws

Mission

The National Press Photographers Association is dedicated to the advancement of photojournalism, its creation, editing and distribution, in all news media. NPPA encourages photojournalists to reflect high standards of quality in their professional performance and in their personal code of ethics. NPPA vigorously promotes freedom of the press in all its forms. To this end, NPPA provides continuing educational programs and fraternalism without bias, as we support and acknowledge the best the profession has to offer.

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Standing Rules; Procedures

Bylaws

Objects & Purposes; Membership; National Officers; Regional Officers & Chapters' Board Representative; Notice of Meetings; Proxies; Mail Ballots; Board of Directors; Executive Director; National Executive Committee; Oaths; National Standing Committees; Regional Divisions; Regional Executive Committees; Chapters; Finances; Code of Ethics; Penalties; Parliamentary Authority; Diversity; References to Press; Amendments

Bylaws

(Note: Bylaws listed here are those approved by NPPA Board of Directors at the 2005 Annual Board Meeting)

  1. Name

    1. The name of the association is the National Press Photographers Association, Inc., hereinafter referred to as NPPA.

  2. Objects and Purposes

    1. The objects and purposes of this association are to
      1. Advance photojournalism in all its forms.
      2. Create, promote and maintain a high spirit of fraternalism and a high standard of conduct among its members.
      3. Oppose violations and infringements of the rights of photojournalists or their organizations.
      4. Promote a better understanding of the photojournalists' problems.
      5. Support legislation favorable to, and oppose legislation unfavorable or prejudicial to photojournalists.
      6. Work to maintain freedom of the press, in all its forms, and to execute the constitutional rights of journalists.
      7. Cooperate with all recognized local photojournalism associations consistent with the aims and objectives of NPPA.
      8. Provide educational opportunities for those involved in all forms of photojournalism.
    2. Labor relations
      1. The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) shall not be considered a labor union and, as such, shall not favor any one individual or party in a specific dispute or legal claim over the terms of employment, nor shall it enter into organized labor or union disputes. However, nothing in this bylaw shall preclude or restrict the NPPA from reporting, commenting, educating, supporting or opposing legislation pertaining to issues discussed herein. This bylaw shall not prevent the NPPA from taking stands on issues that may involve issues related to terms of employment. The NPPA may take positions that support or oppose principles or issues but not support or oppose specific organizations, parties or individuals in a dispute. For example, NPPA may take stands on matters such as property rights, intellectual rights, copyrights, freedom of information, photojournalism ethics, physical safety, diversity, and business practices by addressing general principles rather than specific disputes. Furthermore, nothing in this bylaw shall preclude NPPA from reporting on contract language emanating from a labor dispute; Reporting shall not be considered avocation. The forgoing activities shall also be permitted on all NPPA forums, but shall be limited to discussion of the issues. Personal attacks against organizations or individuals shall not be tolerated. For the purpose of this bylaw, an employee is defined in the US IRS Tax Code. This bylaw does not constrain the organization from discussing specific proposed contracts and their terms in relation to independent photographers, which the NPPA views as independent businesses. This bylaw shall in no way be construed to govern NPPA with regard to its own employees.

  3. Membership

    1. Eligibility
      1. The membership of this organization shall consist of professional news photographers and others whose occupation has a direct professional relationship with photojournalism.
      2. Photojournalism is defined as the art of news communication by visual image.
      3. Any member who ceases to work as a photojournalist but who continues in some other capacity in the field of news photography may retain his/her present classification, or his/her classification prior to reinstatement. The committee on membership shall have final authority regarding all classification matters.
    2. Membership
      1. Membership shall be divided, according to member's occupations. There shall be eight divisions, known as News Division, Military Division, Industrial Division, Technical Division, Public Information Division, Student Division, International Division and Retired Division. For the purposes of definition, a member must receive over 50 percent of his/her income from one or more news organizations or from an accredited journalism education program to be considered as employed full-time. The divisions are:
        1. News Division
          1. Those who are employed, full-time, by one or more news organizations in the production of photojournalistic images intended for the general public, by a news organization.
          2. Those who are employed full-time by a news organization in the production, editing, or processing of photojournalistic images intended for the general public.
          3. Those who are self-employed or under contract with a news organization, and whose full-time occupation is to produce photojournalistic images intended for the general public.
          4. Those who teach photojournalism in an accredited journalism program on a full-time basis.
          5. Those also involved in the editorial process of photojournalism, such as, but not limited to, reporters, managers and producers.
        2. Military Division
          1. Military members who are assigned primary duties as a photographer, videographer and those members assigned in the production, editing, or processing of photojournalist images.
        3. Industrial Journalism Division
          1. Salaried or self-employed persons who photograph or edit for companies, corporations or specialized publications.
        4. Technical Division.
          1. Manufacturers' technical representatives and others who are directly concerned with the design, production or marketing of photographic products related to photojournalism.
          2. Individuals who write, edit, or publish technical photojournalism information as an occupation.
        5. Public Information Division
          1. Photographers and others employed by public or government agencies for the production editing, or dissemination of news pictures for public information purposes.
        6. Student Division
          1. Students in universities, colleges, and high schools who are studying photojournalism or practicing news photography for school publications. Student members do not have voting privileges.
        7. International Division
          1. Photographers and others who are eligible for membership and conform to requirements 1-5 but do not reside inside the United States or Canada when applying for membership. The international member shall receive full benefits (as available) of the organization except that they will not be assigned to a specific region and shall be represented by the EC Board Representative.
        8. Retired Division
          1. Retired persons who are totally retired, and no longer doing freelance work, will be eligible for membership at the same dues rate as the student rate.
    3. Reclassification.
      1. A member who is improperly classified shall be reclassified to the proper division after investigation and determination by the committee on membership.
    4. Life membership
      1. Past National Presidents, past National Secretaries and past Treasurers and charter members of the association.
      2. Members of age sixty-five who have been members for the previous fifteen years in good standing.
      3. Members who choose to retire from the profession before reaching the age of sixty-five shall retain their classification and must continue to pay dues until age sixty-five when they shall qualify for life memberships. Should they retire before age sixty-five due to disability or illness, their dues are waived until they become a life member.
        1. All retired members shall retain their classification and thereafter carry the word "Retired" at the end of their assigned classification title.
    5. Honorary membership.
      1. An individual who has a contributory interest in NPPA, but who does not qualify for membership under Article III, may be elected as an honorary member, without dues and without vote, by the Board of Directors at an annual meeting.
    6. Military classification exemption.
      1. A member of NPPA in good standing at the time of his/her enlistment in the military service of the United States shall be permitted to continue in the same classification during the period of his/her service, plus a six-month grace period for re-establishment in an occupation that would qualify such person for membership under Article III.
    7. Membership application investigation
      1. Upon receipt of an application, the Executive Director shall investigate the qualifications for membership, within the provisions of these Bylaws, and, if the applicant is qualified, shall certify the applicant for membership and issue credentials.
      2. In those instances where an applicant's membership eligibility is questioned, the Executive Director shall refer the application to the committee on membership for review and final action.
        1. Two-thirds vote of this three person committee may accept or reject an applicant for membership in accordance with the requirements of membership as therein stated. The Vice-President shall be chair of the committee on membership and shall appoint two committee members.
        2. If the Executive Director fails to hear from the committee on membership concerning a membership application and the results of an investigation within thirty days after the application was forwarded, he/she may certify the applicant for membership on the results of his/her own investigation and issue credentials.
        3. A member who shall be unemployed because of economic conditions or industry changes that he/she did not cause to occur may apply to his/her Regional Director for a membership dues waiver. The Regional Director, after an investigation, may approve such a waiver for a period not to exceed one year. When a member has his/her dues waived due to economic conditions, the member shall continue to receive News Photographer magazine but shall not receive the photojournalism book.
    8. Termination of membership
      1. Resignations must be in writing. No member may resign while indebted to the association or any chapter in good standing.
      2. A member who has not paid annual dues by the due date of the final renewal notice is terminated from membership.
      3. A member who is ineligible for membership because of a change of employment or who has been found ineligible by the Regional Director, may be recommended for reclassification to honorary membership by the committee on membership as provided in Article III-E.
    9. Right to appeal.
      1. Upon notification of termination of membership by the committee on membership for reasons of ineligibility, the member may present a documented appeal to the Board of Directors within thirty (30) days. While an appeal is pending, the member shall retain membership status. The action of the Board of Directors shall be final.
    10. Reinstatement.
      1. A member who has resigned in writing or was dropped from membership for any reason except ineligibility or a finding by the committee on judiciary during the year for which his/her dues has been paid, may be reinstated with the payment of the current years' dues.

  4. National Officers

    1. The national officers of the association shall be the President, Treasurer, Vice President, Secretary, Immediate Past President, and the Executive Committee Board Representative.
    2. Eligibility
      1. To be eligible for election to a national office a member must be a news division member in good standing for at least one year prior to being nominated or have been granted a waiver of this rule by the committee on nominations. Student members are not eligible for election.
      2. Any officer no longer qualified for membership under Article III-B-1, III-D and IV shall be ineligible to continue in office and the vacancy shall be filled as provided in Article IV-C.
      3. Any officer no longer qualified for membership under Article III-B-1, III-D and IV shall be ineligible to continue in office and the vacancy shall be filled as provided in Article IV-C.
    3. Vacancies
      1. A vacancy shall exist:
        1. Upon the resignation (pursuant to Article III-H).
        2. Upon removal from office (pursuant to Article XIX).
      2. The Vice-President shall fill a vacancy in the office of the President and they shall serve the un-expired term.
      3. A vacancy in the office of Treasurer, Vice-president, Secretary, Past President or Executive Committee Board Representative shall be filled by majority vote of the Board of Directors. National officers thus elected shall serve the un-expired term.

  5. Regional Officers and Chapters' Board Representative

    1. Regional officers
      1. Regional officers shall be the director and Associate Director from each region.
      2. Eligibility
        1. To be eligible for election to regional office, a member must be a NPPA News Division member in good standing for at least one year prior to being nominated. Student members are not eligible for election.
        2. Any Regional Director or Associate Director no longer qualified for membership under Article III-B-2 shall be ineligible to continue in office and the vacancy shall be filled as provided in Article V-A-3.
      3. Vacancies
        1. A vacancy shall exist:
          1. Upon resignation (pursuant to Article III-H-1).
          2. Upon (de facto) removal from office (pursuant to Article XIX).
        2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Regional Director, the regional Associate Director shall automatically assume the office of Regional Director. A vacancy in the office Associate Director shall be filled by an appointment made by the Regional Director with approval of the regional executive committee.
        3. Regional officers who thusly assume office or are appointed shall serve the unexpired term.
        4. In the event of a vacancy in the offices of Regional Director and Regional Associate Director the NPPA President shall appoint an interim Regional Director.
    2. Chapter Board Representative
      1. The Chapter Board Representative is the voting representative, on the Board of Directors, of all NPPA professional and student chapters in good standing.
      2. Eligibility
        1. To be eligible for election, a candidate for Chapter Board Representative must be an NPPA news division member in good standing for at least one year prior to being nominated. Student members are not eligible for election.
        2. Any Chapter Board Representative no longer qualified for membership under Article III-B-1 shall be eligible to continue in office and the vacancy shall be filled as provided in Article V-B-3.
      3. Vacancies
        1. A vacancy shall exist:
          1. Upon resignation (pursuant to Article III-C)
          2. Upon (de facto) removal from office (pursuant to Article XVI).
        2. A vacancy in the office of Chapters Board Representative shall be filled by special election, where chapter Presidents in good standing of chapters in good standing shall be the electors.

  6. Notice of Meetings

    1. Preparation of notice
      1. The national secretary shall prepare and send written notice of all meetings of the Board of Directors and the executive committee.
    2. Content of notice
      1. All written notices shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting.
      2. Notices for all meetings except the annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall also include the agenda of the meeting and who called the meeting.
    3. Manner of delivery
      1. Notices shall be personally delivered or mailed to each person entitled at the meeting. If personal delivery, which shall include, but not be limited to electronic mail and transmitting of paper by electronic means, or first class mail is used, then such notice must be given not less than 10 days, nor more than 50 days before the date of the meeting. If notices are mailed by other than first class mail, such notice must be given not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting.
      2. Notice deemed given
        1. Notice is deemed given upon deposit of the written notice in a U.S. mail depository with postage prepaid and addressed to the member at last address as it appears on the record of members.
        2. Notice is also deemed given upon the successful transmission of an electronic message by means of electronic mail or the successful transmission of paper by electronic means (facsimile device) to the last known electronic address as it appears on the record of the members.
    4. Adjournments
      1. No further notice is necessary if adjournment is announced at a meeting at which adjournment is taken, and at the adjourned meeting any business may be transacted that might have been transacted on the original date of the meeting.
    5. Waiver of notice
      1. Attendance at meeting by member in person or by proxy, without protest regarding lack of notice constitutes waiver notice by him/her.
      2. The 10 day notice requirement for a meeting of the Board of Directors may be waived by an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members of the Board of Directors. The 10 day notice requirement for a meeting of the Executive Committee may be waived by an affirmative vote of all members of the Executive Committee.

  7. Proxies

    1. Authorization
      1. Those persons entitled to vote on any matter as provided for in these Bylaws may exercise the vote by authorizing another person or persons to act for him/her by proxy.
    2. Requirements and expiration
      1. Every proxy must be signed by a member or his/her attorney in fact. No proxy shall be valid after expiration of eleven months from date thereof unless provided in the proxy.
    3. Revocability
      1. All proxies are revocable at the pleasure of member executing it.
      2. The authority of the holder of a proxy to act shall not be revoked by the incompetence or death of the member who executed the proxy unless, before the authority is exercised, written notice of the adjudication of such incompetence or of such death is received by the national secretary.

  8. Mail Ballots

    1. Applications
      1. Whenever, between board meetings, one third of the board members over their own signatures, deem that a question should be polled, the national secretary shall submit to the board within seven days a mail ballot for making decisions or amending the Bylaws and/or Standing Rules.
    2. Notice requirement
      1. The national secretary shall mail to each board member a complete copy of the proposed amendment or amendments, which shall be accompanied by a list of names and addresses of all board members and a ballot suitably prepared to indicate the vote of each member, including a space for his/her signature.
    3. Written requirement
      1. Each board member shall sign the ballot, indicating approval or disapproval of the resolution over his/her signature and mail the ballot to the national secretary. Mail shall be by means including, but not limited to, transmitting of paper by electronic means.
    4. Effective date
      1. Amendments to the Bylaws and/or Standing Rules shall become effective upon receipt of the required number of affirmative ballots from all of the board members. If at the end of thirty (30) days, a proposed amendment submitted by mail fails to receive the necessary affirmative votes, it shall be defeated.

  9. Board of Directors

    1. Composition of the Board of Directors.
      1. The Board of Directors of the association shall be composed of the National Officers (President, Treasurer, Vice President, Secretary and Immediate Past-President), Regional Directors and Chapter Board Representative.
    2. General Powers.
      1. The board shall have authority to formulate policies, interpret, and enforce the Bylaws of the association and shall have other powers, general and specific, as is provided by law.
      2. Officers and directors shall be prohibited from illegal remuneration and conflicts of interest.
    3. Meetings
      1. The Board of Directors shall hold its annual meeting at a time not exceed 30 days after the close of NPPA's fiscal year.
      2. In addition to the annual meeting, other meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held on the call of the President.
      3. The President will call board meetings upon the written request of at least five members of the Board of Directors.
      4. Notice of meetings shall be sent to Board of Directors pursuant to Article VI.
    4. Votes.
      1. Each member of the Board of Directors shall have one (1) vote except the President who shall only have a vote in instance of a tie, regarding all matters except the election of national officers.
    5. Quorum.
      1. At board meetings, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors constitute a quorum.

  10. Executive Director

    1. Executive Director.
      1. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to employ an Executive Director and determine the salary and size of his/her staff.

  11. National Executive Committee

    1. The executive committee shall be composed of the President, Treasurer, Vice President, Secretary, Immediate Past-President and the Executive Committee Board Member Representative.
    2. Meetings
      1. The executive committee shall meet at times and places as the President designates and its members shall receive notice of said meeting pursuant to Article VI. The President will call an executive committee meeting upon the request of at least two members of the executive committee. Said request shall be in writing or transmitted by electronic mail or by the transmission of paper by electronic means (facsimile device).

  12. Oaths

    1. All officers, national and regional, and all board members are required to take the following oath: "I do hereby pledge myself faithfully to perform to the best of my ability, the duties of my office as prescribed in the Bylaws and Standing Rules of this Association."

  13. National Standing Committees

    1. National Chairs of Standing Committees
      1. Committee chairs: The President shall appoint national chairs for standing committees, unless otherwise directed by these Bylaws, except that the chair of the Committee on Membership shall be the Vice President, the Committee on Finance shall be National Treasurer, the chair of the Nominations Committee shall be the Executive Committee Board Representative, and the chair of the Honors and Recognitions Committee shall be the Immediate Past President. In the event that a vacancy should occur in the chairmanship of the Committee on Honors and Recognitions, the immediate past-past president shall chair the committee.
        1. Committee on Advocacy
        2. Committee on Business Practices
        3. Committee on Chapters
        4. Committee on Convention/Trade shows
        5. Committee on Education
        6. Committee on Finance
        7. Committee on Freedom of Information
        8. Committee on Government–News Media Relations
        9. Committee on Honors and Recognitions
        10. Committee on Job Information Bank
        11. Committee on Judiciary
        12. Committee on Membership
        13. Committee on Diversity
        14. Committee on The NPPA Monthly Newspaper Clip Contest
        15. Committee on Nominations
        16. Committee on Personnel
        17. Committee on The Best of Photojournalism
        18. Committee on Public Relations
        19. Committee on Regional Publications
        20. Committee on Resolutions and Bylaw Amendments
        21. Committee on Telecommunications
        22. Committee on The NPPA (Norman, Oklahoma) Television News Video Workshop
        23. Committee on The Best of Television Photojournalism
        24. Committee on The NPPA Television Quarterly Clip Contest
        25. Committee on Women
        26. Committee on The Cutting Edge Editing Seminar
        27. Committee on Mentorship
      2. Standing committees shall be composed of national chair and chair of the corresponding regional committees (with the exception of the committee on honors and recognitions), and members appointed to the committee by national chair, unless otherwise indicated by these Bylaws.
    2. Committee chairs
      1. Each national committee chair shall be a member in good standing of NPPA.

  14. Regional Divisions

    1. For administrative purposes the United States and Canada shall be partitioned into regional divisions
      1. Region No. 1 - The states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and the Canadian Provinces of Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
      2. Region No. 2 - All of New York state and the Canadian Province of Quebec and Ontario.
      3. Region No. 3 - The states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
      4. Region No. 4 - The states of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan.
      5. Region No. 5 - The states of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
      6. Region No. 6 - The states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
      7. Region No. 7 - The states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas.
      8. Region No. 8 - The states of Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico.
      9. Region No. 9 - The states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, and the Canadian Provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
      10. Region No. 10 - The states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Hawaii.
      11. Region No. 11 - The states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and the Canadian Provinces of British Columbia and the Yukon.
    2. Membership
      1. Membership will be distributed among the eleven (11) regions on the basis of the individual member's current mailing address.
      2. Members who move overseas will remain on the membership roll of the regional division to which they were originally assigned in accordance with Section B of this article, unless they should specifically request otherwise.

  15. Regional Executive Committees

    1. Regional Executive Committees
      1. Each region shall have an executive committee. The regional executive committee shall be composed of the Regional Director, Associate Director and an advisory board of at least three (3) members including the regional publication editor, as appointed by the director. Each chapter in good standing shall be represented on the advisory board.
      2. The regional executive committee shall confer during the year as needed and at least fourteen (14) days prior to the annual meeting, either by mail, telephone, or in person. The Regional Director shall prepare a record for members of the national executive committee.
    2. Regional standing committees.
      1. The Regional Director shall appoint chairs for regional standing committees corresponding to national committees.

  16. Chapters

    1. Purpose.
      1. Authority hereby shall be granted for the organizing of accredited NPPA chapters so that local, state or international groups of NPPA members may become more closely associated with NPPA activities at state and local levels.
    2. General requirements
      1. Chapters may be named as state, local, or area associations, or as chapters.
      2. NPPA chapters should strive for 100 percent membership. To be a chapter in good standing, a chapter is required to have at least fifty percent NPPA membership of any NPPA membership division.
    3. Chapter Bylaws.
      1. Each chapter may adopt its own Bylaws consistent with the NPPA Bylaws.
    4. Delegates to the annual meeting
      1. Active chapter delegate: A delegate selected by the chapter, who must be a NPPA non-student member in good standing, will be seated and given the right to speak from the floor at the annual meeting, but shall have no vote. Each chapter may select a delegate. The delegate position is separate and different from the position of Chapter Board Representative, Article V-B.
      2. Student delegate: A delegate representing student members, selected by student chapter Presidents in good standing of student chapters in good standing will be seated and given the right to speak from the floor at the annual meeting, but shall have no vote.

  17. Finances

    1. National treasury
      1. All dues and other money received by the National Press Photographers Association, Inc. including that received by the regions and committees shall be retained in the national treasury. The financial accounts of the association shall be audited on an annual basis.
      2. Monies retained in the national treasury shall be apportioned and managed as follows:
        1. Reserve fund
          1. The NPPA Board of Directors will allocate at least five percent of the operating revenue for any given year into a reserve fund. It shall be deposited in a separate, insured depository. After this fund has reached 50 percent of the association's yearly gross income, it will be maintained at or above that level.
          2. The reserve fund will not be drawn upon without the approval of the Board of Directors. It will not be used except in the case of an emergency.
          3. In the event of an emergency requiring the board to utilize reserve funds, at least five percent of the operating revenue for subsequent years will be applied to building back the reserve until it reaches at least 50 percent of the association's yearly gross income.
        2. Working fund
          1. A checking account in an insured depository in the name of the National Press Photographers Association, Inc., known as the working fund, shall be established in the city with a financial institution approved by the executive committee.
          2. Withdrawals from the monies in the working fund shall be made by the Executive Director who must sign all checks drawn against the account.
        3. Investments
          1. All monies of the association not deposited in the working fund shall be invested in insured obligations or deposited in insured depositories in the name of the National Press Photographers Association, Inc.
    2. Expenditures and budgets.
      1. All withdrawals of investments or depositories, excluding the working fund, must carry the signature of one (1) member of the executive committee and signature of the Executive Director.

  18. Code of Ethics

    1. Application.
      1. Every member in NPPA is required to endorse the Code of Ethics.
    2. Code

      1. Preamble

        The National Press Photographers Association, a professional society that promotes the highest standards in photojournalism, 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.

        Photojournalists 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 photojournalists, 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 photojournalism 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:

      2. Photojournalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards:

        1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
        2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.
        3. 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.
        4. 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.
        5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.
        6. 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.
        7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.
        8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.
        9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.

      3. Ideally, photojournalists should:

        1. Strive to ensure that the public's business is conducted in public. Defend the rights of access for all journalists.
        2. 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.
        3. 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.
        4. Avoid political, civic and business involvements or other employment that compromise or give the appearance of compromising one's own journalistic independence.
        5. Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects.
        6. Respect the integrity of the photographic moment.
        7. 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. Photojournalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it.

  19. Penalties

    1. Committee on Judiciary
      1. The committee on judiciary national chairman shall be appointed by the President. The Board of Directors shall appoint two additional committee members at the annual board meeting.
      2. The committee on judiciary shall investigate and hear charges made against members for violations of the code of ethics or other activities or actions detrimental to the best interests of the profession of press photography.
    2. Procedure regarding members
      1. Complaints by members, made against other members, for violations, must be signed by five active members in good standing and shall be presented to the committee in writing, accompanied by all available facts and evidence.
        1. Upon receipt of such complaint, the committee may reject the complaint by majority vote as inadequately supported by the accompanying evidence, or proceed with complaint, in which case, the chair will send a copy of the complaint and the supporting data to the accused member by registered mail, notifying the member of a reasonable time within which he/she may file a sworn answer accompanied by evidence he/she cares to present.
        2. If requested, the accused member shall have an opportunity for a personal hearing before the committee or a member selected by the committee. At this hearing, oral testimony received by the committee or its representative shall be reduced to writing.
        3. If, in the majority vote of the committee on judiciary, the charges made against the accused are justified and fully supported by the evidence and the accused member's undesirability has been established, the accused member shall be expelled.
        4. A member expelled, under (c) above, shall be granted the privilege of appealing his/her case to the Board of Directors in writing. The decision of the board, by a majority vote, shall be final.
    3. Procedure regarding Board of Directors impeachment
      1. It shall be the duty of members of the Board of Directors to support and enforce the Bylaws and Standing Rules of the NPPA. A board member who willfully fails in his/her duty or who is guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the association may be impeached.
      2. Complaints, accompanied by all available supporting facts and evidence against a board member, must be presented to the committee on judiciary in writing, endorsed by five (5) members in good standing.
      3. On receipt of charges and evidence, the chair of the committee on judiciary shall send a copy of the complaint and supporting data to the accused board member by registered mail, notifying him/her of a reasonable time within which he/she may file a sworn answer, accompanied by counter evident he/she may care to present. Failure to file an answer within the prescribed time shall be considered an admission of guilt.
      4. Whenever, in the majority vote of the committee on judiciary, the evidence presented justifies the charges made, the committee may recommend to the Board of Directors that the member be removed from office. In making such recommendation it shall be the duty of the committee on judiciary to present to the board a complete record of the charges against and evidence in support of the accused.
      5. Any board member may be suspended from office by majority vote of the committee on judiciary.
      6. Upon weighing facts presented by the committee on judiciary, the Board of Directors can remove a member from office by two-thirds (2/3) vote.

  20. Parliamentary Authority

    1. Professional parliamentarian.
      1. A professional parliamentarian, in no way connected to the photojournalism industry (other than his/her temporary employment as our parliamentarian), shall be hired by the Executive Director with the consent or approval 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.
    2. Rules of Order.
      1. 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.

  21. Diversity

    1. The National Press Photographers Association recognizes that through diversity we bring to our association and our profession a perspective and voice that is vital. NPPA is committed to reflecting diversity in age, gender and race in all its activities. The leadership, committee chairs and program directors are hereby directed to make all reasonable efforts to insure diversity in all programs. NPPA further challenges the entire profession of photojournalism to embrace and reflect every aspect of cultural pluralism in every capacity at every opportunity.

  22. References to Press

    1. The term "press photography" in these Bylaws is a historical one, and all references herein, such as "press photography" or "press photographer" shall include the electronic equivalent.

  23. Amendments

    1. Amendments.
      1. The Governing Documents of the NPPA may be adopted, amended, altered, repealed or superseded, either in whole or part, by a two-thirds (in the case of the bylaws) or a simple majority vote of a quorum of the Board of Directors present at the annual or special meeting, and/or a majority vote of the EC in the case of the Policies and Procedures.
    2. Procedural requirements
      1. Written notice containing any proposed amendment, in whole or part, to the Bylaws, shall be sent to each member of the Board of Directors, at least 25 days prior to the meeting.
      2. A resolution containing a proposed amendment to be presented a the annual meeting must be sent to the chairman of the committee on resolutions at least 30-days prior to the meeting. The chair of the committee on resolutions shall prepare the resolution for distribution by the National Secretary. All such resolutions must contain the exact wording of the affected section of the bylaws that are to be changed as well as the wording of the proposed amendment.
    3. Effective date of amendments.
      1. All amendments to the Bylaws shall become effective upon the adoption by a two-thirds majority vote of a quorum of the Board of Directors present at the annual or special meeting, or on the date as otherwise provided for in the resolution.

(Note: Document as amended by NPPA Board of Directors 2005.)

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