DURHAM, NC (September 19, 2011) – Beginning immediately, National Press Photographers Association student members will be included in the listings in NPPA's popular online database "Find A Photographer," president Sean D. Elliot announced today.
The decision by NPPA's Board of Directors and Student Committee came after discussing how student members would be differentiated from professional members in the online search returns, and what search criteria would be used when someone goes to the database to look for a photographer.
NPPA hopes that by including student members in the "Find A Photographer" database it will help visual journalism students earn money to help pay their way through school. NPPA has seen that students are increasingly relying on freelancing to help pay for their education expenses, to finance digital equipment purchases, and to even use the money to pay for their membership in professional organizations. NPPA has also recognized that many highly-experienced visual journalists have returned to graduate school and other programs to enhance their skills for the future job market.
"Anything we can do to help students finance their desire to learn would be in our best interest," NPPA board member Michael P. King said. "As a student, if you got just one freelance assignment a year through 'Find A Photographer' your membership would pay for itself."
Over the years NPPA has never excluded students from having access to the organization's popular member feature Job Information Bank (JIB), King pointed out, so including student members in "Find A Photographer" is a move consistent with helping members (student or professional) find opportunities.
"This decision highlights the partnership between the Student and Business Practices committees, where the NPPA will work to take the lead both on service to our members as well as improving business education for students," Elliot said today.
"Students represent the next generation of visual journalists, and the NPPA will do everything we can to bring them into the equation as we work to set the standards for the field."
With the inclusion of student members in the "Find A Photographer" database, now a new search return will display "Member Type: Student" or "Member Type: Professional". When a user searches for a photographer, one of the new search functions will include the option to "Include students in your search?" and a user will either check "yes" or "no" in a box before launching the query.
Also with the change, the board and committee decided, "Find A Photographer" users will be able to search for just professionals, or professionals and students, but not for just students.
The inclusion of NPPA student members in "Find A Photographer" is the first step in revising NPPA's student opportunities since Bettina Hansen was appointed to chair the organization's Student Committee in August. Also taking part in the decision was Matt Slaby, NPPA's Business Practices Committee chair, Elliot said.
Students can reach Hansen at bhansen.photo@gmail.com.
