Entering the Exhibition
They are easy to enter:  The first step is to decide whether you wish to enter slide or print salons and in what PSA division(s).  Those conducting the exhibitions decide which division(s) they wish to represent: Color Slides, Electronic Imaging, Nature, Photo Travel, Photojournalism, Pictorial Print, or Stereo.

Then you need an entry form, which can be obtained by contacting the person listed for a given exhibition (look under the division(s) of your choice) in the Journal or by downloading from the PSA Website.  Choose several with entry deadlines far enough away so that you have time to receive, complete, and mail the forms, and to decide which of your images to include.  You can also request to be put on the Master Mailing List (MML), which is explained in the introduction to the Exhibitions listings in the Journal, but keep in mind that it takes time for the MML to go into effect and not all exhibitions use that list.

Go through your own work and select what you consider your strongest images - probably those that attained high scores in club competitions. You may wish to make duplicates if you feel uncomfortable sending your best images through the mail.  Another reason for duplicates: You may enter the same image in more than one exhibition until it garners an "acceptance" in that exhibition (to be explained below).  Because your images may be tied up for a while, you will need duplicates to go out to two or three exhibitions at the same time. When first entering exhibitions, it is advisable to enter a variety of your work to get a feel for what might do well.  And, as with club competition, it is better to avoid including more than one image of the same subject.  It is also advisable to try with a given image more than once-as with club competitions, what meets with acceptance in one may not in another.

The forms explain the regulations, dates, and other pertinent information for that exhibition; describe the fees; supply mailing labels; and provide space to record your name and address, as well as the titles of the images you are entering.  You will see from the forms that exhibitions typically take four images per section or division.  Participants who have questions about the form or the exhibition should contact either the individual who sent the form, another PSA member who has participated in exhibitions, a division chairman, or a board member.

It is important to keep records of what specific images you enter and how they score for several reasons:  You will need to report the specific exhibitions that accepted a given image if you apply for star ratings.  You will want to track how well different images perform-an image that is frequently rejected by different salons should be retired.  And, once an image is accepted in a given salon, it cannot be entered in the same salon in subsequent years. 

While slides can be mailed in their original cardboard mounts, it is recommended that you protect your images, even duplicates, by inserting them in glass using something like Gepe Mounts, which can be obtained from photo stores or mail-order suppliers (like B&H and RMF who advertise in the Journal).  All must be clearly labeled with your name, address and image title, and must be spotted to insure that the image is displayed to judges correctly.  Special protective mailing boxes and mailing envelopes are also available from the same companies.

A Note About the Divisions
As mentioned earlier, a given exhibition can represent one division or more than one.  Each division has its own guidelines and definitions as to what might be accepted (for example, Photo Travel entries are supposed to provide a sense of time and place and cannot be manipulated, and some Nature Exhibitions are limited to insects).  These are defined in the entry forms.

Judging the Exhibition
While there are separate slide and print exhibitions, in an effort to simplify this explanation, slides will be used as the example.  When received by the group conducting the salon, the slides are arranged in carousel trays.  At the judging (usually a week or so after the deadline), all entries are shown to three experienced judges who score each image independently (typically using an automatic scoring machine).  Different exhibitions use different scoring systems - some use 3 to 9, others 1 to 9, others 1 to 5, and so on.  The slides garnering top scores (which vary with each exhibition, generally in the top 25% of the total scores) are called acceptances-to be included in the exhibition which is assembled and shown several weeks later.

Shortly after the judging, participants are notified of results by postcard or e-mail. Notification includes the scores of each of your entries, the minimum score needed for acceptance, and whether or not an image garnered an award or honorable mention.  At a later date, photographers' names and accepted titles are printed in a catalog that is mailed to all entrants.

Why a PSA "Recognized" Exhibition?
For PSA members, each accepted image is given a point, to be accumulated across different exhibitions toward Star Ratings for participants.  (Please note that Star Ratings will be discussed in a later article.)  Exhibitions are organized and run by a variety of organizations (frequently - but not limited to - camera clubs, chapters, and councils).  Only those listed each month in the PSA Journal and on this website follow the standards established by the Society and therefore are the only exhibitions that can lead to PSA Star Ratings.

Seeing an Exhibition
Whether or not you enter exhibitions, you might check the monthly listings to see if any are being judged or exhibited in an area convenient for you to visit.  They constitute an exciting show of an impressive body of work, made especially exhilarating because entries come from around the globe.  Here too, direct any questions to the individual listed as the contact for that exhibition.

In Conclusion
The exhibition and catalog provide a unique opportunity to get to know the work of other PSA members and to gain widespread recognition for those who garner many acceptances.  The most successful are listed in the annual Who's Who in the PSA Journal and, having collected enough stars, can apply for an honorof PPSA (Proficiency in Photography) or EPSA (Excellence in Photography) to be used with their names.  Try it!  You may like it