Major Photographic Bodies

Two of the major photographic societies in the world are The Royal Photographic Society and the Photographic Society of America.

The Royal Photographic Society was formed as The Photographic Society in 1853 with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as patrons. It was granted the use of the title 'Royal' by decree in 1894. The Society's mission today, as in 1853, is 'to promote the Art and Science of Photography'.

Membership is open to everyone with a real interest in photography - and that includes newcomers to photography, teachers, historians and scientists, as well as dedicated amateurs and full-time professionals.

The Photographic Society of America (PSA) is the largest organization of its kind in the world, bringing together amateur and professionals in all the varied fields of photography. They include color slides,nature, pictorial prints, stereo (3-D), electronic photography, video/motion pictures, photojournalism, travel photography, and devotees of every process in which the worldwide membership is interested. Help from experts and educational programmess are available to all members.

The FIAP, the International Federation of Photographic Art, activities are world-wide. Its purpose is the promotion of photographic art in all its aspects and by a variety of photographic methods. In 1946 FIAP was founded by DR. M. Van de Wijer in Belgium, he established links between different national photographic associations through the world.

The first Congress, the official act of the fondation of FIAP, took place in Bern (Switzerland) in 1950 with the participation of delegates from ten countries. The FIAP is an international federation which affiliates as ordinary members, the national associations of photography. FIAP counts more than 85 national associations in the five continents and benefits nearly one million individual photographers. The official languages of FIAP are french and english. The official texts are also translated in german and spanish.