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BY-LAWS
for the
PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION
Approved and Amended July 1974,
Amended July 1978, July 1981, July 1982, October 1984, July 1985,
April 1987, April 1988, March 1994, September 1994, April 1995,
April 2001, May 2003, August 2004, August 2006,
March 2007, August 2009
Affiliated With:
The Professional Photographers of
The Southeastern Professional Photographers Association
Local Affiliates:
Professional Photographers of
Professional Photographers of Middle
PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION
CODE OF ETHICS
The corporate Charter of the Tennessee Professional Photographers Association states as its general purpose:
The promotion of one of the fine arts and the support and encouragement of the art of photography, namely, to advance photography in all of its branches, both as an art, and as a profession; to create, foster, promote, and maintain cordial relations and cooperation and interchange of thought and opinion freely among its members; to oppose violation and infringements of the rights of professional photographers of their organizations; to foster the practical benefits to be derived from personal acquaintance and the discussion of subjects having to do with the art of profession of photography; to cooperate with other organizations which may be striving to accomplish similar purposes.
I understand and accept the purpose of this association, and agree to abide by and support the conditions set forth within this association’s corporate purpose.
I cooperate whenever possible with other members and try myself as well as encourage other members individually and collectively to achieve and maintain the highest standards of quality.
I will, at all times, avoid the use of unfair competitive practices as determined by any court of competent jurisdiction, the Federal anti-trust laws and related statues.
I recognize the authority of this association in all matters relating to the interpretation of this code in accordance with the statues of the
decisions of courts and governmental agencies of competent jurisdiction.
BY-LAWS
for the
PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE I
Membership
Section 1
The Classifications of membership shall be: Active, Associate, Sustaining, Senior Active, Honorary Life, and Out of State Member.
A. An Active Member may be any person who is a proprietor, corporation officer, or partner of an established place of business engaged in the practice of professional photography; or an employee of a business engaged in the practice of professional photography; or any person who is the head of a photographic department used by and for business and professional photographic services, although the principal business of the firm is not photography, and that all Active Members’ businesses engaged in the practice of professional photography shall be within the State of Tennessee. An Active Member also receives registration to the annual T.P.P.A. Convention and Trade Show, along with the registration to the annual T.P.P.A. Seminar. There will be a limit to five Active Members from any one corporation.
B. An Associate Member may be an employee of any established place of business located within the State of Tennessee engaged in the business of professional photography; or any individual who derives any portion of his/her income and/or devotes any of their time for gain to photography in the fields of portrait, commercial, industrial photography, photojournalism or as photographic instructors. An Associate Member shall not have the right to vote nor hold office, but shall have the right to attend all of the functions and receive all publications of the Association.
C. A Sustaining Member shall be a person representing a photographic supply house, or photographic manufacturer, or a person who provides goods or services to photographers, provided, however, a Sustaining Member shall not have the right to vote nor hold office, but shall have the right to attend all functions and receive all publications.
D. A Senior Active Member shall be any Active Member who has retired from the practice of the profession of photography, provided the Active member shall have been a member of the Association for a period of twenty-five (25) years, and a Senior Active Member in conjunction with an Out-of-State Member. An Out-of-State Member shall have no voting or office holding rights.
E. An Out–of-State Member shall be a person who qualifies as an Active or Associate Member, except that they reside or have their business in another state. There need not be an Active Member in conjunction with an Out-of-State Member. An Out-of-State Member shall have no voting or office holding rights.
F. An Honorary Life Member shall be any member so honored by the Board of Directors. An Honorary Life Member will have all the rights and privileges of an Active Member.
G. An Aspiring Member shall be a person who is a resident of
ARTICLE II
Application for Membership
Section 1
The Board of Directors shall provide an application for membership form which shall be used by all applicants.
Section 2
An applicant shall complete and sign the form and forward it to the Executive Director and shall attach to it the payment of the first year of dues. There shall also be attached to the application photocopies or Xerox copies of all licenses and permits require by Municipal, County, State, or Federal Laws for the practice of photography and evidence of compliance with the gross receipts tax.
The application shall also be accompanied by a certificate of the applicant that he or she has read, understands, and will abide by the code of conduct adopted by the Association.
Section 3
The application for Active or Associate Membership shall be endorsed by one (1) Active Member of the Association and such endorsement shall constitute recommendation for membership.
Section 4
Sustaining Members shall not be required to submit copies of licenses, permits, and evidences of compliance with the Gross Receipts Tax Act. A person heading a department of commercial photography for a proprietor, partnership, or corporation shall not be required to submit copies of licenses, permits, unless the applicant is individually engaged in the practice of photography separate and apart from the employer’s photographic business.
Section 5
An applicant for Senior Active Membership may apply orally or in writing for such membership with the Board of Directors.
Section 6
All applicants, except as otherwise herein provided, shall be voted on by the Board of Directors at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board after the application has been received by the Executive Director. If a majority of the Board of Directors approves the application, the applicant’s name shall be published in the next issue of “The Ground Glass News”. After reading the list of persons applying for membership in the TPPA, the general membership shall have thirty (30) days to submit in writing to the Board of Directors any objection to the acceptance of any applicant. Any written objection must be submitted in octuplicate (8 copies) to the Chairman of the Board who would then refer the matter to the Ethics Committee for a ruling. The objections must be specific in its charges as to why the applicant should not be accepted for membership. After hearing from the applicant and objecting member(s), the Ethics Committee shall make its recommendations for acceptance or refusal of the applicant to the Board of Directors, who shall then vote to accept or reject the applicant based on the findings of the Ethics Committee and/or any other information received regarding the applicant. The applicant shall receive written notification of his or her acceptance or rejection with no further notification to the membership required.
If no objections are received on any applicant for membership after thirty (30) days of having their names published in “The Ground Glass News”, they are officially granted membership in the organization with no further notification to the general membership required.
ARTICLE III
Expulsion
Section 1
Members may be expelled from membership for violating the Code of Conduct or illegally or unethically engaging in the practice of the profession of photography.
Section 2
The procedure for expulsion shall be as follows:
A. A complaint shall be filed with the Executive Director in octuplicate (8 copies) detailing the specific section of the Code of Conduct allegedly violated or specifically alleging the illegal or unethical way or manner the member practices photography.
B. The Executive Director shall notify the President of the complaint and the President shall refer the complaint of the Ethics Committee no later than the commencement of the next annual general membership meeting and the complaint shall be heard in executive session of the Ethics Committee.
C. The Ethics Committee shall make its recommendation to the Board of Directors.
D. The Board of Directors shall consider the recommendation of the Ethics Committee and if the Board of Directors determines that there may be probable cause to expel the member, notice of the same shall be given to such member of the Board of directors shall fix a time and place for the Board to hear and determine all the evidence in regard to the matter. Within thirty (30) days of the date of the hearing, the Board of Directors shall cause the Executive Director to notify the member of its decision. Such decision of the Board of Directors shall be final and shall not be subject to review.
ARTICLE IV
Directors
Section 1
The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, Executive Director, Chairman of the Board (the most immediate Past President) and three members-at-large.
Section 2
Each director (each of the three members-at-large) shall be elected annually at the general membership meeting. Once a person has served three terms as a director, that person may be considered for election as an officer of T.P.P.A. If a director’s office is vacated during the year, the Board will appoint a person to serve as a director pro tem until the next annual general membership meeting.
Section 3
A member who is elected to serve as a director (member-at-large) should serve three consecutive terms as a director before being considered for election as an officer. Special circumstances may dictate that a member is allowed to serve less than three years as a director, due to offices being vacated. Such decision rests with the Board of Directors or the past presidents or the nominating committee or a combination of these groups in conjunction with each other.
Additionally, the tradition of a member advancing through the chairs of elected offices of this Association may stand as a guideline, but special circumstances may dictate that a member be advanced in the line of offices due to offices being vacated.
ARTICLE V
Dues
Section 1
The annual membership dues for the respective classifications of membership shall be recommended by the Board of Directors, provided, however, those dues shall be approved or disapproved by a majority vote of the members of the Association attending the annual general membership meeting. In the event the dues proposed by the Board of Directors are rejected by a majority vote of the members attending the annual general membership meeting, the membership may adopt a resolution fixing the dues.
ARTICLE VI
Officers and Duties
Section 1
The officers of the Association shall have the following duties:
A. The President shall direct the activities of the Association, carry out the policies prescribed by the Board of directors, and preside at all conventions.
B. The President-Elect shall become President in the event the President vacates the office or fails or refuses to serve at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors or preside at the annual general membership meeting. In addition, he shall be chairman of the Print Committee and shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.
C. The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep and maintain the minutes of all Board and General Membership meetings and submit them to the members of the Board and the Editor of the “Ground Glass News” within two weeks of said meetings. The Secretary/Treasurer shall oversee the keeping of accurate records and render such financial reports of receipts and disbursements to the Board of Directors as may be required and shall render an accounting to the members of the general membership meeting. The Secretary/Treasurer may sign any checks (as needed – See Art. VI, 1F) which are accompanied by vouchers approved by and received from the President and submitted by the Executive Director for signature for any bills and obligations incurred by the Association.
D. The Executive Director
