American Society of Photographers: Images of Distinction
Celebrating mastery, growth, and excellence in professional photography
What is the American Society of Photographers?
The American Society of Photographers (ASP) is a society of professional photographic artists who have earned their Master Photographer degree through PPA, committed to the highest level of excellence in photography. ASP’s mission is to maintain ethical standards, stimulate creativity, refine technical skills, and promote photography as both a science and an art form. The organization is dedicated to fostering education and fellowship while preserving the ideals of photographic artistry.
What are the Images of Distinction?
Images of Distinction is ASP’s premier photographic judging program, designed to inspire creative and technical growth among professional photographers. Fashioned after the classic IPC format, the competition features a two-part judging system:
- Round 1: Open to both ASP members and non-members. Photographers receive live and recorded feedback on all images. Images scoring above 80 earn a Seal of Approval, and those scoring above 85 receive the prestigious Seal of Distinction.
- Round 2: Exclusive to ASP members, this round is judged among images created by Master Photographers. It represents some of the finest work across all photographic genres, with a focus on recognizing mastery and growth.
Why It Matters
The real strength of Images of Distinction lies in its commitment to education. Receiving live, constructive feedback from respected judges in Round 1 helps photographers understand where they excel and where they can refine their work. Seals of Approval and Distinction are more than awards; they are markers of growth, creativity, and technical achievement.
For me, the feedback I received each year has been invaluable, pushing me to new heights in both my artistic vision and technical execution.
Images of Distinction Results
I am thrilled with these results and deeply grateful to the ASP judges for their detailed feedback — it’s helped me refine my craft and continue creating images that honor the dancers I work with.
Images of Distinction Gallery
2025 is a work in progress. Round 1 is complete and I’ve left one image sealed for distinction, and have broken the seal on a second on because I want to try to push it a little higher in the scoring. A few Seals of Approval will not be entered in the second round. The rest of the gallery will be available in August, 2025.
2024 marked the inaugural year of the Images of Distinction as a stand-alone photography competition.
