Professional Application Form
Code of Ethics:
The Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles is a professional organization dedicated to visually documenting the world around us and serving the truth through our images.
The public trust which is placed upon us gives us a moral obligation to act honestly, fairly, ethically, and to serve the truth as we uphold the honor of
our profession.
While freedom of the press is guarded as an inalienable right of people in a free society, the respect and trustworthiness which we as photojournalists have, must be earned and the PPAGLA believe this can best be done by adhering to a professional code of ethics. Through our actions we can earn the respect and honor which our profession is worthy of as we strive to serve the truth, the public and the historical documentation of our time with our images. To that end, the PPAGLA sets forth the following code of ethics, and while every situation cannot be prejudged, these are guidelines which combined with common sense and good judgment are designed to uphold the integrity of our profession:
Strive to make photographs which report truthfully, honestly and objectively.
Respect your subjects and the public, strive to be fair and honest in their representation.
Never set up photographs or manipulate news events. Aside from portraits and illustrations, our jobs are to capture moments - if you miss them, continue waiting or move on to find another visually interesting moment.
Never accept nor offer bribes, kickbacks or unethical inducements.
Be accurate and truthful in your editing to fairly represent an event.
Act with conscience. If another photographer was watching you, would you continue with your actions?
Be truthful and accurate in your captioning.
Practice good conduct toward one another.
Neutralize and overcome any personal bias to best serve the public and offer fairness to everyone.
Give something back: By encouraging and assisting all members of our profession, individually and collectively the quality of photojournalism will
constantly rise to a higher standard.
Adherence to this code is intended to preserve and strengthen the bond of mutual trust between photojournalists and the public which we serve. While nobody is perfect, PPAGLA encourages photojournalists to recognize and take personal responsibility for their actions. The association also encourages dialogue and discussion, as we can all learn and benefit from each other's experience as we document the world around us.