OPPA JUROR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The OPPA Juror Development Program details the process of becoming an approved OPPA Competition Juror. These guidelines are used to establish a pool of qualified jurors for use in OPPA image competitions and are administered by the OPPA Juror Oversight Committee.

To enter the program the following prerequisites need to be met:

• Must complete Intent To Enter OPPA Juror Program application and return to the OPPA Juror Oversight Committee (currently led by Lisa Dillon).

• Be an OPPA member in good standing. 

• Attend “Seeing Through the Eyes of an Image Competition Judge” class or equivalent OPPA sponsored classes.

• Have earned at least 6 OPPA exhibition points.

Once you have reached the above criteria, you are ready to work toward becoming a Level 1 Juror. To do so, the following criteria must be met:

• Perform at least two approved and evaluated front row judging assignments at OPPA competitions. 

• Must enter at least two OPPA or other PPA affiliate competitions during the past 12 months.

LEVEL 1 JUROR

As a Level 1 Juror, you can begin receiving real-world experience in the “hot seat” by being cycled through a competition juror panel on a limited, shared-seat (2 or more jurors-in-training alternating at each rotation) basis. Note: Neither OPPA points nor PPA merits for judging are granted to shared-seat judging nor are Level 1 or Level 2 jurors eligible for juror compensation.

To move on and become a Level 2 Juror the following criteria must be met:

• Be a Level 1 Juror for at least one year. 

• Be an OPPA member in good standing for at least one year.

• Judge on a “shared-seat” basis on at least two competition panels.

• Receive at least two one-on-one evaluations from an active Jury Chair.

• Must compete in at least 2 OPPA competitions in the last 12 months.

LEVEL 2 JUROR

A Level 2 Juror may sit on a competition panel and perform the duties of a full juror. The Level 2 Juror will be evaluated and critiqued by the Jury Chair. As a Level 2 Juror, you will be eligible for OPPA points for judging a full competition as you work toward becoming an OPPA Active Juror. You are also eligible for PPA merits for judging.

While you are a Level 2 juror, you will do the following to become an Active:

• Be a Level 2 Juror for at least a year.

• Judge at least three times at OPPA competitions (non-shared-seat judging)

• Earn the PPA Masters degree or the OPPA Associate Fellow of Photography degree.

ACTIVE JUROR

An Active Juror may serve on unlimited OPPA competition panels with all of the rights and duties of a competition juror. Active Jurors may also begin the process of becoming a Jury Chair. As an Active Juror, you are eligible for juror compensation.

To Maintain Active Juror Status

• Enter at least 1 OPPA/PPA Image Competition within the previous 12 months.

• Attend a juror refresher course within the previous 24 months.

• Judge in at least 1 OPPA/PPA competition in the previous 12 months.

JUROR SELECTION IS HANDLED BY THE JUROR OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (JOC)

OPPA competition jurors will be selected from the following: OPPA active jurors, OPPA Jurors in training, PPA approved jurors and PPA jurors in training. To see our current active jurors please visit: Active Jurors