The PPA Humanitarian Award is presented in honor of Buddy M. Stewart. This award recognizes individuals, couples and/or business partners for outstanding humanitarian service while representing our profession. The award is not necessarily conferred each year.

• 2010 Dave Swoboda
• 2011 Bob Coates
• 2012 Travis Gugelman
• 2013 Lori Nordstrom
• 2014 Professional Photographer Society of NY State
• 2015 Mike and Diana Hanline
• 2016 Chris Kogut
• 2018 Warren Motts
• 2019 Nancy Green
• 2020 Mariah Ashley & Trish Gilmore
• 2021 Matt Meiers
• 2022 Shawn Lee

The PPA Business Education Award is presented in honor of Charles H. (Bud) Haynes. It is presented in recognition of distinguished service to PPA and its members for encouraging business awareness and practices in the field of professional image-making. The award is not necessarily conferred each year.

• 2006 Ann K. Monteith
• 2007 Connie Behnke
• 2008 Scott Kurkian
• 2009 Carol Andrews
• 2010 John Hartman
• 2011 Charles J. Lewis
• 2013 Julia Woods
• 2014 Mary Fisk Taylor
• 2015 Sarah Smith
• 2016 Ralph Romaguera, Sr.
• 2017 Timothy Walden
• 2017 Beverly Walden
• 2018 Trey Homan
• 2018 Elizabeth Homan
• 2019 David Peters
• 2020 Allison Tyler Jones
• 2021 Gary Box
• 2022 Lindsey Betz

The Board of Directors may present the Director's Award. The Board, in any one calendar year, can present no more than two Directors Awards. This award is granted by a three -quarters vote of the Board of Directors. This award was established in 1958, and is not necessarily awarded each year.

• 1958 Arthur E. Pohlman,
• 1959 David B. Eisendrath, Jr.
• 1960 Virginia Stern
• 1963 Kenneth Carson,
• 1964 Jeanne Lindquist
• 1965 Elbridge C. Purdy
• 1966 Wesley Bowman
• 1968 Harper Leiper
• 1970 Claude E Palmer
• 1973 Rudolph. Guttosch
• 1976 William A. Reedy
• 1977 Greer Lile, Sr.
• 1977 Antonio D. Ricca,
• 1977 Morton A. Sobin,
• 1981 William J. Anton
• 1982 Hugo Brooks
• 1982 Howard Hood
• 1983 William M. Krider
• 1983 Hugo Brooks
• 1984 Frank H. Gould
• 1985 Robert Opfer,
• 1986 Gerhard Bakker
• 1987 Donald Beyer
• 1987 Walt Hawkins
• 1990 Jerry Grier
• 1990 Phil Kummerer
• 1992 Bob Duncanson
• 1992 Don Duncanson
• 1992 Harry Duncanson
• 1992 Ann Monteith
• 1993 Irl Smith
• 1993 Irene Smith
• 1994 Joe Craig
• 1994 Dominic Iodice
• 1994 Evangeline C. Parker
• 1995 William W. Carrier, Jr.
• 1995 PPA Staff
• 1996 Edgar Lobit, Jr.
• 1996 Theresa A. Saylor
• 1997 Richard Rader
• 1997 Photographic Exhibitions Committee: Ralph Romaguera, Tim Mathiesen, Hud Andrews, Dennis Craft, Kaye Frey, Michael Taylor, Richard Turner
• 1998 Dewees Crockett
• 1998 Theresa Saylor
• 1999 Jack Avalos
• 1999 Eddie Tapp
• 2000 Bob Stevenson
• 2001 DeWees Crockett
• 2001 Gary Jentoft
• 2002 Jerry Maurer
• 2003 Don Blair
• 2003 Emile Navarre
• 2004 Wilma Lewis
• 2005 Barbara Bovat
• 2005 BIC Committee Members: Steven Larson, Stacey Friedlein, Aletha Speakar, Craig Schmidt
• 2006 Frederick "Rick" Massarini
• 2006 Raymond "Ray" Linesch
• 2007 Warren Motts
• 2007 Cecil Kersh
• 2008 Buddy Stewart
• 2008 Terry Deglau
• 2009 John L. Shipman
• 2009 D. John McCarthy
• 2009 Janie Stockton
• 2010 Deborah Scott
• 2010 Horace Holmes
• 2010 Yvonne C. Holmes
• 2011 Louis H Foisy
• 2011 Thomas A. Wintz
• 2012 Ron Nichols
• 2013 Robert Lloyd
• 2013 Bill Weaks
• 2014 Sarah Johnston
• 2014 Jessica Vogel
• 2015 Loretta Byrd
• 2015 Art Swenson
• 2016 Louis Tonsmeire
• 2017 Doug Box
• 2018 Caroll VanDeventer
• 2018 Jamie Hayes
• 2019 Mark Garber
• 2020 Bryan Welsh
• 2021 Booray Perry
• 2022 Audrey Wancket

The PPA Volunteer of the Year Award is presented in honor of Gary Jentoft. It is presented in recognition of  distinguished association service and support to PPA which exemplifies the commitment that PPA member volunteers contribute to the success of PPA. The award is not necessarily conferred each year.

• 2013 Gary Jentoft
• 2014 Harvey Goldstein
• 2015 Keith Howe
• 2016 Rick Gibbons
• 2017 Loretta Byrd
• 2019 Kevin Jiminez
• 2020 Dave Johnson & Aletha Speakar
• 2021 Trish Logan
• 2022 Art Solomon

George W. Harris Award is presented to individuals for distinguished service to photography. Mr. Harris specified that “the medal be a token of high esteem to an individual who by his ability, ingenuity and gracious sharing of his talents has bequeathed to photography an achievement of service of far reaching value.” Only twenty medals were struck, and the award is not necessarily conferred each year. As of 2004, all 20 medals have been awarded.

• 1951 George Kossuth
• 1952 Gen. George W. Goddard
• 1953 Will Towels
• 1954 Carl W. Blakeslee
• 1955 Yousuf Karsh
• 1956 William Gerdesq
• 1957 Paul Linwood Gittings
• 1958 Captain Edward Steichen
• 1959 Dr. Harold E. Edgerton
• 1960 Louis Fabian Bachrach
• 1963 Adolf Fassbender
• 1965 Frederick Quellmalz
• 1968 Alvin W. Streitmatter
• 1975 Frank E. Oberkoetter
• 1980 William A. Sawyer, Jr.
• 1986 Robert Opfer
• 1996 Tom McDonald
• 1996 Alice McDonald
• 2000 Abe Orlick
• 2004 Helen Yancy

Gerhard Bakker Award may be presented annually to an individual, school, company or organization that best epitomizes outstanding service through education in the field of photography and visual communications. The award is not necessarily conferred each year, and a maximum of 25 may be given. As of 2014, all 25 have been awarded.

• 1990 Eastman Kodak
• 1991 Ernst Wildi
• 1992 Frank Cricchio
• 1993 Edwin S. Purrington
• 1994 Richard Turner
• 1995 Charles H. Haynes
• 1996 Don C. Blair
• 1997 Mark Roberts
• 1997 Bruce Smith
• 1998 Helen K. Yancy
• 1999 Joyce Wilson
• 2000 Dean Collins
• 2001 Tom McDonald
• 2002 Ann Monteith
• 2003 Eddie Tapp
• 2004 Monte Zucker
• 2005 Don Dickson
• 2007 Timothy Walden
• 2007 Beverly Walden
• 2008 Hanson Fong
• 2009 Kenneth Whitmire
• 2010 Donald Jack
• 2012 Julieanne Kost
• 2013 Doug Box
• 2014 Tony Corbel

PPA Jurors Meritorious Service Award is awarded in recognition of outstanding service to the profession and dedication to the improvement of the PPA International Print Competition and Annual International Exhibition of Professional Photography. The award is not necessarily conferred each year.

• 1995 Harold L. Bovee
• 1996 Kurt F. Jafay
• 1997 Ronald Laramie
• 1998 Frank Cricchio
• 1999 Bruce Smith
• 2000 Robert Opfer
• 2001 Richard Turner
• 2002 Marvel Nelson
• 2003 Ralph Pyle, Jr.
• 2004 Robert Golding
• 2005 Kurt F. G. Jafay
• 2006 Mildred “Millie” Totushek
• 2007 Tom McDonald
• 2008 Bill Weaks
• 2009 William Stevenson
• 2010 Duncan S. MacNab
• 2011 Warren Motts
• 2012 Helen Yancy
• 2014 Dennis Craft
• 2014 Dave Swoboda
• 2015 Tim Mathiesen
• 2016 Randy McNeilly
• 2017 John Shipman
• 2018 Barry Rankin
• 2019 Dave Huntsman
• 2020 Joan Genest
• 2021 Rick Avalos
• 2022 Don Dickson

The PPA Vanguard Award is presented in honor of Helen K. Yancy. This Award will be presented to individuals for distinguished service to photography. The Award shall be given to an individual who, by their ability, ingenuity, and selfless sharing of talents, has enriched the profession of photography and provided service of far-reaching value. The award is not necessarily conferred each year

• 2007 Marvel Nelson
• 2009 Bob Lloyd
• 2010 Ann Monteith
• 2011 Gary Jentoft
• 2012 Bruce Hudson
• 2013 Donald Emmerich
• 2014 David Ziser
• 2015 Tim Kelly
• 2016 Terry Deglau
• 2017 Tony Corbell
• 2018 Ed Pedi
• 2019 Arthur Rainville
• 2020 Michael E. Timmons
• 2021 Audrey Woulard
• Sandra Pearce

Honorary Master of Photography (abbreviated "Hon.M.Photog.") shall be awarded to individuals who have rendered exceptional service to the photographic profession or this Association. Recipients of this degree need not be members of this Association. Upon completion of his or her term of office, the President shall automatically be awarded the degree of Honorary Master of Photography.

• 1880 John F. Ryder
• 1881 John Carbutt
• 1882 Joshua Smith
• 1883 J.E. Beebe
• 1884 J.H. Kent
• 1885 James Landy
• 1886 W.H. Potter
• 1887 Gustave Cramer
• 1888 E. Decker
• 1889 M. MacMichael
• 1890 J.M. Appleton
• 1891 George H. Hastings
• 1892 W.G. Entrekin
• 1893 Francis A. Place
• 1894 Adam Hemiberger
• 1895 John S. Schneider
• 1896 R.P. Bellsmith
• 1897 Charles M. Hayes
• 1898 J. Will Kellmer
• 1899 Fitz W. Guerin
• 1900 Simon L. Stein
• 1901 E. B. Core
• 1902 George M. Edmonson
• 1903 J. George Nussbaumer
• 1904 Cicero R. Reeves
• 1905 George G. Holloway
• 1906 Charles W. Hearn
• 1907 C.J. Van Deventer
• 1908 Frank W. Medlar
• 1909 Frank R. Barrows
• 1910 A.T. Proctor,
• 1911 George W. Harris
• 1912 Ben Larrimer
• 1913 Chas. F. Townsend
• 1914 Manly W. Tyree
• 1915 Will H. Towles
• 1916 L.A. Dozer
• 1917 Ryland W. Phillips
• 1918 Ryland W. Phillips
• 1919 Ryland W. Phillips
• 1920 Charles L. Lewis
• 1921 Howard D. Beach
• 1922 G.L. Hostetler
• 1923 A.H. Diehl
• 1924 Clarence Stearns
• 1925 Wm. H. Manaham
• 1926 James H. Brakebill
• 1927 Alva C. Townsend
• 1928 Alva C. Townsend
• 1929 John R. Snow
• 1930 Charles Aylett
• 1931 D.D. Spellman
• 1932 George D. Stafford
• 1933 J.W. Scott
• 1934 J.W. Scott
• 1935 J.W. Scott
• 1936 George D. Stafford
• 1937 James M. Caulfield
• 1938 Fred R. Bill
• 1939 George F. Grignon
• 1940 A.R. Buehman
• 1941 Charles H. Groene
• 1942 William Gerdes
• 1943 William Gerdes
• 1944 William Gerdes
• 1945 William Gerdes
• 1946 William Gerdes
• 1947 James E. Thompson
• 1948 J. Anthony Bill
• 1949 Walton Reeves
• 1950 Willard C. Martin
• 1951 Lawrence Inman
• 1952 Clifton L. Voss
• 1953 Kenneth M. Wright
• 1954 Paul Linwood Gitings
• 1955 James Pickands, II
• 1956 Laurence Blaker
• 1957 R.R. Hutchison
• 1958 Louis F. Garcia
• 1959 Madison Geddes
• 1960 Robert L. Ball
• 1961 Lawton E. Osborn
• 1962 Winton B. Medlar
• 1963 James E. Hampson
• 1964 Wesley Bowman
• 1965 Harper Leiper
• 1966 Hught W. Tribble
• 1967 Claude F. Palmer
• 1968 William W. Carrier, Jr.
• 1969 Earl G. Stanton
• 1970 Floyd M. Roberts
• 1971 Rudolph J. Guttosch
• 1972 Charles H. Haynes
• 1973 Jerry A. Smolka
• 1974 John E. Smucker
• 1975 Ryland A. Taylor,
• 1976 Ted Sirlin
• 1977 George S. Heilpern
• 1978 Irving J. Newman
• 1979 Charles L. Geiger, Jr.,
• 1980 Bill Bell
• 1981 Frank W. Warner,
• 1982 Kermit Buntrock
• 1983 Robert M. Opfer
• 1984 Frank Cricchio
• 1985 Ross Sanddal
• 1986 Lawrence E. Anspaugh
• 1987 Archie E. McDearmid
• 1987 June Youngren
• 1988 Roland Laramie
• 1989 Morton A. Sobin
• 1990 Warren E. Motts
• 1991 Gil Ford
• 1992 Evangeline Chase Parker
• 1993 Colbert P. Howell
• 1994 John T. Miele, Jr.
• 1995 Marvel Nelson
• 1996 William L. Martinelli
• 1997 Helen K. Yancy
• 1998 Bert Behnke
• 1999 Bill L. Bruton
• 1999 Donna McMahon
• 2000 Donald Mitchell
• 2000 Linda McCartney
• 2001 Dominic Iodice
• 2002 William F. Stevenson
• 2002 Donald Burrell
• 2003 Stephen C. Best
• 2005 Robert Lloyd
• 2006 Ann K. Monteith
• 2007 Michael G. Taylor
• 2007 Monte Zucker
• 2008 Jack Reznicki
• 2009 Dennis D. Craft
• 2009 Al Hopper
• 2010 Ron Nichols
• 2011 Louis Tonsmeire
• 2012 Don Dickson
• 2013 Tim Walden
• 2014 Ralph Romaguera, Sr.
• 2014 Kenny Rogers
• 2015 Susan Michal
• 2016 Michael Timmons
• 2017 Lori Craft
• 2018 Rob Behm
• 2019 Tony Corbell
• 2019 Stephen Thetford
• 2020 Audrey Wancket
• 2021 Gregory Daniel
• 2022 Mary Fisk-Taylor

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual whose life's work has enriched the photographic industry and the profession as a whole. PPA periodically recognizes a photographer for a lifetime of service and innovation to the field of professional photography. When this award is given, a suitable space is to be set aside for a display of his/her work. The first award was presented in 2000.

• 2000 John Howell
• 2001 Gordon Parks
• 2002 Arnold Newman
• 2003 Jay Maisel
• 2004 Joseph Zeltsman
• 2006 Joyce Wilson
• 2007 Albert Gilbert
• 2008 Frank Cricchio
• 2009 Anne Geddes
• 2010 Bill McIntosh
• 2012 Joyce Tenneson
• 2013 Greg Gorman
• 2015 Peter Lik
• 2016 Ken Whitmire
• 2017 Robert Freson
• 2018 Tom McDonald
• 2020 Helen Yancy
• 2021 Ken Burns
• 2022 Pete Souza

PPA Charities Legacy Award recognizes outstanding service and commitment to PPA Charities and philanthropic endeavors.

• 1999 Don Burrell
• 2000 Steve Troup
• 2001 Skip Cohen
• 2001 Cindy Behnke
• 2008 Sandy Puc'
• 2009 Bert Behnke
• 2010 Rick Gibbons
• 2011 Mary Fisk-Taylor
• 2012 Angela and Matt Weedon
• 2013 Ann Monteith
• 2014 Texas School of Photography
• 2015 Britney and Simon Fullgraf
• 2016 Marathon Press
• 2017 Ralph Romaguera
• 2017 Cindy Romaguera
• 2018 David Grupa
• 2019 Randy Taylor

The PPA Technology Impact Award is presented to individuals in recognition of a unique and outstanding technological contribution to the field of photography. The first award was presented in 2010. The award is not necessarily conferred each year.

• 2010 Steve Sasson
• 2011 Thomas Knoll
• 2013 Graham Nash
• 2014 Peter and Fran Howlett
• 2015 Paul Buff
• 2016 Dr. Henry Oles
• 2017 Thomas Knoll
• 2018 Jim Clark
• 2018 Scott Hamilton
• 2018 Steve Padnos
• 2019 Eddie Tapp
• 2021 Jeff Burton
• 2022 PhotoBiz

Ross Sanddal International Award is presented to individuals who have made major contributions to promoting and developing professional photography on an international level.

• 1989 Ross Sanddal
• 1990 Dwight Barnes
• 1991 Mark Roberts
• 1992 Abe Orlick
• 1994 Evangeline Chase Parker
• 1995 John Howell
• 1997 Ted Sirlin
• 1998 Peter Dyer
• 1998 Charles Green
• 1999 June Youngren
• 2000 Mike Ono
• 2001 Jack Avalos
• 2001 Lolita Cantu
• 2002 Ralph Romaguera, Sr.
• 2002 Ray Lowe
• 2003 Sae Lee
• 2004 Michael G. Taylor
• 2005 Kenneth Love
• 2006 Chang Ho Kwan, Yong Bong Kim
• 2007 Don MacGregor
• 2008 Bert Behnke
• 2009 Warren Motts
• 2010 Zeng Yi
• 2011 Dave Newman

The PPA Education Award is presented in honor of Tom McDonald. This award may be presented to an individual, school, company, or organization or affiliate that best epitomizes outstanding service through education in the field of photography and visual communications. The award is not necessarily conferred each year.

• 2015 Larry Peters
• 2016 Gary & Kathy Meek
• 2017 Texas School of Photography (PPA Affiliate School)
• 2018 Clay Blackmore
• 2019 Drake Busath
• 2020 David Ziser
• 2021 Hanson Fong
• 2022 Angela Kurkian

The Vendor of the Year Award is awarded to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to PPA and the photographic industry. The Board of Directors may choose to honor multiple Vendors in a given year. The award is not necessarily conferred each year.

• 2007 Steven J. Troup
• 2008 Doris Armstrong
• 2009 Dan Steinhardt
• 2010 Hitoshi Doi
• 2011 Michael Hanline
• 2012 Joe Paglia
• 2013 Richard Miller
• 2014 Kevin Casey
• 2015 Mark Lane
• 2016 Lou George
• 2017 Max Alewel
• 2018 Shirley Haub and Wayne Haub

The PPA International Service Award is presented in honor of Warren Motts. This award is presented to individuals who have made major contributions in promoting and developing professional photography on an international level. The award is not necessarily conferred each year.

• 2013 Martin Graham Dunn
• 2014 Joseph and Louise Simone
• 2015 2013 World Cup Organizing Committee: Jørgen Brandt, Dennis Craft, Don Dickson, Don MacGregor, Neil Warner, Giuseppe Scozzi, Martin Vrabko
• 2016 Héctor H Herrera
• 2017 Marian Bliss Blake
• 2018 Noboru Okamoto
• 2019 Robert Lino
• 2020 Julieanne Kost
• 2021 Ronan Ryle
• Steve Saporito

Professional Photography Leadership Award (United Nations Award) is awarded in recognition of his/her service to the association and the photographic industry as a whole. The nominee shall be the immediate past Chairman of the PPA Board of Directors. This award is given at the discretion of the International Photographic Council.