International Freelance Photographers Organization
(IFPO)
Press Credentials
WHAT'S NEW (reprinted from Today's Photographer Magazine)
The press photographer's job is to face some of the toughest assignments in the world. While many assignments are fun and exciting, others are extremely challenging and sometimes even hazardous. Whatever the assignment, it's the press photographers of the world who furnish the images that support almost everything we see on a daily basis. From that perspective it is apparent the press photographer role is vital to our daily lives.
The IFPO press photographers have been covering major events around the world since 1986. Some of those have been easy to do, others have been tough, a few totally impossible. IFPO's job is to support the press photographers and offer the very best, up to date program that works. In that role, IFPO has just launched the new Gold Press Pass Credentials for IFPO members.
The new Gold Press Pass program embodies all the successful aspects of the original Press Program and incorporates new vital information and features needed based on the real experiences of our press photographers and the assignment editor of Today's Photographer International magazine. Collectively, the Gold Press bundle represents a total state-of-the-art "systems" approach designed to get you and your camera to the action.
The GOLD SEAL, which appears throughout the credentials, is emblazoned with the American Image PRESS logo and is designed to distinguish the new credentials with all of it's improvements, from the original landmark Press Program. The Gold Seal symbolizes a transition in the Press Program to address historic weaknesses in the program in a total way. It is a result of carefully reviewing every "gain access" situation we've experienced over the past 15 years, and coming up with a new program we expect will achieve markedly increased results across the board, for all kinds of events, all over the world.
ISSUING INFORMATION has been added to the credentials which is extremely valuable for gaining access in those particularly tough situations when credentials are being scrutinized for every piece of validating information. Nationality, sex, date and place of birth add verifiable information often required by uniformed officials in law enforcement, fire and emergency, the military, customs and immigration.
CLASSIFICATION is now based on a full 4-tier range of publishing credits starting at A for yet-to-be published photographers and reaching to AAAA for those who are published frequently.
COMPLETE BUNDLE of all credentials and Internet Verification is automatically shipped to those who enroll in the Gold Press Program. Members no longer have to decide whether the Badge style or Passport style credential works better for the events they cover or whether covering weekend or after-hours events warrants the Internet Verification option or not. You get it all.
INTERNET VERIFICATION: All Gold Press Pass holders will be assigned a verification code printed on the face of all the credentials. This code can be used to verify your assignment status with Today's Photographer magazine by press officials 24 hours a day EVERY day from anywhere in the world. The Internet Verification site is at www.aipress.com/verify.
VERIFICATION UPDATES: Now you can go online using your Verification Code and update your own Assignment Verification record. You can change your mailing address, add an email address or change other contact information in seconds.
PUBLISHING CREDITS: Now you can actually display the names of the publications that have published your photos right on your Internet Verification site so press officials can see your breadth of experience. And... you can use your Verification Code online and update your list of publishing credits as often as you like, without having to call the American Image office.
RECENT ASSIGNMENTS: Now you can display your recent assignments on your Verification site so press officials can see what kind of events you've been covering. And... you can use your Verification Code online to update your display of recent assignments as often as you like.
EXPIRATION DATE: At last, we have added an expiration date to our Press Credentials. As great as the "lifetime" press credentials may seem, there are big drawbacks. "No expiration date" is the single largest reason for problems being accepted in some venues, not to mention that photos become outdated. Gold Press Pass holders will be able to renew their credentials every 3 years to keep them current, and they will get a whole new set with each renewal.
NEW LOW PRICE of only $99 (price on this site = $79.20) is a full $129 SAVING off the price of the previous program for all the credentials and options. But remember, the programs are not equivalent.
NEW FEATURES: The Gold Press Pass program has features enumerated here that aren't even available in the previous program. The addition of door-opening "Publishing Credits" and "Recent Assignments" alone may achieve more in gaining new access as our original Press Program concept born in 1985.
Try it out! Take a test drive of the new features in the Gold Press Pass program. We have set up a special demo verification code of 12345ABC. Just go online to www.aipress.com/verify, click on VERIFY and enter the special demo verification code 12345ABC. The test contact information will be displayed as a press official would see it. Click "BACK" on your browser to return to the www.aipress.com/verify page and this time click on UPDATE. Next, enter the demo verification code 12345ABC. This time you will be presented with a screen that allows you to modify and update the demo contact information as well as enter "Recent Assignments" and "Publishing Credits." Make all the changes you want and click on SAVE. To check that all of your changes will be viewed by press officials, go back to the verify page, click VERIFY, enter the demo code and view the updated information!
Finally, without question, the Gold Press Pass program offers the most complete array of services ever for IFPO press photographers.
(Includes Press Passport, Badge Card, Wallet Card, Assignment Letter and Verification.)
Frank Zipperer, IFPO Authorized Independent Distributor #41762.
All statements and claims made in this offer are taken directly from the AI News Service website.
