Frequently Asked Questions

We have broken up the FAQ section into smaller categories:

  • Contest Award Medallions
  • Client Letters
  • FPJA Icon
  • Listing Options
  • Listing Ranking
  • Ranking Badges
  • WPJA Logos

Contest Award Medallions

What is a Gold Medallion?  

A Gold Medallion is an emblem awarded to WPJA members whose images were selected by four of four judges in a contest. This sought-after achievement medal appears as an icon next to the member listings throughout the site.

Pre-2018: A Gold Medallion was awarded to first, second, or third place in any WPJA contest category.

What is a Blue Medallion? 

A Blue Medallion is an emblem awarded to WPJA members whose images were selected by three of four judges in a contest.

Pre-2018: The Blue Medallion was awarded to WPJA members whose images receive fourth through twentieth place in any WPJA contest category.

What is a Purple Medallion? 

A Purple Medallion is an emblem awarded to WPJA members whose images were selected by two of four judges in a contest.

What is a Green Medallion? 

A Green HONOR AWARD Medallion is an emblem awarded to members by the WPJA staff at the end of a contest year as an honorable mention.

Client Letters 

The WPJA Client Letters feature allows member photographers to post actual letters of appreciation they have received from their wedding photojournalism clients. These are not endorsements, recommendations or canned testimonials.

FPJA Icon 

Some WPJA members are also part of the Family Photojournalist Association, an organization devoted to accrediting and promoting the expertise of family photographers who deploy still-photography reportage and documentary authenticity to tell the story of the family.

Listing Options

How do I obtain additional regional listings?

The WPJA makes provision for the inevitable need within the wedding photography industry for travel. Members' yearly membership fees automatically include one listing in their home area. Members interested in additional regional or international listings may receive up to five for free. Members are limited to five additional regional and/or international listings. Some of the larger U.S. states, such as California, Texas and New York have been split up. Having a 'multiple-regions listing' within the same state (as in the case of these three larger states) still counts as one state; however each of the sublistings count as discussed above.

Listing Ranking

How do I get to the top of my regional listing page?

NOTE: The following ranking methods were made effective on 8/31/05.

Member ranking on each page of the WPJA web site is based primarily on participation in WPJA contests. Members will move up their regional listing pages even if they don't win. A Top 10 winning image could quite possibly place a member in the #1 spot on their page. Generally, WPJA members are listed on the site regionally, according to their primary business location. Within these local pages, there is more ranking--the order goes as follows (top to bottom):

  • Photographers with the most points after each WPJA contest. This includes placement points (1st-20th place), as well as participation points. Each contest entry receives one participation point.
  • Members not entering the contests (ranking based on results from previous contest).
  • Photographers from other areas that request extra state listings. Those with highest points will be featured at the highest levels available for out-of-state listings.

Ranking BAdges

NOTE: The following ranking methods were made effective on 9/05/17.

WPJA member profiles can show, for example: Currently Ranked in the "Top 3” for a city "Top 10" in a country or in the “Top 50” of a continent. Members get to choose which of the ranking results, determined for the home area where they're listed, to display on their profile. The results show "Currently Ranked" and are auto-generated based on the points a member won most recently in a WPJA contest.