APA | SD is the Southwest regional chapter of America Photographic Artists (APA), the country’s leading nonprofit advocate for professional photographers and image makers. We support a diverse community of visual storytellers working across commercial, editorial, advertising, fashion, portraiture, documentary, lifestyle, fine art, and other photographic disciplines.

We organize events, negotiate benefits for our members, host educational programs and seminars, promote our members’ work, organize exhibitions and photo contests, and advocate for artists’ rights and copyright.

Our goal is to establish, endorse, and promote professional practices, standards, and ethics within the photographic community. We seek to mentor, motivate, educate, and inspire photographers in the pursuit of excellence, while championing the value of professional image makers and providing a collective voice within the photographic industry in the United States and around the world.

Members include professional photographers, photo assistants, educators, and students. We also welcome professionals engaged in fields associated with photography, advertising, or visual arts but who themselves are not professional photographers. Membership types can be found HERE, frequently asked questions HERE.

History

APA began in 1981 as Advertising Photographers of America. In June 2010, the name was changed to American Photographic Artists to the reflect the growing diversity of our membership. Our founding members, educated through the school of hard-knocks, started APA with the vision of mentoring the next generation of visual communicators.

Now in our fourth decade, APA provides the tools that help members navigate the complex world of commercial photography and run a smarter, more creative and profitable business. Original board members included; Russell Kirk, John Pilgreen, Michael Raab, Larry Robins, Jim Salzano, Steve Steigman, Bill Stetner and Michael Weinberg. In June 2010, the name was changed to reflect its growing need for a moniker that more accurately represents is current and future membership. Whether one is an advertising photographer, editorial, fine art, landscape, architectural shooter, or any kind of photographer, affiliate or assistant whose commerce is the uniquely crafted image, then American Photographic Artists, still known as APA, is the organization which aspires to support your success in the photographic arts.