SPAA up close.

The Sports Photographers Association of America (SPAA) was founded in 2003, and became a division of PMA in 2005. The group had an educational tract running adjacent to PSPA sessions at PSPA 2006.

This year, SPAA will have its own conference--SPAA 2007. There are 12 SPAA Tutorial and Breakout Sessions, March 8-9, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

Has this incredible growth and interest in sports photography come as a surprise?

"Not to me, it hasn't," says Pete Taylor, a founding member of SPAA and current member of the SPAA Steering Committee.

"We predicted this growth correctly, and PPI Lab is now riding the wave of success due to those predictions being right," says Taylor, who is also CEO of PPI Lab Sports Center, Mobile, Ala.

For Taylor, however, the greatest satisfaction stems from sports photography gaining credibility in the larger photographic world, not to mention the venues where sports photographers market their services and share ideas.

"Prior to SPAA, there was no place for sports photographers to go for professional recognition, education, idea exchange, work evaluation, or even to develop the simple fellowship of our peers."

Then, too, youth leagues didn't exist at all in some areas, and were limited to several major team sports in other locales. Today, organized youth sports leagues are not only offering participation to younger and younger children, but also in such sports as soccer, hockey, and bowling.

Before SPAA, the principal way in which to market sports photography was through renting a booth at trade shows held by groups of athletic directors or at coaching clinics.

Some trade shows were statewide or regional, and that's where sports photographers began to meet each other and talk about common concerns.

"I'm very excited about working with PMA to create an SPAA program for accreditation, certification and recognition," Taylor explains. "Accreditation means sports photographers can give potential clients a means to check with a central information base to see if a photographer is safe to work with children and possesses ethical business practices.

"Certification, such as now exists for CPC and SPFE members, means prospective clients can be certain any photographer they hire possesses the knowledge and skills required to produce professional-quality work."

As for recognition, Taylor is speaking in large measure about recognition among other segments of the youth market. He notes there has always been a hierarchy of perceived value among all types of professional photographers, and for labs, too.

"I've been in photography for more than 30 years, and have done lots of different things, including photojournalism sports photography for the UPI wire service, to fashion photography; there's always a pecking order among those in the business."

New products are a driving force in the sports photography business, and Taylor notes the PMA 07 Trade Show is an event every SPAA member should attend.

"Youth sports is hot right now, and vendors are coming out with tons of new photo specialty and novelty products, many targeted for youth sports and created using the new extraordinary die-sublimation process; software companies showing new workflow software; and labs and ancillary companies with new products and packages for sports photographers, such as Memory Mates."

SPAA Traveling Seminar Program

PMA kicked off its first season of the SPAA Traveling Seminar Program in June 2006. Attended primarily by professional photographers wanting to shoot youth league action sports, team photos, and individual player portraits, the Seminar provided a 1-day learning experience; offered a valuable overview of both the required business skills and technical skills; and was taught by well-seasoned professionals, such as Larry Bashore, Jeff Glump, Delane B. Rouse, and Pete Taylor.

Some SPAA 2007 highlights

Whether a novice sports photographer or a pro, the SPAA 2007 Tutorial and Breakout Sessions offer something for everyone, with sessions devoted to business, marketing and technical photography skills.

For instance, the 4-hour "Youth Photography Tutorial," 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Thursday, March 8, will provide intellectual tools necessary to succeed in the competitive youth-posed sports photography business. The speakers will cover equipment selection, sales material design, product selection, posing, capture, output, sales/marketing, and more. The speakers include Frank Hadfield, The Perry Sports Photography Co.; Tom Hayes, Visual Image Photography; John Pittman, Sport Stars Inc.; and Richard Stevens, MAGco Sports Photo Products Inc.

The 4-hour 'Sports Action Photography Tutorial," 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Friday March 10, is a must for photographers used to shooting stationary subjects. A whole new strategy is needed when your subjects are not only in motion, but often motion that's not always predictable. The speakers are Ben Chen, Sports Pixel; and Ray Smith, Action Images Sports Photography.

To view more details about SPAA 2007 visit www.pmai.org/spaa.