Professional Photographers of America

Professional Photographers Of America

This organization was formed in April 1880 as the Photographers Association of America, Inc., by members of the Chicago Photographic Association and the National Photographic Association. The name was changed to Professional Photographers of America, Inc. (PPA), in 1958 to distinguish the association from emerging amateur photography organizations. In 1993 the Association moved its headquarters from Chicago to Atlanta. With more than 22,000 members in 64 countries worldwide, Professional Photographers of America is the largest, non-profit trade association for professional photographers in the world.

PPA is an association that seeks to help its members advance their careers by increasing the members’ business acumen as well as broaden their creative range. In fact, their mission is as follows:

The Professional Photographers of America, Inc., a worldwide association, exists to assist its members in achieving their professional, artistic, and fraternal goals; to promote public awareness of the profession; and to advance the making of images in all of its disciplines as an art, a science and a visual recorder of history.

PPA publishes Professional Photographer magazine, which celebrated its 100th year in 2007. Born in 1907, Professional Photographer is now the largest paid circulation magazine in the professional photographic industry and the official publication for Professional Photographers of America. No other magazine offers a more influential presentation of the people, trends, products, and photographs changing and defining the portrait, wedding and commercial photography landscape.