AIPA NEWS: FEBRUARY 2006

Welcome to the first AIPA News column in The Photographer’s Mail - it has certainly been a long time coming.

I would like to thank TPM for giving us the opportunity to contribute to this fine publication and congratulate them on reaching the milestone of 151 issues.

As a number of readers may be oblivious to our very existence I thought I would begin with a very brief history and description of the Advertising and Illustrative Photographers Association (AIPA).

The AIPA was founded in the spring of 1978 by a small group of photographers who felt there was a need for more communication with regard to issues specific to commercial photography. This founding group knew that people working in the advertising and editorial fields were very individualistic characters (i.e. non-joiners of traditional groups) so the rules and aims of the association were framed to allow for that independence. Later that year the Association became an incorporated society.

The aims of the AIPA are:
> To promote higher standards in commercial photography.
> To advance and sponsor advertising and illustrative photography as a means of communication and expression.
> To actively assist those people working in these areas whose ideals are sympathetic to those of the Association through publications, workshops, exhibitions and other means.
> To promote and cultivate public interest in photography both as an art form and a communication medium.

At present the association’s primary concern continues to be the issue of Copyright. We are determined to become a strong advocate for law change in this area, as well as supporting photographers in their individual decisions to contract out of NZ’s current copyright law.

Education for current and future photographers has also become a priority for the AIPA. Informative and inspirational seminars are now a regular part of the yearly calendar and are open to all photographers.

The Association’s primary means of marketing and communication is the AIPA website which is constantly evolving and expanding. It contains a wealth of information for photographers and their clients as well as showcasing the work of our very talented members.

Exhibitions, publishing projects and social events all have their place in the AIPA calendar.

And that, in a nutshell, is what the AIPA is all about. I look forward to telling you about the exciting initiatives planned for 2006 and beyond in future issues of The Photographer’s Mail.

Aaron K
AIPA President





 Photo: Simon Devitt