TAPPA's Mission:

The Tampa Area Professional Photographers Association exists solely for the benefit of its members. To promote and provide educational opportunities to aid members in achieving their business and artistic goals; to encourage an ongoing exchange of knowledge, resources and information amongst its members, to build their businesses and raise the standards of the profession in general; to impprove the public's awareness and appreciation for the Art of Professional Photography; and through education, ethical standards, cooperation and self-improvement encourage the members to provide the highest quality photographic product possible.

 

 
TAPPA meets on the second Tuesday of each month at the Doubletree Hotel at 4500 W. Cypress Ave., (one block from Westshore Blvd.). The members gather for networking at 6:00, dinner at 6:30, and the meeting begins at 7:30. After the general business is conducted, the seminar begins! Each month TAPPA brings in a professional with an exciting new program designed to educate and entertain us all. Meetings typically end between 9:30 and 11:00 PM. Map to Doubletree Hotel.
 

TAPPA provides several avenues of education, knowledge and ideas for newcomers and old-timers alike.
TAPPA members are kept informed on the latest association and industry info through our continuously updated TAPPA website, and our monthly newsletter, The TAPPA Tribune, published January through November.

TAPPA's Scholarship Program is funded throughout the year by our monthly 50/50 drawing, our annual equipment auction, and a special full-day Scholarship Monday Seminar. TAPPA proudly awarded over $1,800 in scholarship money in 2008 for TAPPA members to attend FPP and PPA sponsored events.

TAPPA also maintains a Library of instructional DVD's by some of the leading photographers in the country, and it is FREE to all TAPPA members.

Door prizes, generously donated by some of the industry's leading Sponsors, are given away at each monthly TAPPA seminar.

 

Our Print Competition Committee, aka "Print Education" conducts a "Print of the Month" competition in which members get to vote for their favorite images in each category. Twice a year we bring in 3 qualified judges from around the state to score and critique our prints in a formal competition. Ribbons are awarded monthly and plaques are awarded at our Annual Awards Presentation each January.

Print Competition rules may be found here.
Monthly Print competition winners may be found here.
Entry forms for print competition may be found here.

 

Semi-Annual Salon Competition Rules - PDF Format

Below you will find the Official Rules for entering TAPPA's semi-annual formal print competition. Should you have any questions, you can contact the Salon Chairman, Melissa Sewell. Entry forms and Labels are available in PDF format, or in our newsletter, The TAPPA Tribune. Get the Salon Rules in PDF format by clicking here. Get the Print of the Month rules in PDF format from here.

#1) ELIGIBILITY: Any PROFESSIONAL, ASSOCIATE, ASPIRING, or STUDENT TAPPA member whose dues are current.

#2) ENTRY FEES: The entry fee for print competition is:

  • $5 if you are attending the competition.
  • $15 if you are not attending.
NOTE: There is no entry fee for the monthly "Print of the Month" competition.

#3) ENTRIES ALLOWED: You are allowed to enter from one to six (1-6) entries of either prints and/or albums. Images that have already merited in any TAPPA Salon are ineligible. Images that have already competed in the TAPPA Salon, but did not merit, will be allowed.

#4) IDENTIFICATION OF ENTRIES: The name of the maker, the entry number from the entry form, and the classification must appear in the top center of the back of each entry. (See forms to fill out and attach to each entry). Titles are optional and if no title is provided, a number will be assigned by the competition committee for identification purposes. The name of the maker is not allowed on the front of any entry. A title may appear in the image if the title is an integral part of that image.

#5) PRINT CASES AND DEADLINES: TAPPA suggests that all entries be delivered in standard 16x20 or 20x24 fiber or metal cases. You may also choose to deliver your entries in a box or plastic bag. Regardless of the case style, TAPPA will assume no liability for damage done to your images during competition. Only one (1) individual's entries are allowed per case. All cases must be received by the salon committee on or before 6:30 PM on the day of judging.

#6) CLASSIFICATION OF ENTRIES: Entries must be designated by the entrant in one of the five (5) categories listed on the entry form. If the chairman feels the entry is placed in an incorrect category, he/she may change the entry's category. Color and Black & White images will be judged together in all categories.

#7) CATEGORIES:
PORTRAIT: This category includes portraits of men, women, children, couples (2 people), groups (3 or more), and environmental portraits.
STORYBOOK: This category is for albums that document an event, such as a Wedding, Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Anniversary, etc. It is also for albums that document an individual(s) and is geared to tell a story.
SOCIAL FUNCTION: This category includes bridal portraits, wedding portraits, wedding candids and Bar/Bat Mitzvah portraits on location.
COMMERCIAL: This category includes illustrative, industrial, architectural, and product photography. Live models may be used for these entries.
UNCLASSIFIED: This category includes abstracts, pictorials (non-portrait), figure studies, animals, and photojournalism.
ELECTRONIC IMAGING: This category includes digital retouching, digital colorization, digital restoration, or digital illustrative images where the entrant’s intent is to display their digital expertise. All the digital work must have been done by the entrant of the work. These images may be submitted as either 16x20 or 20x24.

On all entries for digital restoration or digital retouching, a “before” image is required. This image may be either mounted separately on an 8x10 and attached to a 16x20, or be part of the 20x24 print.

#8) MOUNTING: For all categories (except E.I.), images may be any size up to 16x20 inches, however, all prints must be permanently mounted on a 16x20 inch mat or foam board. All images in the E.I. category may be submitted as either 16x20 or 20x24 and must be mounted. The combined thickness of the print and mount shall be a minimum of 1/8 inch and a maximum of 1/4 inch. No “stand-out” mounts will be allowed. Any entries that have foreign material on the front of the print that the chairman feels will damage other entries will be disqualified. Tear sheets are encouraged, but not required in the commercial category. Tear sheets must be enclosed in an envelope and attached to the bottom center on the back of the entry.

#9) SCORING PROCEDURE AND JUDGING:
The following point system will be used:
  • 100-95 Exceptional
  • 94-90 Superior
  • 89-85 Excellent
  • 84-80 Very Good
  • 79-76 Good
  • 75-74 Average
  • 73-70 Fair 69-0 Unacceptable
All entries receiving initial scores of 78 to 81 will be automatically reviewed for re-judging. On re-judging, the change of a score is by majority vote of the judges. The final score will be the official score on these and any other challenged entries. A three person panel of judges will consist of Masters of Photography or holders of the Florida Degree of Photographic Excellence. Lighting specifications will be to PPA standards.

#11) COMPETITION CHAIRMAN: The Chairman will have the authority to decide any questions not specifically covered by these rules. The decision will be final. All entries not following these rules will be automatically disqualified.

#12) AWARDS: Ribbons will awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place in each category provided they score an 80 or above. Merit ribbons will be awarded to all prints scoring an 80 or above. A Best of Show ribbon will be awarded to the print judged best by the panel of judges.

 

If you're a professional photographer, joining TAPPA could likely be one of the most important business decisions you may ever make.

If you're a prospective client, hiring a TAPPA member means you're hiring someone who is serious about the quality of the images they produce, and is continuously networking with other professionals to provide you with the kind of work you'd expect from a professional photographer.