United by a common aim to challenge the then unreasonable demands of model agencies, it brought together professional photographers in order to protect their rights and promote photography.

It has an administrative office (only) at 2nd Floor, 201 Haverstock Hill, London, NW3 4QG, United Kingdom.

It negotiated the reforms which led to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as well as developed the AOP standards of practice, which afford photographers greater protection and control of their work; and wrote Beyond the Lens, the guide to rights, ethics and best business practice in professional photography.

The Association publishes information of particular interest to photographers concerned with their intellectual property rights and business practice.

Today, the Association is engaged with policy matters for photographers, image-makers, and related creative service providers, on issues affecting their livelihoods, which includes fair pay and contracts, enforcement of IP rights, such as copyright, and generative-AI.