The 2027 SPASA Awards of Excellence may still feel a little way off, but now is the perfect time to start preparing. Don’t wait until entries open to capture your best work. Longer days, great weather and projects at different stages give you more opportunities to gather the images, information and supporting material you’ll need for a standout entry.
Capture your projects from a variety of angles, including wide shots, details and the spaces in use. Think water in motion, people swimming, entertaining areas and surrounding landscaping. And while a twilight hero shot can make an impact, don’t forget strong daytime images that clearly showcase the design, finishes and details.
Entering a business category? Photograph your showroom, retail store or office while it’s looking its best, capturing both the overall space and the details that tell your story. For people categories, professional doesn’t have to mean a corporate headshot. Consider photos on site, beside a completed project or somewhere that connects the person to the industry.
Working on a Pool Construction project? Part of entering is telling the story behind the project and explaining its complexity. Keep notes on the client brief, design considerations, construction challenges, innovative solutions, materials, products and the details that make the project unique. For renovation projects, remember to capture before and after photos too.
Most categories also require written content, such as a customer brief, promotional blurb and project or product description. Starting these early gives you time to capture the important details while they’re fresh and refine your wording before entries open.
It’s also a good idea to start gathering supporting documents. Depending on the category, these may include building contracts, approved plans and owner approval, or customer and manager reviews for People, Business and Product entries. Having them ready now means one less thing to chase later.
Before entering the 2027 Awards, make sure your SPASA membership is current and that your membership type aligns with the categories you plan to enter. For example, a Pool Inspector membership cannot be used to enter a Build and Installation category.
We’ve heard your feedback and are working behind the scenes to evolve the SPASA Awards of Excellence in 2027 to recognise and celebrate the effort your business has made in the last 12 months. We’ll be sharing more soon. In the meantime, any questions about the Awards can be directed to Jamie Smith at [email protected].