The Associated Press has covered every Super Bowl since the first in 1967. Here’s a look at AP photographers, editors and technicians at work covering football’s biggest contest through the years.
As recently as the early 1990s, photographers were still “souping” film in makeshift darkrooms at the stadium. Transmitting a single color photo over phone lines from the big game took about a half-hour per photo. But the introduction of digital cameras and transmitters in the mid-1990s changed that, saving time and eventually improving technical quality.
Boston-based photographer Elise Amendola on the field during the NFL Super Bowl XX football game Jan. 26, 1986 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
From front, photo editors Spencer Jones, Rob Kozloff, Claudia Counts and Brian Horton work from a trailer for the NFL Super Bowl XXV football game in Tampa, January 1991. (AP Corporate Archives photo)
Photographers Mark Humphrey, foreground, of Nashville and Cliff Schiappa of Kansas City work at Leafax negative transmitters, sending photos from a trailer for the NFL Super Bowl XXV football game in Tampa, January 1991. (AP Corporate Archives photo)
Regional Photo Editor Melissa Einberg at the NFL Super Bowl XXXV football game in Tampa, Jan. 28, 2001. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Photo editor Brian Horton at the NFL Super Bowl XXXV football game in Tampa, Jan. 28, 2001. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Photographer Doug Mills, center, at the NFL Super Bowl XXXVI football game in New Orleans, Feb. 3, 2002. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Photo News Editor Stephanie Mullen, left, and photographer Ric Feld walk to the Superdome in New Orleans for NFL Super Bowl XXXVI football game, Feb. 3, 2002. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Boston-based photographer Elise Amendola prepares to make pictures of the trophy presentation to the Tampa Bay Bucs in NFL Super Bowl XXXVII football game Jan. 26, 2003 in San Diego, California. Amendola is wearing a backpack with a small laptop for transmitting images to the AP photo trailer. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
National Enterprise photographer Amy Sancetta uses a mini-disk recorder to collect audio from Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden’s press conference before the NFL Super Bowl XXXVII football game Jan. 23, 2003 in San Diego, California. (AP Photo)
Seattle-based photographer Elaine Thompson on the field following the NFL Super Bowl XXXVII football game Jan. 23, 2003 in San Diego, California. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
Sometimes the Super Bowl presents AP staff, who are brought together from around the U.S. to cover the game, the opportunity for a reunion. Certain traditions, like the deep frying of a turkey by the late photographer Dave Martin, provide staff a moment of respite and a chance to reconvene.
South Regional Photo Editor Dave Martin, right, deep fries a turkey outside the AP photo trailer at the Super Bowl in Detroit, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2006. Standing to the left of Martin is Global Photo Operations Manager Tim Donnelly. It had become a tradition for Martin to deep fry turkeys at major events for the enjoyment of AP staff and other journalists. Martin died after collapsing on the Georgia Dome field while covering the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Jan. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Cliff Schiappa)
Indianapolis-based photographer Mike Conroy on the field at the start of the NFL Super Bowl XL Feb. 5, 2006 in Detroit, Michigan. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
Global Photo Operations Manager Tim Donnelly, right, checks St. Louis-based photographer Jeff Roberson’s transmitting device on the field following the NFL Super Bowl XLI Feb. 4, 2007 in Miami, Florida. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
During 2013’s Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, the Baltimore Ravens were leading the San Francisco 49ers 28-6 when most of the lights in the 73,000-seat Superdome went out in the third quarter. While fans and players waited for the stadium to regain power, AP reporters and editors relied on AP generators and jet packs with Wi-Fi hotspots to continue covering the night’s events.
Deputy Director of Photography Denis Paquin, front left, and colleagues edit during the Super Bowl blackout, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, at the Superdome in New Orleans. (AP Photo/ Julie Jacobson)
Washington Assistant Chief of Bureau David Ake edits during the Super Bowl blackout, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, at the Superdome in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Photographers Matt Slocum, left, and Mark Humphrey, right, in red, cover Denver Broncos Peyton Manning during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII football game, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Technology specialist Jorge Nunez, far left, watches as Global Photo Operations Manager Tim Donnelly and Houston-based photographer David Phillip, right, install a robotic camera on the catwalk in preparation for the NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Denis Paquin)
Photographers David Phillip, left, and Morry Gash work on a robotic camera in preparation for the NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015. (AP Photo/Denis Paquin)
Photographer Charlie Riedel takes photos of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (not pictured) using a camera attached to a monopod during the NFL Super Bowl XLIX Media Day at the U.S. Airways Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kazdan)
Photographer Charlie Riedel takes photos from the stands during the NFL Super Bowl XLIX Media Day at the U.S Airways Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kazdan)
In recognition of the game’s rich history, AP is hosting a photo exhibit of its Super Bowl game coverage. “Super Moments, Superstars, Super Game—An Associated Press Exhibit” is on display at Gallery Glendale, 9830 W. Westgate Blvd., in Glendale, Arizona, until Feb. 1.
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