What Is a Certified Professional Photographer and Why Does it Matter?
With the instant gratification of digital cameras, and the increasing amount of AI assisted photo editing software, the market is completely flooded with photographers. Sorting through the massive amount of websites and trying to determine who you can trust to deliver high quality images is dizzying. How can you really know if a photographer is worth hiring? You can take a risk and blindly choose one, but that doesn’t always end well. Friends, family and colleagues may suggest a photographer to you that they know but are they really good, or just a friend of the person recommending them? What if there was a standardized certification that could let you know if a photographer is worth hiring? You’re in luck…there is!
Professional Photographers of America (PPA), founded in 1868, is an organization that provides education, training and resources to photographers. One of the resources they offer is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) program. Candidates that wish to receive their certification must pass a grueling proctored exam covering all aspects of photography. The test covers subjects like exposure, white balance, lighting techniques, lighting ratios, printer and computer screen calibration, and more! After passing the exam, candidates then must submit photographs taken to exact specifications (similar to producing images for clients) that are reviewed for exposure, white balance, and all other technical aspects of image review. Once all images have been approved, the candidate is certified for a three year period. To maintain their certification, a photographer needs to retake the exam before their certification expires.
Hiring a Certified Professional Photographer gives you peace of mind. There is a very clear indication that the person you’re giving money to will provide you with professional, high quality images. You know that they are leaders in their field that know how to deliver a quality product to their client.
-Chris Thumm, CPP
For more information about PPA visit: https://www.ppa.com
For more information about PPA’s Certified Professional Photographer program visit: https://www.ppa.com/benefits/certification/cpp