Continual Training in Photography

One of the best things I enjoy about photography is taking workshops on photography, not only do I practise and learn new photography, but I meet interesting people from across the country that has the same interest as I do. My latest training was a week long adventure to the MARS school of photography in Dewey Beach.

The Mid-Atlantic Regional School of Professional Photography (MARS) is an annual educational event for photographers that takes place over the course of several days. It is hosted by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and is held in various locations across the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

The goal of MARS is to provide photographers with an intensive learning experience that covers a wide range of topics related to the art and business of photography. The curriculum typically includes classes on lighting, posing, composition, marketing, and sales, as well as hands-on workshops and photo shoots.

In addition to the educational opportunities, MARS also provides networking opportunities for photographers to connect with each other and with industry professionals. Attendees can participate in social events, meet and greet sessions, and portfolio reviews.

MARS is open to both PPA members and non-members, but PPA members receive discounted registration fees. The event is typically held in the summer, and registration information can be found on the PPA website.

Why and how I became a Certified Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers of America, (PPA).

This is the second time I became a Certified Professional Photographer, (CPP), both times required studying hard and providing photographic examples of my ability in photography. The first time, was twenty years ago and I was working with local photography studio shooting weddings and portraiture. Today, I became a CPP to promote my own studio and photography.

Why becoming a certified professional photographer is essential for your photography career

Photography is an art that requires both skill and passion. Whether you’re just starting out or have been practicing for years, becoming a certified professional photographer can be essential to your career success. Not only does it show your expertise and commitment to the craft, but it also opens up new opportunities for growth and recognition in the industry. In this blog post, we’ll explore why getting certified as a professional photographer is crucial for taking your photography career to the next level. So grab your camera and let’s dive right in!

Introduction to Professional Photography

Aspiring photographers who want to take their careers to the next level should become certified professional photographers. Although certification is not required to work as a professional photographer, it can give you an edge over your competition and help you land better gigs.

Certified professional photographers must complete a rigorous examination process that tests their knowledge of photography techniques, lighting, and composition. They must also submit a series of images that fit a certain criteria for review. Once certified, professional photographers can use the credentials “CPP” after their names.

The benefits of becoming a certified professional photographer include increased credibility, opportunities to network with other professionals, and access to exclusive resources. If you’re serious about pursuing a photography career, becoming certified is a great way to set yourself apart from the rest.

Advantages of Becoming a Certified Professional Photographer

There are many advantages to becoming a certified professional photographer. Perhaps the most obvious is that it can help you get your foot in the photography door industry. Many employers prefer to hire photographers who have been certified by a professional organization such as the Professional Photographers of America (PPA).

Besides helping you get hired, being a certified professional photographer also shows that you are committed to your craft and that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to produce high-quality work. This can give you an edge over other photographers who are not certified.

Becoming a certified professional photographer can simply make you feel more confident in your abilities. Knowing that you have met certain standards set by your peers can give you a boost of confidence that can translate into better work.

How to Become a Certified Professional Photographer

If you want to be a professional photographer, you need to get certified. Certification proves that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to be a successful photographer. It also shows your commitment to your craft.

There are many ways to become a certified professional photographer. The most important thing is to find a program that is accredited by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Once you find an accredited program, you will need to complete a certain number of credit hours and pass an exam.

Once you are certified, you will use the Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) designation after your name. This designation will show potential clients that you are a serious photographer who has the skills and training necessary to produce high-quality photographs.

Benefits of Having a Certification

For advancing your photography career, having a certification can make all the difference. Certification from a reputable organization can show employers and clients that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to be a successful photographer. Many certifications offer continuing education opportunities that can help you keep your skills sharp and up-to-date.

In today’s competitive marketplace, having a certification can give you a leg up on the competition and help you land the jobs or clients you really want. So if you’re serious about taking your photography career to the next level, becoming a certified professional photographer is essential.

Requirements for Certification

As a professional photographer, we expect you to have a certain level of knowledge and skill in your field. In order to ensure that you meet these standards, many photography organizations offer certification programs. These certification programs typically involve passing an exam and/or completing a portfolio review.

Certification is not required to work as a professional photographer, but it can give you an edge over the competition. Many clients prefer to work with certified photographers, as they know they will be getting someone with a high level of expertise. Certification can help you land better jobs and command higher salaries.

If you’re serious about pursuing a career in photography, becoming certified is definitely something to consider.

Earning a Professional Photography Certification

Becoming a certified professional photographer is a process that requires both education and experience. To earn your certification, you’ll need to complete a certain amount of continuing education credits and pass an exam. Once you’ve earned your certification, you’ll be able to use it to show potential clients that you’re a qualified professional.

Earning a professional photography certification typically involves the following steps:

1. Complete a certain number of continuing education credits. In order to become certified, you’ll need to complete a specific number of continuing education credits. These can be earned through taking classes or attending workshops.

2. Pass an exam. Once you’ve completed the required number of credits, you’ll need to pass an exam in order to earn your certification.

3. Use your certification to market yourself as a qualified professional photographer. Once you’ve earned your certification, you can start using it to market yourself as a qualified professional photographer. This can help you attract more clients and opportunities.

Tips for Passing the Exam

If you’re thinking about becoming a certified professional photographer, there are a few things you should know. Foremost, certification is essential for anyone looking to make a career out of photography. Certification proves that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to be a professional photographer. It also gives you an edge over those photographers’ that are not certified for job opportunities.

There are a few different ways to become certified, but the most common is through the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). To become certified through the PPA, you must pass an exam that covers everything from camera basics to advanced post-processing techniques.

While the exam may seem daunting at first, there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself and increase your chances of passing. First, familiarize yourself with the content of the exam by studying the PPA’s practice questions. Then, create a study plan and stick to it. Give yourself plenty of time to study; rushing will only make things more difficult. Take practice exams under simulated test conditions so that you know what to expect on test day.

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a certified professional photographer!

Conclusion

Becoming a certified professional photographer is an essential part of any photography career. While it may intimidate at first, the rewards are definitely worth it. Not only does certification give you credibility and recognition in your field, but it also provides you with more opportunities for work, higher pay rates, and better networking possibilities. With its many benefits, becoming a certified professional photographer is undoubtedly one of the best investments you can make to ensure success in your photography business.

Attaining the Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) status from the Professional Photographers of America

It’s been twenty years since I was a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). My membership was from about 1995 to about 2005, I believe. I left the group because my main job assignments wasn’t what PPA was all about. Law enforcement and PPA just don’t mix. PPA wasn’t about law enforcement photographers.

When I wasn’t working as a law enforcement photographer, I was working on the side as a wedding and portrait photographer with a bit of theater photography thrown in. But when my primary job took more of my time, I could not plan for non-government photography assignments, it just wasn’t beneficial to me.

Living in Northern Virginia outside of Washington, D.C. has been good to me with a large amount of photography assignments. Since I recently retired with thirty-nine years of government service, it was time for me to start the next chapter of my photography career. I rejoined the PPA and hired a business coach. My first step outside of developing my business is to get my CPP status back and on May 3rd I just did that.

Shooting Video

For me it’s a novel experience, shooting video. Even with my day job, we have dedicated people who shoot video more than stills. So, I get little chance or need to take video at one of my government assignments. Well, when I started shooting real estate, that has changed.

My equipment is basic, DJI stabilizer and the iPhone. My post processing software is from my Adobe Creative Cloud suite, Premiere Pro.

I’m not currently videotaping my client, but I’m preparing with mobile audio equipment, just to be ready.

Here'smy first real estate video.

Making mistakes at my age.

You would think that at my age and for how long I’ve been working in photography, I would not make any mistakes.  You're not growing and learning if you don’t make a mistake here and there.  It’s really how you discover those mistakes and how you recover from them.

I was taking a class by National Geographic photographer, Sam Abell way back in the 90s.  It was on photojournalism but really on finding yourself in photography.  Sam is a good inspirational leader in photography and he told me it’s not wrong to go back to a scene, to an idea and keep creating images till you get it right.

Sure, you think that making a mistake or choice that did not work out is a purely amateur move.  But, if you're not taking chances, you're not growing as a photographer or as a professional.  You should always be learning in photography, or else your work will be stale, and not interesting.

I’ve always said, if you find a person who states they never make a mistake, then that person is lying, don’t waste your time and move on.  That person is just hiding behind his or her ego and only doing the same thing, never outside of their comfort zone.

One sign of a professional is that they check their work and get it right before they leave the scene or session.  If you don’t catch it, just fess up, be an adult and redo the photography.  But always remember what you did, so the next time it won’t happen again.   Sometimes you just can’t come back to the scene, and you lost that feeling you found at the photo session.

There are jobs you have to get right the first time: weddings, events dealing with people, crime scenes, autopsies, but especially events that people stage.  Some events you can re-stage, like parts of a wedding, or the run through of a theater play, but you know that ahead of time.

I just did a series of simple portraits of dogs with their handlers for a charity’s calendar.  Most of them came out great, just as I wanted, except the fourth guy and his dog. The autofocus focused on the background and my subjects are just enough out of focus that it has driven me nuts.

So, I get back to my desk and check out my camera. Sure enough, the focus was on single point and not wide field focus points.  The camera was doing its job and focusing on whatever my focus point was pointing to.  Just it wasn’t on my subject, but the background.

I’m currently waiting for a return email from the commanding officer of the K-9 team, hoping he will give me permission to rephotograph that guy with his K-9.  Lucky enough, the officer and his dog are stationed at the entry gate and where we did the photography the next day and I could photograph that team properly.

Another job this week, I was photography a townhouse that’s going on the market.  I decided not to set my aperture at my normal setting but two stops open.  I’m thinking with a 14mm lens I have depth of field.  I was wrong.  A bone head mistake.  I should have known better and I really do.  I mistaken the amount of depth of field I would have with that lens.

The job was a two-story townhouse, which I had to show the open plan of the design.  I increased my ISO and open the aperture to make a quick exposure.  Big mistake.  All the living room and dinning room area have to be rephotographed, no depth of field.

I had mostly blurred furniture and appliances.  The rest of the house is fine. I went to my normal operating aperture for the outdoor venues and continue with that aperture for the upstairs area.  Again, I thought I was being smart, but I didn’t really think the problem through.

Luckily, the realtor is a close friend and will let me reshoot the living room and dining room area after the painters finished.  (Update, I rephotographed the living room area and they look great, f11 at 1 second base exposure for a series of HDRs’.)

Trying new things should not scare you from your photography goals. Take a leap of faith and try something new. Let’s see what develops, but don’t do it on actual professional assignments.