Question about PPA's Professional Photographer Certification

JustAnotherPhotographer · Feb 23, 2022

Hello! I am considering applying for candidacy in PPA's Professional Photographer Certification program. I'd like to hear whether it's worth it or not, how and why, and any personal experiences. THANK YOU for your time; I appreciate it!

webestang64 · Feb 23, 2022

Here is a discussion about it..... CPP testing requirements

mrca · Feb 23, 2022

That certificate and $2.75 will get you a subway ride. Without the cert, it is $2.75. Do you think any client is going to use that as a criteria to hire you? As for the education, I judged pro competitions with cert holders who didn't know their ass from deep center field. Buy the book if you must, study it, but unless you are a beginner trying to have a photo business, the cert will not make you a photographer. You would be better served spending the money on an annual subscription to Kelby training and taking classes that would improve your area of photography. Use PPA for their business training because, absolute crap photographers make good money and the best photographers in my area were making 18 grand year. It's a business, learn how to promote and run it.

JustAnotherPhotographer · Feb 25, 2022

webestang64 said:
Thank you, webestang64, for the link. I appreciate it you taking the time

webestang64 said:
Here is a discussion about it..... CPP testing requirements

JustAnotherPhotographer · Feb 25, 2022

Thank you, mrca, for your perspective. I'm getting a lot of the same from the forums that I've asked the same question. I appreciate you taking the time to help.

mrca said:
That certificate and $2.75 will get you a subway ride. Without the cert, it is $2.75. Do you think any client is going to use that as a criteria to hire you? As for the education, I judged pro competitions with cert holders who didn't know their ass from deep center field. Buy the book if you must, study it, but unless you are a beginner trying to have a photo business, the cert will not make you a photographer. You would be better served spending the money on an annual subscription to Kelby training and taking classes that would improve your area of photography. Use PPA for their business training because, absolute crap photographers make good money and the best photographers in my area were making 18 grand year. It's a business, learn how to promote and run it.

newfilm · Feb 25, 2022

Yet even though the general consensus is that its worthless, the ones who DO have it, have been lording it over the rest of us for decades, particularly with the tube videos they do on what defines a bad or good or real photographer..

mrca · Feb 25, 2022

newfilm said:
Yet even though the general consensus is that its worthless, the ones who DO have it, have been lording it over the rest of us for decades, particularly with the tube videos they do on what defines a bad or good or real photographer..

Who are they that are "lording" over anyone. They aren't lording over me. I was appointed to head the mentor program and on the board of directors. But even if there are some good photographers with the cert, there is no proof getting the cert made them so. Buy the darn book and read it yourself, nothing earthshaking. Newbies are better off taking their business program.

vintagesnaps · Feb 25, 2022

I've looked at it some time ago; I suppose it depends on what you want to do. With PPA geared towards portraits/weddings it might be worth it if that's what you intend to do, I don't know...

I'd think you need to decide if it's worth it to you as personal and/or professional development. It could be used on your website to show a level of training, but I don't know if prospective customers/clients would notice or know what it is.

mrca · Feb 27, 2022

I knew those with the cert, NONE had a client even notice it. Your business skills and work is what counts and a good personality helps. Realize there are plenty of folks making decent money with crap work. The most of public doesn't know good work from shinola.

mrca · Mar 13, 2022

Someone posted a question on the daily PPA news letter re numbers of PPA photographers in their area and whether having a cert makes any difference. No one said a cert would increase your business and one guy I think summed it up, not only will they not know what the CPP cert is most won't even know what PPA, Professional Photographes of America is.