The Mystery behind the Certification Process

Everything you wanted to know, even some things you didn’t!

Going into the certification process, there was not a lot of information available to me as to exactly what I needed to do to become certified. Of course there’s the certification website, which does provide the basic information; but to get a full feel for what the process into, you really need to talk to someone who’s been through it. With that in mind, I wanted to share my experiences with you, so you can be better prepared for the certification process.

Applications and Requirements

The first step is submitting an application to the photographic certification committee. The application fee varies, depending on whether you are a member of PPA (as a member I paid a $100 fee) – for the specific numbers you can take a look at the certification web site. Once you apply, your application is good for a period of two years, during which you must successfully pass the exam and have your image submissions successfully reviewed by a panel of judges. But I’ll get into those details shortly. There is no required order of completion for the two requirements, but I’ll discuss the image submission first.

Image Submission

The certification website has a list of guidelines regarding image submission, but let me highlight a few of the biggies. The images are judged as a body of work, and you are required to submit twenty images. These images must be from different assignments, and no two may have the same subject (self-assignments aren’t allowed). You complete a statement of purpose form to accompany your images, which basically states the reason the image was taken (e.g. wedding formal, expressive senior portrait). Another thing, your submissions have three proportional to the types of photography that you normally provide. Two formats are allowed: 8×10 prints (or transparencies), DVD video. For more details on the specific requirements, it’s easier to just look at the guidelines. The certification commission assembles a panel of judges on a quarterly basis to review the submissions that are received. The deadlines for each quarter can be found on the certification web site. You will receive written notification one to two weeks after the deadline regarding your acceptance or rejection.

Going into this stage, I was pretty confident first time around. A note to the wise, it might be a good idea to have a non biased individual review your images with you, just to make sure that you’re not missing any glaring no-no’s. I submitted my portfolio twice – both via the DVD submission method. The first set of image submissions failed – on the standard “criteria checklist,” the judges noted that the body of my work was underexposed and soft (i.e. not crisp and sharp). My second set of images, which passed, included many of the same submissions as before (I did replace a few “questionable” ones though), but there was one key difference – the program I used to create the DVD slideshow. On the DVD that failed, I created the slideshow using my standard DVD burner program. My DVD that passed was created using ProShow Gold – and when I first tested the disc, I could immediately see the improvements. The images were sharper and did not appear too dark as they did when using the generic program. So, if you choose to submit a DVD – make sure that you create it with a program that can output the level of quality needed.

The Exam

Having a study group is a great way keep on top of reading the chapters and studying. I didn’t really know anyone locally who was preparing for this exam, but fortunately, I was able to find a good study group on OurPPA.com. Our group set a reasonable goal of reading one chapter per week, with a weekly discussion session that lasted approximately one hour. In this study group, we read and reviewed the main text, Photography (eighth edition) by Barbara London. Though not listed anywhere on the certification website, we were lucky enough to happen across the website for the text, which contained a total of 30 interactive questions for each chapter. Although these review questions were not exactly like those on the exam, it was still a good way to see whether you had a good understanding of each chapter is you were going to through the text. The certification website has a good Indication of what will be focused on for the exam; take a look at their tests specifications carefully.

In addition to the main text, PPA provides a suggested reading list, which has a number of helpful books. I would recommend taking a look of at least a few of these books, as the insight I gained from reading them was invaluable to me, both as a test taker and as a professional. You’ll be surprised how much you learn, and how much you realize you already knew when you’re studying for this exam. When it comes time to schedule your test date, this will require some planning. You’ll probably need to contact your local PPA liaison in order to find out when the nearest exam is being held. Some of the exam dates are listed on the web site, but make sure to check with your liaison, because not all of the exams are listed – I know Michigan’s wasn’t. You can expect that large seminars and events, such as Imaging USA, and other large local events, will offer the exam (please check though!). You’ll need to contact the liaison for the exam at least five business days prior to the test date, so they can have a customized test prepared for you. Be prepared to wait for at least a week after the exam to hear back regarding your test results.

Post-Certification

When you pass your exam and your images are accepted, you’ll receive a welcome packet in the mail. This welcome kit includes your certification certificate, a press release to announce your accomplishment, and some sample brochures, among other things. It’s important to make your accomplishment public – after all, you’ve studied hard to become certified, and you should celebrate.

Additionally, you should take steps to use the Certification logo everywhere – put it on your business cards, on your website, etc. When your clients and potential clients are continually exposed to the concept of certification, they will begin to attribute some importance to your status. Some people claim that being CPP doesn’t give them an edge – I feel otherwise. It’s all a matter of how you approach your business, and how you publicize your status as a Certified Professional Photographer.

I hope this helps you as you prepare for your certification! It’s a learning process, and luckily for us, this will be one of the most useful tests we take! So much of these concepts can be applied to our work; it is almost (but not quite always) fun to learn. Good luck, and if you have any questions, be sure to ask any veteran of the CPP process – most will be glad to help you out!

This article was originally written 9/25/2006, and updated on 2/28/2007 to reflect on what I’ve learned since being certified (as of October 2006). Feel free to view this article as a PDF file on certifiedphotographer.com