What is a Certified Professional Photographer? What difference could having such a title have on your work?

Question

I mean professional just means you make money at what you do. Why would one need to be certified to prove that? Either you are a good photographer or you suck. Your works speak for themselves.

And to fine hone this question, what relevance and respect does posting the ownership of a certificate from what is basically an aggrandized photo club have over say a BA or BFA degree from a real university or even over someone who is self taught and unaffiliated with any such paid camera clubs?

Shouldn't a photographer's portfolio speak louder then the accolades of an organization is paid to promote ones work?

Of course amongst non professionals a title stating that one is a professional may have some merit, but wouldn't it actually look amateurish to other professionals for someone to post membership in such a club as a way of bolstering their standing?

This is not an attack on PPA or any other camera club, just a question posed to garner some feedback.

Answer 1

I agree with your comments. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. But I guess for some people, it just adds a degree of credibility to their experience.

Answer 2

Wow....

There is a lot more to photography than just point, smile, click, print... A certified professional photographer (I'm a CPP) means that you are also recognized by other professionals as a professional. We've gone through comprehencive trainging, written exams and our work is critiqued by other CPPs. It pretty much means we know our stuff. A customre is more likely to choose us than someone whose been doing it their own for a few years.

Would you rather go to a surgeon who has gone through medical school or one who has practiced on manaqueins (sp?) and friends? You are going to choose the professional.

Same thing with a mechanic. You are going to want to go to one who has the formal training behind them and has the right certifications.

Photography has taken bad raps over the years because people are just picking up cameras and calling themselves a professional. While people like me who have years of training, certifications and accredications work hard to call ourselves a professional.

"When you see a photographer displaying the the Certified Professional Photographer seal, you can be sure that he or she is among the less than 3% of all imaging professionals who have successfully completed and maintained our requirements."
- Exerpt from the Professional Photographic Certification Website

Check out the link below to learn the difference.

Answer 3

You are concidered a Profesional Photgrapher when you make over half of your income with your photography work. A Certified Professional Photographer has taken a class and pass it to satifaction of the one who was teaching the class. There are also Photography Clubs or groups that will give you a Certifiecation Certificate when you have passed the classes that they offer. In my option a Certified photographer thinks more about the quality of his photography work. I would say you could charge more per hour or photo session if, you are a Certified Professional Photographer.

Take Care,
Chuck,
Amateur Photographer,
Marshall, NC

Answer 4

To a certain extent, I agree. I guess people are more comfortable with someone who is "certified" in a certain area, because it shows they have more expertise. It shows they have gone the extra mile in their profession by taking extra courses or trainings, and have mastered that area.