Monday, May 9, 2011

How To Become A Certified Photographer

By Anna Coffield


Many people wonder if they need a formal degree in order to become a certified professional photographer. The good news is that you do not need a formal degree but you do need photography training and knowledge about the photography industry in order to obtain the title of Certified Professional Photographer. Currently, there are only 1,725 certified professional photographers, which is only 8% of professional photographers in the United States.

For you to attain your Certified Professional Photographer accreditation, you need to perform a 3 step process. Firstly, you have to announce your candidacy by means of the PPCC (Professional Photographic Commission Committee). Next, you must complete the actual CPP exam. Last but not least, you will need to complete the image submission review.

The first task is actually stating your candidacy. Compared with other sorts of official certifications, this certification does not require several years of industry time. It will need you to pay $100 in order to announce your candidacy and also present client work you might have in the last two years. After this you have three years to complete the CPP examination and also the image application assessment. Unless you complete these steps in three years, then your candidacy is actually voided and you've have to start the procedure over.

Once you've proclaimed your candidacy then you need to start out researching for the CPP exam. There are several varieties of this tests: Commercial, Portrait and Athletics. Whenever you sign up for the actual time and location for that exam, you will then identify that version on the examination you would like to take. You'll be able to go ahead and take exam multiple times if needed. It will be a one hundred multiple choice question test which includes a two hr time frame . You will need seventy correct answers to pass and it's also a Scantron test.

The next step is passing the Image Submission Review. Some people pass this first before the CPP exam. It is your choice as to which step you would like to take first. You submit 20 images to the PPCC. All submissions are required to submit 6 compulsory images along with 14 images from client work in the past 24 months.

The first 6 images must be the compulsory images. The compulsory images comprise of 3 mandatory and 3 elective images. The three mandatory images must separately demonstrate Short Lighting 3:1 ratio, Broad Lighting 3:1 ratio and Selective focus with minimal depth of field within your specialty (note: senior photographers cannot submit landscape photography).

Images 4, 5 and 6 most choose from the following list to demonstrate: High Key Image, Low Key Image, Rule of Thirds, Use of Shape, Form, and Texture, Balance (symmetrical or asymmetrical), color harmony, "s" curve line, assertive, angular, or masculine line, or architectural techniques.

If your first 6 mandatory photographs are not acceptable then a overall portfolio will probably be turned down. You'll acquire a letter in the mail 1-2 weeks once submitting your images to inform you of the passing or failing of your images. After completing and passing this three step certification process, then you are officially a Certified Professional Photographer.




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