Every once in a while I meet people along the way and they ask what is a Certified Professional Photographer, and why in the world someone who has been making photographs for over twenty-five years would feel the need to become certified.
A Certified Professional Photographer, or CPP, is someone who wants to stand out from the crowd. In today's market, where the barrier to entry into photography is so low that anyone who received a DSLR for Christmas can walk into a public office and create a new busincess, it is not sufficient to just be a good photographer. The world is full of good photographers. The CPP talls your clients that in a world with over a million photographers, you are one of less than 3000 who decided to take a board-style examination and submit a body of work to a panel of judges from the Professional Photographic Certification Commission for evaluation. It tells the world that you put yourself out there to be evaluated and judged, and you made it out alive with flying colors. It also tells the world that you are keeping up with an industry which is made of constant change, and participate in the numerous continung education activities required to maintain the certification.
The principal photographer at Earchphoto is one of the less than 3000 worldwide (and less than 200 in Texas) who elected to become certified.
Our decision was also driven by the clients we connect with and represent: our networking crowd is made of architects, engineers, physicians. They maintain a higher standard by passing their boards, and so do we.
We believe in education, in maintaining a high standard of service, and in delivering the highest quality products.
We believe in professional certification.
Elena Sbrana, CPP
Principal Photographer