A Camp David Minute; Become a Certified Professional Photographer

Why Become a Certified Professional Photographer?

Your clients bring their taxes to a Certified Public Accountant and trust their automotive repairs to an ASE Certified Mechanic. Doctors, dentists and attorneys all passed certification exams before they could practice.

In this flood of new photographers, it is Certification that can set you apart from your competition!

Studies show that more consumers understand the term "certified" than any other designation. With it comes a degree of trust that not only leads a consumer to believe that the final product will be high-quality, but is an assurance of competency that will distinguish you from others not holding this important credential.

Using the Certified Professional Photographer logo on your business cards, website and marketing materials boldly identifies you as a photographer who has met the requirements for Certification and upholds the Standards of Conduct.

I chatted with the Professional Photographer Certification Commission's Heather Smith during Imaging USA. Watch our interview here:

Becoming a Certified Professional Photographer require you to complete 3 steps:

• Declaration of Candidacy
• Certification Exam
• Image Submission Review

The Declaration of Candidacy is your first step towards becoming a Certified Professional Photographer. Once you've declared your candidacy, you will have three years to successfully complete the two additional requirements: Image Submission Review and the Certification Exam.

The Certification Exam and Image Submission Review may be completed in any order — one may submit images for review before taking the written exam. If you do not complete all requirements during the three year period, your candidacy will end. You must re-apply, pay the appropriate fee, and re-start the process.

All Certified Professional Photographers must adhere to the Standards of Conduct for Certification, as outlined on the PPCC Website.

Certification Exams and Image Submission Reviews are scheduled periodically throughout the year at a variety of locations. Check the PPCC Website for dates and times.

www.CertifiedPhotographer.com

 

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Odds are you're as geared in to Social Media as the rest of the photographic community. You love your Facebook status, sharing photos online and tweeting your status to your loyal followers.

Since it's #FollowFriday (in Twitterspeak), why not give your favorite people some extra love by following them on Twitter? Add us to your Twitter feed and stay updated on all things new and exciting in the industry. You may even learn a few new tips and tricks to make your workflow (and life) go more smoothly!
Camp David Photo
Facebook www.Facebook.com/CampDavidPhoto 
Twitter @DavidGrupa

Kirsten Holscher - First Things First
Facebook www.Facebook.com/FirstThingsFirstCoach 
Twitter @FTF_Coach

NPC Lab (Northwest Professional Color)
Facebook www.Facebook.com/NPCLab 
Twitter @NPCLab

Professional Photographers of America 
Facebook www.Facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=2265674235 
Twitter@OurPPA

ImagingUSA 
Facebook www.facebook.com/ImagingUSA 
Twitter @ImagingUSA 

Northern Light Professional Photographers Assn 
Facebook www.Facebook.com/NorthernLightPPA 
Twitter@NorthernLightPP

All the links below are clickable . . . so take a minute to follow and like!

- David

A Camp David Minute with Beth Forester of photoDuds!

Last week during ImagingUSA in San Antonio, I had a minute to catch up with Beth Forester of photoDuds.

If you're not familiar with the product, photoDuds is a great way to take your sales to another level by creating products that your clients will love. From collages to greeting cards, photoDuds offers you some awesome options!

Best of all, even if you missed ImagingUSA you can still take advantage of a 20% discount on all photoDuds products if you order by January 31, 2011! www.photoduds.com 

Check out my interview with Beth right here:

How memory cards are made; great video from Lexar!

We all know about flash memory cards; we depend in them for our livelihood, not to mention all the other places we use them. Whether they end up in cameras, phones, mp3 players or other electronic devices, they're an important part of the world in which we live.

But who makes them? Where do they come from? How do they get so small?

Interestingly, the process starts at the Micron Technologies plant in Utah. Watch this cool video from Lexar, a division of Micron technology, who is a leading global provider of memory products for digital media. Check out this behind the scenes look at the extensive work and care put into each Lexar product.

Revisiting ImagingUSA - Part 3

Of course, the culmination of ImagingUSA is the Award and Degree Ceremony on Tuesday evening. Here, photographers from across the globe are honored for their achievements in an Academy Award-style presentation.

It is at this ceremony where photographers receive the coveted Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman degree ribbons, earned for excellence in photography and sharing of knowledge through teaching and mentoring, respectively.

Earning a degree is a proud moment in the life of every professional photographer.

After the ceremony, we party . . . because it's all over until next year!

- David Grupa

Revisiting ImagingUSA - Part 2

One of the most awesome parts of ImagingUSA is the massive trade show. Vendors from all over with some of the latest and greatest products display here!

In addition to being one of the largest photographic toy stores in the world, it's a great place to learn. There are speakers giving mini-programs in many of the booths throughout the day, while other vendors give live demonstrations of the latest camera hardware, imaging software and creative accessories. A simple walk through the massive trade show floor can take hours to complete because there's so much to see!

If you take your time and keep an open ear, you can often chat with other photographers at the booths of their favorite vendors. This is an excellent time to ask questions and find out how others are utilizing some of the new and existing product lines.

All of this combines for yet another solid reason to plan for next year's ImagingUSA. In the meantime, check out your regional, state and local associations to keep your appetite for new information well-fed!

- David Grupa

PPA Charities T-Shirts Available!

For the past few years, PPA Charities has sold commemorative t-shirts during ImagingUSA. These limited-edition shirts sell quickly and have become a collectible item.

If you didn't get your shirt at ImagingUSA (or didn't attend), here's your opportunity to support PPA Charities and Operation Smile.

Here's the San Antonio edition:

Sizes available in the San Antonio shirt run from Small to XXL in both traditional crew neck and women's v-neck cuts.

If you'd like one of last year's "Rockstar" shirts, check these out:

 

Sizes available in the Rockstar shirt are limited. Choose from Small crew neck, or M & L women's v-neck.

Finally, there are just a few of the long sleeved "Photographer" tees left.

Available in XL and XXL; crew neck only.

These shirts are 100% cotton and are superb quality. Price is just $20 each (add $5 for shipping.)

Make your check payable to PPA Charities and mail to:

David Grupa

PPA Charities

1994 Duluth St

Maplewood MN 55109-3415

651.748.8779