Show that You’re a Pro: How to Care for Your Craft and Elevate Your Business with Credentials
You already have everything you need to be a successful professional photographer. Now, it’s time to let your clients know.
Your talent, artistic eye, and passion for the craft are likely why you entered the industry, in addition to a desire to share beautiful moments with others and create a career doing the thing you love. Since you started with the essentials, it’s time to invest in the credentials that back up your skills and business.
PPA offers the Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) credential and four different professional degrees so you can continue growing your technical skills, deepening your business knowledge, and expanding your network. This investment allows you to demonstrate your dedication to providing the best possible experience to potential clients.
The degrees and certification are designed to grow with you as PPA continues to make updates and improvements to the programs. Take a look at what’s new with the PPA certification, get refreshed on what the program entails, and get inspired by photographers who have shared their credentialing journey.
CPP Program: What It Is and What’s New
The CPP designation is the official credential for photographers looking to build client trust, stand out from the crowd, and validate their pricing. This certification acts as a differentiator in the industry, assuring potential clients of a photographer’s knowledge, experience, and ability to develop new skills and techniques.
The Certification process has a few steps that will help you elevate your craft:
- Declare your candidacy: Start the two-year candidacy and review the requirements before you commit.
- Prepare for the exam with the Certification Curriculum: Utilize this interactive resource to help you master the fundamentals of photography.
- Pass the module exams: Complete the required online multiple-choice exams.
- Complete image evaluation: After passing the exams, submit three required images, which are reviewed by trained evaluators on an objective checklist.
“I feel completely confident in my craft,” says Simone Severo, CPP. “I also take immense pride in saying that I am a Certified Professional Photographer with PPA. That title carries real weight. When you feel proud, your clients feel they are in good hands.”
To continue making the CPP program more optimal for participants, PPA hosted the first three-day virtual workshop in August 2026. It provided an overview of the learnings in the Certification Curriculum, during which the 20 participants could interact and ask questions.
PPA Degrees: Showcase Your Specific Skills
PPA degrees are professional credentials that show your dedication to your specialty within the creative world of photography. The four degrees offered can be earned by collecting merits that you earn through participating in our monthly Merit Image Review, attending events such as Imaging USA, and instructing fellow photographers at events held by PPA or one of our Community Network partners. Each of our four Master degrees show that members have a strong understanding of the 12 elements of a merit image and that they are an active contributor to the industry. Read on for a breakdown of each degree and its requirements:
- Master of Photography (M.Photog.): For photographers who demonstrate creativity and technical excellence in their images.
- Master of Wedding Photography (M.Wed.Photog.): For excellence in technique and storytelling amidst the challenge of creating day-of wedding images.
- Master Artist (M.Artist): For creatives who excel in retouching, photo editing, and digital artistry.
- Photographic Craftsman (M.Photog.Cr.): For speakers, teachers, and mentors who educate and uplift other photographers at PPA events like Imaging USA or events held by one of our Community Network partners.
Each degree requires members to earn 25 total merits. Those 25 merits include 13 merits of a specific type for each degree and 12 additional merits that can be any merit type.
For example, the Master of Photography degree requires earning 13 exhibition merits, the Master Artist degree requires earning 13 artist exhibition merits, the Master of Wedding Photography degree requires earning 13 wedding exhibition merits, and the Photographic Craftsman degree requires earning 13 speaker merits.
Exhibition merits can only be earned by entering images into the appropriate degree category in Merit Image Review, which runs ten months out of the year, February through November.
“Earning my PPA degrees has been some of the highlights of my photography career,” says Kimberly Olker, M.Photog., M.Wed.Photog.Cr, CPP. “I was ecstatic walking across the stage at Imaging USA to receive my Craftsman degree from the photographer who first taught me at a PPA photography workshop. Each opportunity that I had to earn degrees acknowledged that I was growing as a photographer.”
Once photographers complete their degree, they can start communicating their new skills with clients right away by including the distinction on their website and marketing materials. Recipients are also honored at Imaging USA, giving them visibility on one of photography’s biggest stages.
Take Your Photography to the Next Level
Backing up the talent you already have with credentials makes client decisions a no-brainer. The expertise and authority that PPA degrees and certification offer give you the confidence needed to attract new business–and your clients the trust they need to choose you.
“In an industry where certification isn’t required, earning my CPP has been a powerful differentiator,” says Julie Collins, M.Photog., CPP. “This credential signifies a deeper level of commitment and expertise, reinforces my professionalism, and builds trust with clients. Earning my degree shows that I am deeply committed to delivering the best heirloom quality portraits and growing as a photographer.”
With your new knowledge, sharpened skills, and meaningful connections in your back pocket, you’ll be empowered to deliver excellent experiences and stronger work.