John Mohr, Cr.Photog., CPP, of John Mohr Photography in Bettendorf, Iowa, knows all about the importance of enjoying what you do. A professional photographer for 22 years, he says that his specialty has become photographing high school seniors because of how much fun he has doing it.

"The seniors of today are exciting and full of personality," Mohr adds. "They offer us the opportunity to express their personalities and passions in so many ways. The sky is the limit!"

Before he became a senior photography specialist, though, Mohr says that his interest in photography started years ago while working on 4-H projects with his Yashica rangefinder camera. "It may have been the first time the camera that I directed made someone react from the other side. I'm glad to be doing what I do," Mohr recalls.

And since he turned that photographic interest into a career and opened his own studio, Mohr says that PPA has been a great help.

"PPA recognizes the challenges of today and makes tools available to me in many different ways," he explains. "The biggest help has been the education...at conventions, Super Monday classes or in a publication sponsored by PPA. The knowledge provided is diverse, and it was helpful on my first day in the business and still is today."

He even considers getting his Photographic Craftsmen degree from PPA one of his biggest accomplishments as a photographer. "The work involved with teaching a class or thinking 'is that a competition image?' has made me a better photographer," he adds.

And being a better photographer is important in today's market, according to him. After all, the availability of equipment that allows people with little skill and training to capture good images forces real professional photographers to raise the bar to an even higher level.

"The level of this particular bar has caused a bigger need for us as professionals to refine our skills and offer an experience, not just a JPEG on a CD," Mohr says. He adds that being a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) has helped him overcome this challenge. "I believe being certified shows that you are taking your craft forward one more step. Certification portrays to the client that you are striving to stay current with the education that can set you apart from others."

But above everything else, Mohr says his favorite part of being a PPA member is meeting other photographers.

"The people I have met along the way are priceless," he says emphatically. "I always look forward to Imaging USA, a week at our own PPA Affiliate School (Mid-America Institute of Professional Photography), or a few days at our state convention. These are great places to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. The information picked up in these sessions is so valuable and equally balanced with what is learned in the hallways afterwards."

It's that kind of enthusiasm and zeal (for his career and his entire industry) that proves Mohr has chosen the correct path in his life!

Read more about John Mohr and view more of his work here.