p.1 #1 · Professional Photographers of America- Confering Degrees
Apparently, Professional Photographers of America confers their own degrees for photographer. Obviously these aren't traditional collegiate degrees, but I'm wondering, has anyone pursued one of these degrees or found them as useful as they're advertised?
p.1 #2 · Professional Photographers of America- Confering Degrees
All I'll say is that I have a real degree from one of the best photography schools in the country, if not the world (BFA Art Center College of Design 1986) and in the last thirty plus years not a single person, client or anyone has ever asked to see a diploma. Unless you're going after a teaching position where you pretty much need a Phd these days, no one cares about your diploma, only if you can produce the images they need or want. If that PPA education helps you do that, then maybe it's worth it. Maybe not. The most important thing the college did for me was introduce me to other students who I would end up working with after our time in school. Of course, those were virtually all graphic design or advertising majors - y'know - the type that actually hire photographers. A lot depends on exactly what you're trying to accomplish as a photographer.
p.1 #3 · Professional Photographers of America- Confering Degrees
As a member of PPA, I'm not totally comfortable with the term "degree", but it's what they call some of them. The various PPA degree and certification programs were developed to differentiate photographic skill and ability from the person who just bought a DSLR and set up a wedding business while they learn photography. To earn a degree or certificate requires submitting multiple photos to a panel of professional photographer judges, winning photo contest awards, attending conferences, teaching classes, etc.
I'm most familiar with the CPP (Certified Professional Photographer) program. There, you have to submit a portfolio of 15 photos to a panel of master photographers for review. You have 6 compulsory photos and 9 individual client photos (must be paid clients). Everything must be perfect, lighting, catch lights, background, hair, makeup, white balance, lens choice, lighting ratios, etc. Heavy post processing is not allowed. In other words, you have to get it 99% right in the camera. If you fail any of the compulsory photos or more than one of the client photos, your portfolio fails.
I forgot there's also a mandatory test that covers everything photographic - lighting and light theory, using the correct lenses, flash photography, equivalent exposures, filters, post processing, color theory, etc. It's very comprehensive.
Hopefully that gives you an idea of the PPA degrees and certification programs.
p.1 #4 · Professional Photographers of America- Confering Degrees
It kind of depends on your customer base. The last town I lived, my customer base was primarily academics, insurance industry professionals, and senior IT professionals.
And they all made notice of the "trailing alphabets" of people they did business with because trailing alphabets were important in their own careers.
p.1 #6 · Professional Photographers of America- Confering Degrees
My clients do not care what degrees I have. They care if their project looks great.
I have had a few clients express delight that I had an MFA but they were academics and thrive on that sort of flummery.
The PPA programs are good at getting people without access to art schools some training. But the badges they issue have only a slight impact on the public.
What has really made my work better is experience in the world.
p.1 #7 · Professional Photographers of America- Confering Degrees
Peter Figen wrote:
All I'll say is that I have a real degree from one of the best photography schools in the country, if not the world (BFA Art Center College of Design 1986) and in the last thirty plus years not a single person, client or anyone has ever asked to see a diploma. Unless you're going after a teaching position where you pretty much need a Phd these days, no one cares about your diploma, only if you can produce the images they need or want. If that PPA education helps you do that, then maybe it's worth it. Maybe not. The most important thing the college did for me was introduce me to other students who I would end up working with after our time in school. Of course, those were virtually all graphic design or advertising majors - y'know - the type that actually hire photographers. A lot depends on exactly what you're trying to accomplish as a photographer. ...Show more →
I have the same degree from the same school as Peter (Art Center B.F.A., 1975).
My degree was useful in legal photography. I was often called upon as an expert witness when my photos were presented in evidence in a court case. I had legal photography in my area pretty much wrapped up since I was the only photographer in town with a college degree in photography.
As Peter mentioned, it will help if you plan to teach, but you'll need a "terminal degree", which in the art world is the M.F.A. That is unlike other disciplines where the terminal degree is a PhD. I know this because my wife is a full professor and the director of a School of Nursing.
p.1 #8 · Professional Photographers of America- Confering Degrees
And, ironically, Art Center is one school where they hire instructors specifically for their professional experience and expertise, not just for what degree they hold. While they might prefer that you have a degree from Art Center, I don't think that's a requirement. At this point in my career, there's no way I'm going back to get an MFA as I probably have the equivalent of a Phd in digital imaging from twenty years of real world experience.
p.1 #9 · Professional Photographers of America- Confering Degrees
The purpose of getting a degree isn't so you have the degree, it's the knowledge gained during the education...why would anyone ask to see a degree??
I joined PPA a few years ago and didn't get any use out of it. After you jump through the hoops to earn a PPA designation, you have to pay their annual membership every year to maintain it.
The designations are good for teaching..not so much for actual photography.
