Ken Hart wrote:
> "dadiOH" <dadiOH@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:qs5Lj.7428$BT1.3829@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Dudley Hanks wrote:
>>
>>> Also, accreditation as a professional photographer is a good idea.
>>> Many potential customers won't deal with anyone who isn't
>>> accredited.
>>
>> Accredited by whom, pray tell? AFAIK (after 50 years doing it)
>> there is no such thing other than for members of the press. And
>> that accreditation has nothing to do with customers, just allows
>> access.
> Professional Photographer organizations offer accreditation: testing
> to show that the individual is knowledgable in the technical aspects
> of photography, and requirements for a ****tfolio of work. Personally,
> I don't put much stock in these programs; the ones I've seen were
> mainly political ("We don't want any more photographers in this town,
> so we're not going to certify this guy.")
>
> A photographer who has earned such accreditation can tell his
> customers that he has passed the test, just like a doctor or lawyer
> displays his diploma on the wall.
I don't put much stock in them either. And I was a PPA member for
decades.
One reason I don't is that there is no testing. None. People earn the
"degrees" by ac***ulating "merits". Merits can be earned by submitting up
to four prints per year to a selection commitee...if the committee likes
the
print it will be displayed at the national convention and earn a merit.
One
for each print that hangs. Well and good except that the judging
committee
members (they do change from time to time) judge the submitted prints on
what they consider generally accepted principals...anybody that makes a
decent print following those principals will get the print hung and earn a
merit. Originality and creativity are not among the "generally accepted
principals" though they do enter into the judging at times. And that
isn't
just sour grapes because I hung numerous prints.
Another way to earn merits is via service to the organization. I knew one
fellow who got most of his necessary merits by acting as a representative
of
his state organization at the national convention.
In short, there is no test, no body of knowledge to be learned, no
experience necessary, no guarantee that a photographer with a PPA "degree"
can even make a photo that is in focus. Such a degree is meaningless to
the
public and is mostly a puff thing for the holder photographer vs
non-holder
photographers.
Please understand that I am NOT denigrating photographers who have those
"degrees" (many are excellent photographers), just the methododology used
in
obtaining the degrees and the value thereof to the general public.
--
dadiOH
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