Expert Steps

When you have completed the Intermediate Success Badges and set your path towards any of the photographic disciplines, it is now time to pursue the craft at the highest level of proficiency and creativity.  The refinements in your work at this level are more subtle and likely develop a bit more slowly.  This is to be expected.  Mastery of the craft includes not only developing a high degree of skills and insight, but also includes innovation and the development of a unique photographic style.

CPP Pathway – This level includes the completion of the CPP process and leveraging the CPP designation. It also includes acquiring the skill set of teaching others and providing mentorship to those desiring to earn their CPP. Also included are the steps to becoming a CPP Liaison and a CPP judge.

Image Competition Pathway – This level includes earning PPA’s Masters Degree and the beginnings of pursuing competition to earn the other PPA imaging degrees. It also includes taking the steps to begin mentoring other photographers who are actively pursuing image competition and taking the step to becoming a judge.

Business and Marketing – This level includes continues analysis and tweaking of your business model and refining your marketing to reach a higher level of sales and profitability. It also includes taking the steps to begin speaking and sharing strong business and marketing strategies with other photographers.

Lighting Mastery – This level includes the ability to adapt to almost any lighting circumstance and find or create a desired quality of light. Also includes creating subtleties in lighting compositions including delicate separations, fill, and highlights. Also includes adapting to mixed lighting situations and using lighting as a compositional element through highlight and shadow as well as color.

Interpretive Posing – This level includes creating unique poses and compositional designs with the body and how it interacts with the lighting, the environment and the strength of the images story line.

Composition Mastery – This level includes the advance skills of utilizing the subject, foreground and background elements to create strong compositional designs, and the ability to pre-visualize the design and then create the final image.

Digital Finishing Mastery – This level includes the ability to utilize advanced skills and tools to create images utilizing advance compositing techniques, artistic brushes and various blending modes to create works of high art.