Get certified from home

CPP exam available online

Until recently, taking the certified professional photographer exam meant making a trip to the nearest proctor in your area, which could be inconvenient depending on where you live. But good news: PPA has rolled out an exam that can be taken online.

“The benefits are obviously the ease and convenience of taking the test in the comfort of your own home, office, or studio,” says PPA Director of Certification Julia Boyd. “You also have the flexibility of scheduling the exam in as soon as 72 hours and at a time you prefer.”

Within six weeks of the online exam’s rollout, 30 members had taken advantage of it. Once a user schedules an exam, they simply log on and connect with a live remote proctor who goes through a pre-exam checklist. This includes verifying the test-taker’s identity and checking the room and surface space of the location to ensure the area is free of any restricted materials. The results of the exam are emailed to the user within two weeks.

If the proctor has a security concern during the exam, they ask the candidate to address the issue immediately. If the candidate doesn’t adhere to the proctor’s requests, the exam can be shut down. Proctors supply an incident report to PPA whenever they suspect a breach in security, and appropriate disciplinary action is taken.