Becoming Better As A Photographer

The Unexpected Journey Behind My CPP Goal

Experience is a gift, but it can also be a bit of a trap. When you’ve been doing something for a long time — in my case, photographing life here in the Florida Keys — it’s easy to lean on what’s worked before and stop questioning it. If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be back at a desk, studying for exams and dissecting my own work more than ever, I probably would have laughed and gone back to shooting another sunset over the mangroves. Yet here I am, coffee in hand, charts and study notes spread out next to memory cards and camera bodies, working my way toward my CPP (Certified Professional Photographer) certification.

Five Years with PPA: More Than Just a Membership Card

I’ve been a member of PPA (Professional Photographers of America) for five years now, and it’s become a quiet but steady backbone of my business. In that time, I’ve photographed everything from barefoot elopements on the sandbar to salty, windswept family sessions on the dock at sunset. PPA has been there in the background through it all — with education, community, and that gentle reminder that this is a profession, not just a passion.

Being part of PPA has pushed me to treat my craft with the same respect I give my clients. It’s easy, especially in a place as laid-back as the Keys, to let “good enough” be the standard. But PPA has constantly nudged me to ask: can I light this better, pose this better, tell this story more clearly? That mindset is exactly what led me to finally say, “Okay, it’s time — I’m going for my CPP.”

Inside the CPP Process: Exams, CEUs, and Honest Self-Reflection

The CPP isn’t a casual checkbox. It’s a serious commitment, even for someone who’s been shooting professionally for years. As I write this, I’ve completed two of the required exams and I’m deep in preparation for the rest. There’s something humbling about sitting down to study exposure theory, lighting ratios, and color management after a full day of shooting in the tropical sun.

I’m not new to photography. I’m accomplished, experienced, and confident in my ability to create work my clients love. But this process is shining a light into the corners of my knowledge — the little gaps I’ve been working around with instinct or habit. It’s forcing me to slow down and ask myself not just what I do, but why I do it that way. Some days that feels exhilarating. Other days it feels like standing in front of the ocean on a windy day, a little off-balance but wide awake.

Once I earn the CPP, the learning doesn’t stop. To maintain the certification, I’ll need 15 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) within every three-year renewal period. That means more classes, more workshops, more time spent listening, practicing, and refining. In other words, it’s not a trophy — it’s a structure that keeps me growing, long after the initial excitement fades.

The truth is, the CPP is challenging me in ways I didn’t fully expect. It’s making me revisit fundamentals I’ve been leaning on for years and look at them with fresh eyes. It’s pushing me to be more intentional, more technical when it matters, and more thoughtful about how I serve the people who trust me with their memories here in the Keys.

Why Growth Doesn’t Have a Finish Line

Out here, the horizon always looks like a destination, but you never actually reach it — you just keep moving toward it. That’s how this stage of my career feels. I’m proud of the work I’ve done and the business I’ve built, but I don’t believe in coasting. The ocean changes, the light changes, the people who step in front of my lens change. I owe it to them, and to myself, to keep changing too.

The CPP journey is my way of honoring that belief. It’s a promise that I’m not just relying on experience and instinct, but actively sharpening my skills, filling in the gaps, and holding myself to a higher standard — even when no one’s watching. It’s about being both proud of how far I’ve come and honest about how far I still want to go.

If you’re curious about what this looks like behind the scenes — the study sessions, the test days, the wins, and even the frustrating moments — I’m sharing pieces of the journey over on Instagram. Come follow along, ask questions, and grow with me as I work my way toward that CPP and beyond.