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James Mertens

1 Year Ago

Ppa

Are you or were you a member of P.P.A. ?
If so, what were the benefits (for you)? If you used to be, why did you drop your membership?

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Mike Savad

1 Year Ago

What is ppa?


----Mike Savad

 

Bill Swartwout

1 Year Ago

PPA | Professional Photographers of America

I was a,member for a few years over a half century ago - back when I was shooting weddings - in the film and flash bulb days. I wanted the "name" and cards and insurance. Left when I stopped weddings and started a teaching career.

 

Mike Savad

1 Year Ago

Oh. Then no.


----Mike Savad

 

Richard Reeve

1 Year Ago

Nope. As the late, great Groucho Merx said, "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member" - which of course, is presumptuous on my part. as I've never even heard of the PPA so I don't know if they would... ;-)

 

David Smith

1 Year Ago

They're a decent organization if you're a wedding and portrait photographer, or a commercial photographer in small market areas. Commercial photographers in the major market areas would benefit more from APA and ASMP.

 

Bradford Martin

1 Year Ago

My membership expired last month. I own a a fair amount of cameras and gear so I use their insurance. I got a monthly magazine which I always put on my desk, but never read. Members offer training sessions in things like portrait photography, which is real valuable if you need a mentor and hands on experience. The locations are fairly random, but there are enough so that there should be one for those that live near a city. I am just too busy to take a day off for that.

Perhaps the biggest benefit for those that deal with the public is getting certified as a professional photographer. You would have to complete assignments. For those that need the training or want feel being certified will get them work, this is a big benefit. For an art photographer this is practically meaningless. There is no true certification for photographers. It's not like being a CPA or certified teacher, although the public might not know that. If you want to work in advertising they want a degree and a great portfolio and likely could care less about being certified.

I do a lot of commercial work, events and family shoots but almost always is as a subcontractor or a similar arrangement where I don't the booking directly. I am on the fence about renewing, because I have lost my equipment insurance. I have not taken advantage of anything else.


 

After checking on camera equipment insurance many years ago, I discovered it was cheaper to join PPA. I've been a member ever since. Like Bradford, I don't read the magazine, and it usually goes straight in the trash.

 

Tom Schwabel

1 Year Ago

FYI, I got the same rates for insurance from the same insurance company (Allstate) without the PPA membership - business liability plus equipment plus (for me) an inland marine policy since I do take my gear out of country fairly often. So I'm not 100% sure you need the membership if your primary concern is insurance, but you should double check. If you need the agent's name send me a PM.

 

Bradford Martin

1 Year Ago

One more use I got out of the membership was that I was able to claim the membership when applying to join Nikon Professional Services. One of the benefits of NPS membership is preferential (faster) service from Nikon USA. Another is a genuine gold finished plastic lapel pin the says NPS. NPS asks a lot of questions and one is if you are a member of any professional organizations so I used PPA.

 

James Mertens

1 Year Ago

Thank you all for the feedback. I do like the insurance but also like the possible "mentoring" although there isn't a lot going on in my area (Kauai). I would most likely benefit from whatever I can learn remotely (on my own).

 

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