Posted by Brad Sharp on January 3, 2007 at 3:39 PM
I was thinking about getting my certification, but would like to know if it is actually worth the price.
Can anyone tell me from experience if it is worthwhile - other than learning more about Photoshop in the process of studying for the exam? Is it was worth the money and effort? For those who have their certification, do you feel you are getting a good ROI? Does it open any employment opportunities for you?
If it is a good thing to have, what are the best books or tools to use for study?
You may want to contact Nat Coalson at Nat@natcoalson.com. He's a certified expert in CS2 and a member of this group.
Good luck,
Posted by Nat Coalson on January 3, 2007 at 5:39 PM
Brad-
I have found ACE Certification to be quite helpful in building my printmaking and consulting business.
I make high-end digital prints for artists and photographers and provide training, workshops and private consulting to companies and individuals who need to understand color management and image processing workflows.
For me to have Certification is a competitive advantage. My clients have often referred someone new to me and mentioned my Certification to them. And my girlfriend thinks it's really sexy
Individually, the benefits depend on how it will be applied. For exmaple, I don't think it's a major advantage for a person wanting to focus on, say, freelance graphic design. Those clients won't care much about it.
Employers in the media industries would definitely be impressed though.
For brushing up on the test material, I used Adobe Photoshop CS2 On Demand published by Que. I read through the book over a couple of days and went to take the test.
The test cost me $125 through Thomsen Prometric at a community college outside Denver. I had my results immediately at the end of the test. It took me about an hour to complete; I scored 88%. I think I got 7 answers wrong out of 55? I don't have my results handy.
I've been using Photoshop every day in my professional work since 1992, and there were still questions in the test that addressed aspects of Photoshop that I hadn't worked with much. It is not specific to any particular discipline; there are equal amounts of photographic, design and web emphasis. And some pretty obscure references.
For me, it has definitley been worth doing.
Hope this is helpful. Kind regards -
Posted by Brad Sharp on January 3, 2007 at 5:48 PM
Thanks Nat,
I have worked in computers (support, applications, and some programming), for the last 10 years, but I am now working on a new career in photography. I like working with Photoshop, and it seems like a good fit to pursue a Certification. The big question is - what you can do with it after you get it. So thanks for the input. I may be contacting you after I get my certification with more questions.
Thanks again,
Brad.
Posted by Nat Coalson on January 3, 2007 at 6:02 PM
In all honesty, I view the ACE Certification primarily as a marketing tool. It's not a technical certification per se; there are no classes or a program of instruction. It all comes down to being able to pass the test.
That said, I view certifications from Microsoft in a similar way. There are people who really know what they are doing, and are not certified. Getting an MCSE, for example, only proves that what you know is approved and sanctioned by the software manufacturer.
In my opinion, for a photographer specifically, certification from PPA is far more meaningful. But as to "what you can do with it"? That's your call; it doesn't come with guarantees or special priveleges beyond the title.
Discussion
4 repliesCan anyone tell me from experience if it is worthwhile - other than learning more about Photoshop in the process of studying for the exam? Is it was worth the money and effort? For those who have their certification, do you feel you are getting a good ROI? Does it open any employment opportunities for you?
If it is a good thing to have, what are the best books or tools to use for study?
Thanks,
Brad
You may want to contact Nat Coalson at Nat@natcoalson.com. He's a certified expert in CS2 and a member of this group.
Good luck,
I have found ACE Certification to be quite helpful in building my printmaking and consulting business.
I make high-end digital prints for artists and photographers and provide training, workshops and private consulting to companies and individuals who need to understand color management and image processing workflows.
For me to have Certification is a competitive advantage. My clients have often referred someone new to me and mentioned my Certification to them. And my girlfriend thinks it's really sexy
Individually, the benefits depend on how it will be applied. For exmaple, I don't think it's a major advantage for a person wanting to focus on, say, freelance graphic design. Those clients won't care much about it.
Employers in the media industries would definitely be impressed though.
For brushing up on the test material, I used Adobe Photoshop CS2 On Demand published by Que. I read through the book over a couple of days and went to take the test.
The test cost me $125 through Thomsen Prometric at a community college outside Denver. I had my results immediately at the end of the test. It took me about an hour to complete; I scored 88%. I think I got 7 answers wrong out of 55? I don't have my results handy.
I've been using Photoshop every day in my professional work since 1992, and there were still questions in the test that addressed aspects of Photoshop that I hadn't worked with much. It is not specific to any particular discipline; there are equal amounts of photographic, design and web emphasis. And some pretty obscure references.
For me, it has definitley been worth doing.
Hope this is helpful. Kind regards -
I have worked in computers (support, applications, and some programming), for the last 10 years, but I am now working on a new career in photography. I like working with Photoshop, and it seems like a good fit to pursue a Certification. The big question is - what you can do with it after you get it. So thanks for the input. I may be contacting you after I get my certification with more questions.
Thanks again,
Brad.
That said, I view certifications from Microsoft in a similar way. There are people who really know what they are doing, and are not certified. Getting an MCSE, for example, only proves that what you know is approved and sanctioned by the software manufacturer.
In my opinion, for a photographer specifically, certification from PPA is far more meaningful. But as to "what you can do with it"? That's your call; it doesn't come with guarantees or special priveleges beyond the title.