Professional Photographers and the process of becoming Accredited, here is an excerpt from the AIPP website...
An Accredited Professional Photographer is a professional photographer who has met the AIPP accreditation standards and is a current AIPP member.
Accreditation is designed to give you, the consumer, confidence that your professional photographer is a proven, experienced, technically capable, professional practitioner who complies with all legal business requirements, has appropriate insurance and who is willing to agree to the mandatory "Code of Professional Practice" and to the requirement to continually improve their photographic skills by committing to continue their professional development.
To become accredited, a professional photographer has to...
Demonstrate that they have been practicing for a minimum of 2 years
Demonstrate that they have satisfied clients and suppliers by providing written references
Demonstrate that they comply with all legal, ethical and moral business requirements to practice as a professional in Australia
Demonstrate that their photographic skills are of a "Professional Standard"
Agree to have a portfolio of their work, assessed by experienced AIPP image assessors
Achieve the required portfolio assessment standard.
Agree to continue their professional development through the AIPP CPD program, maintaining up to date skills and business practices each year.
The AIPP continually monitors its accreditation requirements to ensure that the standard for accredited membership is appropriate for the profession of photography in 2015 and beyond.