Body Mapping Certification

The Body Mapping Certification was created by the BioCommunications Association, Inc. (BCA) to provide the medical community with a standardized examination process for evaluating professionals who will be performing photographic documentation of the dermatological condition of living human patients.

Requirements for Certification

The certification process consists of three parts: a written exam, a practical exam, and a demonstration of competency.

The Written Exam

You will have one full year from the date of acceptance into the program to take the written exam, which may be completed on-line. The chair will be e-mailing you information as to how to log on to the on-line testing website with a log on name and password. You will have 45 minutes to complete the 50 questions. The test consists of five sections. Each section has a pool of questions that is randomized for each test. If you fail the first attempt, the next time you take the test, it will be slightly different.

The categories on the exam are: Digital Materials and Processes (15 questions), Ethics (5 questions), Body Mapping (15 questions), Lighting and Portraiture (8 questions) and Theory of Light and Color (7 questions) for a total of 50 questions. Although there is a vast resource of information available today, some publications to get started in preparing for the written exam are as follows:

• Digital Photography: A Basic Guide to New Technology by Jenni Bidner, Kodak Publication KW-23
• Digital Imaging for Photographers by Adrian Davies and Phil Fennessy, Focal Press
• Biomedical Photography by John Paul Vetter, RBP, FBPA, Focal Press
• Photographic Materials and Processes by Stroebel, Compton, Current and Zakia, Focal Press

If you are having difficulty finding study resources, please contact Adam Cooper, Chair of the Certification Committee.

The Practical Portion of the Exam

The second part is a practical exam consisting of one complete series of photographs for Total Body Mapping. On this demo CD is a series of images to guide you in the preparation of the photos. Please use a model for your photos and not a real patient. It is your choice to have the model covered. Please include a photo consent form with your CD. You will then burn your images on CD and make 5 copies. Send all 5 copies of the CD directly to Adam Cooper at the address below. The Certification Committee will review the images and if there needs to be changes, the Chair will contact you.

The Demonstration Portion of the Exam

The third and final part of the exam will be a demonstration in a test studio in which the candidate will perform all the necessary steps for Total Body Mapping Photography before an examiner. Upon passing parts one and two, the Chair will contact you to set up an appointment for the demonstration and give you the location information. This step will be made available at the Annual Meeting.

Upon successful completion of all the requirements for certification, the candidate will receive a certificate suitable for framing and an invitation to the next BCA Annual Meeting for recognition during the Honors Banquet.

If you have any questions, please contact the Chair of the Certification Committee.

Certfication Committee

Body Mapping Certification Application

The certification application can be downloaded. Please send application with $75.00 non-refundable fee to the BCA Central Office. A CD will be forwarded with sample images, testing instructions and a study guide.