Career Overview
Photograph people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects. May use lighting equipment to enhance a subject's appearance. May use editing software to produce finished images and prints. Includes commercial and industrial photographers, scientific photographers, and photojournalists.
Also Known As
- Commercial Photographer
- Photographer
- Photojournalist
- Portrait Photographer
Alternate Job Titles
- Advertising Photographer
- Aerial Photographer
- Automotive Photographer
- Biological Photographer
- Biomedical Photographer
- Commercial Photographer
- Crime Scene Photographer
- Digital Photographer
- Event Photographer
- Fashion Photographer
- Finish Photographer
- Food Photographer
- Forensic Photographer
- Freelance Photographer
- Graduation Photographer
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Adjust apertures, shutter speeds, and camera focus according to a combination of factors, such as lighting, field depth, subject motion, film type, and film speed.
- Create artificial light, using flashes and reflectors.
- Determine desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.
- Transfer photographs to computers for editing, archiving, and electronic transmission.
- Use traditional or digital cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.
- Manipulate and enhance scanned or digital images to create desired effects, using computers and specialized software.
- Take pictures of individuals, families, and small groups, either in studio or on location.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Engage in research to learn technological developments and techniques or to develop new photographic procedures and materials.
- Operate drones to capture aerial photographs and videos, following all regulatory guidelines.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Computers and Electronics
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Communications and Media
- Fine Arts
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Speaking
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Near Vision
- Visualization
- Oral Expression
- Far Vision
- Originality
- Oral Comprehension
- Visual Color Discrimination
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Innovation
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Adaptability
- Perseverance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Independence
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Some College Courses
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Apple macOS
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Access
Tools & Equipment
- Board reflectors
- Bubble machines
- Camera cleaning brushes
- Camera flash attachments
- Camera positioning tripods
- Computer inkjet printers
- Computer laser printers
- Contact print frames
- Darkroom thermometers
- Darkroom timers
- Digital pens
- Digital photo printers
- Digital still cameras
- Dimmers
- Dye sublimation printers
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $29,610 |
| Median | $42,520 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $94,760 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 51,230
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $40,100
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
Education: Some College Courses
Median Salary: $60,560
Graphic Designers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $61,300
Special Effects Artists and Animators
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $99,800
Art Directors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $111,040
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.