A photographer takes pictures as an artistic or commercial occupation. Some specialize in portrait photography; others work as photojournalists or industrial photographers. Photographers with knowledge in a special field may specialize in scientific, medical, or engineering photography. Artists who employ photography as an art form have undergone a surge in recent years.
Portrait photographers take pictures of individuals and groups in studios, at weddings, and at other types of gatherings. Many portrait photographers own their own studios and often begin their careers working part-time. These people should have firm business skills—like marketing, advertising, and bookkeeping—to succeed in their own businesses. They must also have a charming personality to be able to get clients to relax.
Commercial photographers, many of whom work in advertising, photograph everything from livestock to buildings to manufactured articles. They must be familiar with many different photographic techniques.
Industrial photographers work in industry and handle everything from photographs for the company newspaper or stockholders' report to photographs of the company's products or manufacturing processes. Those who specialize in fields such as science or medicine may use special equipment and techniques such as infrared photography, x-rays, or time-lapse photography.
Photojournalists are newspaper and magazine photographers who must have a "nose for news" in addition to photographic skills. Those who work for nationwide publications or prestigious newspapers are among the highest-paid photographers.
Other specialists include educational photographers, who prepare slides, film-strips, and movies for classroom use; photomicrographers, who work with microscopes; and photogrammetrists, who specialize in the use of aerial photographs for surveying.
Most photographers work in portrait or commercial studios. The next largest group works as photojournalists. Government agencies and industrial firms employ a significant number, and a few photographers teach in colleges and universities. Nearly half of all photographers are self-employed.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Photographers work in all areas of the United States.
Those employed in salaried jobs usually work a 35 to 40-hour, five-day week. Those in business for themselves work longer hours. Press photographers usually have to work some evening and weekend hours to cover news assignments. Free-lance, press, and commercial photographers do a great deal of traveling.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Good eyesight and color vision, artistic ability, and manual dexterity are necessary for a photographer. Patience, accuracy, and an ability to work with detail are also important. Additionally, photographers must comfortable with computers and photo editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop.
There are no formal educational requirements in this field, although a high school education does provide a good general background for a photographer. Many would-be photographers acquire their skills through two or three years of on-the-job training in a commercial studio. Technical training, however, is the best preparation and is usually necessary for industrial, medical, or scientific work.
Photographic training is available in colleges, universities, junior colleges, and art schools. The armed forces also train many photographers. Two-year training courses sometimes offer an associate degree in photography. Some colleges offer a bachelor's degree in photography, and a few offer a master's degree in specialized areas such as photojournalism. Art schools provide useful training in design and composition but do not usually offer technical training in photography.
A background in a particular science, medical, or engineering field is necessary for many specialty areas of photography. Some employers may require a bachelor's degree in a particular field in addition to photographic skills and experience. News photographers may be expected to have a background in journalism.
Potential and Advancement
There are about 143,000 photographers according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the field is expected to grow over the next decade. Job opportunities will be best in business and industry and in such fields as medicine where technical training and a specialty background are important. Slow growth is expected for portrait or commercial photographers as well as photojournalists.
Advancement usually depends on experience. Some industrial and scientific photographers may be promoted to supervisory positions; magazine and news photographers may eventually become photography editors or heads of graphic arts departments. Self-employed photographers advance as they build a reputation and receive more lucrative assignments. Photographers in salaried positions may open their own studio or do free-lance work.
Income
Self-employed and freelance photographers sometimes earn more than salaried photographers; they often do not. Their earnings are affected by the number of hours they work, the type of clientele, the quality of their work, and their marketing ability.
Additional Sources of Information
- Associated Photographers International
- International Photographic Society
- Professional Photographers of America Inc.
