Photographers Career Outlook

Source: Career Prospects In Virginia

What do they do? Photographers take pictures of people, places, things, and events Specializations include: Fashion, forensics, medical, news, wildlife, and more.

• Preferred education: Associate’s or bachelor's degree
• Certification & licensing: None
• Getting ahead: For freelancers, advancement means finding more clients and selling more photographs. Staff photographers can become photo editors.
• Skills: Taking and developing pictures, creativity and artistic talent, patience
• Where they work: Almost anywhere. Work for print and broadcast media, photo studios, or are self-employed
• Job outlook: Competitive
• Earnings: Varies widely from very low to very high, depending on position

WHAT DO THEY DO?

The beautiful wildlife photos we see in magazines like National Geographic, the dramatic news photos we see in newspapers, the carefully-posed photos we see in wedding albums, and the artfully arranged photos we see in advertisements, all have one thing in common: they were taken by photographers who put a lot of thought into what they were doing.

Indeed, people like Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, Cindy Sherman, Nan Goldin and Anne Leibowitz are famous for their carefully-crafted and captivating photos in the worlds of fashion, art and portraiture. They are examples of the many different types of photographers out there, each with a specific purpose and audience. For example, some photographers specialize in art photography, producing breathtaking photographs meant to stand alongside paintings and sculptures in galleries, museums and people's art collections. Others are photo journalists, taking pictures of city council meetings, fires, wars and other events for newspapers and magazines. Some shoot only portraits, snapping photos of infants, newlyweds, elderly couples and even family pets. Still others specialize in wedding photography, capturing just-married brides and grooms on film. Others take pictures of products for ads--a new type of yogurt, a new brand of diapers, or a new type of kitty litter, for instance. Even within these categories, there are photographers who specialize in wildlife photography, pet photography, school picture photography, sports photography, fashion photography, and more.

Photographers can work in many different circumstances, but they often fall into one of three categories. The first is photographers who run their own studios. People wishing to have photos taken visit a fixed space where the photographer has set up equipment, lights, and a darkroom. These photographers are running their own small businesses. The second group of photographers are freelancers, who shoot photos for one or several newspapers, magazines, or agencies. They are generally paid per picture. Finally, another group of photographers are hired permanently as "staff" for newspapers, magazines, or advertising agencies. These photographers receive regular salaries from their employers and can usually use the darkroom facilities of whatever company for which they work. As digital photos become more widely used across the board, however, this last point is becoming moot. Many photographers no longer need darkrooms to develop and process their shots. Instead, they need good computer skills to manipulate photos by computer.

While photography can be fun and creative, succeeding in this field takes a great deal of business sense. This line of work is highly competitive, particularly at the top, and those who succeed not only need talent but also good networking skills and luck. However, even those who never make it to the "big leagues" are usually happy with what they do, finding it satisfying and fulfilling. Like other artists, they cannot imagine themselves doing anything else. Specific tasks include:
• Arranging compositions
• Measuring light
• Setting up and taking down equipment
• Taking pictures
• Developing and printing pictures from film
• Uploading and manipulating digital photographs
• Buying equipment and supplies
• Scheduling appointments
• Finding clients
• Keeping business records

SOME AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

Commercial and industrial photographers take pictures to be used in advertisements, catalogs, greeting cards, reports, and books. They photograph a wide variety of subjects and often work on location.

Fashion photographers specialize in photographing fashion models displaying clothes and accessories. Their work appears in catalogs and fashion magazines.

Fine-art photographers concentrate on the artistic aspects of photography. They use things like composition, light, shadow, color and effects to capture images that are beautiful, engaging, disturbing, and sometimes controversial. Forensic photographers work for police and other criminal justice agencies and take pictures at crime scenes.

Medical photographers work at hospitals and research institutes photographing organs, tissues, and medical procedures. Their work is used to document research and to illustrate medical textbooks and journals.

Nature photographers take pictures of animals in the wild, often in faraway places and under difficult conditions.

News photographers, also called photojournalists, photograph people, places, and events for newspapers, journals, and magazines.

Portrait photographers take pictures of individuals or groups of people and often work in their own studios. They may also specialize in a particular type of portraits, such as weddings or school photographs.

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, & LICENSING

Though there are no formal educational or licensing requirements for photographers, earning a college degree in photography can be very helpful. Some employers, like news or advertising agencies, may even require a four year degree, and university and art school students often have an easier time finding internships. However, talented and ambitious photographers can succeed without a degree. Many photographers are self-employed and need to know how to run a business and market their services. Computer training is becoming increasingly important because digital cameras and digital photo editing software are now widely used.

GETTING AHEAD

Getting a job in photography usually means developing and presenting a portfolio that demonstrates ability in the particular specialty the person is trying to enter. Many photographers start out working as assistants; building technical knowledge, contacts and discerning which type of photography to specialize in. For self-employed and free-lance photographers, advancement means finding more clients, selling more photographs, and landing high-profile jobs. Magazine and news photographers may become photo editors after several years of experience.

SKILLS, ABILITIES, & PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Artistic talent and creativity
• Working with subjects, clients, editors, and others
• Knowledge of cameras, lighting, and digital imaging technology
• Troubleshooting cameras and other equipment
• Business sense
• Networking and self-promotion

WHERE THEY WORK

Almost half of all photographers are freelancers or self-employed. Others work for photo studios owned by others or for newspapers, magazines, and a wide variety of other kinds of enterprises including advertising agencies, greeting card companies, hospitals, and police departments.

Photography, particularly commercial photography and photojournalism, is a very competitive field. There are many more people who want to be photographers than there is work to support them. Only the best are able to find salaried positions or attract enough work to support themselves as self-employed photographers. Some become weekenders--individuals with full-time jobs in other fields who take photographs of weddings and other special events on weekends.

EARNINGS

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2007), photographers make $ on average $62,370. The most successful photographers, particularly those in journalism or in the fashion industry, can earn much more, but relatively few attain these heights.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

American Photo Magazine
www.americanphotomag.com/

American Society of Media Photographers
www.asmp.org

The Digital Journalist, Photojournalism in the Digital Age
www.digitaljournalist.org/

National Press Photographers Association
www.nppa.org/

North American Nature Photography Association
www.nanpa.org/

Photo District News
www.pdnonline.com/

Professional Photographers of America
www.ppa.com

Virginia News Photographers Association
www.vnpa.net/

Women in Photography
www.womeninphotography.org/