Photographers
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: Advertising Photographer, Aerial Photographer, Automotive Photographer, Biological Photographer, Biomedical Photographer, Commercial Photographer, Crime Scene Photographer, Digital Photographer, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Slower than average)
What You'd Do
- Take pictures of individuals, families, and small groups, either in studio or on location.
- 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.
- Use traditional or digital cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.
- Create artificial light, using flashes and reflectors.
- Determine desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.
- Test equipment prior to use to ensure that it is in good working order.
- Review sets of photographs to select the best work.
- Estimate or measure light levels, distances, and numbers of exposures needed, using measuring devices and formulas.
- Manipulate and enhance scanned or digital images to create desired effects, using computers and specialized software.
- Perform maintenance tasks necessary to keep equipment working properly.
- Perform general office duties, such as scheduling appointments, keeping books, and ordering supplies.
- Determine project goals, locations, and equipment needs by studying assignments and consulting with clients or advertising staff.
- Select and assemble equipment and required background properties, according to subjects, materials, and conditions.
- Enhance, retouch, and resize photographs and negatives, using airbrushing and other techniques.
- Set up, mount, or install photographic equipment and cameras.
- Direct activities of workers setting up photographic equipment.
- Engage in research to develop new photographic procedures and materials.
- Mount, frame, laminate, or lacquer finished photographs.
- Transfer photographs to computers for editing, archiving, and electronic transmission.
- Produce computer-readable, digital images from film, using flatbed scanners and photofinishing laboratories.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.