Photographers

Summary

What Photographers Do About this section

Photographers capture subjects in commercial-quality photographs.

Photographers use their technical expertise and creativity to produce and preserve images of people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects.

Duties

Photographers typically do the following:

• Market or advertise services to attract clients
• Analyze and plan the composition of photographs
• Use various photographic techniques and lighting equipment
• Capture subjects in professional-quality photographs
• Enhance the subject’s appearance with natural or artificial light
• Use photo-enhancing software
• Maintain a digital portfolio to demonstrate their work
• Archive and manage imagery

Many photographers use digital cameras, although some also may use traditional film cameras. Digital cameras capture images electronically, so the photographer can edit the image on a computer. Once the raw image has been transferred to a computer, photographers use image processing software to crop or modify the image and enhance it through color correction and other specialized effects.

Photographers who work for commercial clients often present photographs in a digital format to the client. Wedding and portrait photographers also may provide framing services and present the photographs they capture in albums.

Many photographers are self-employed. Photographers who own and operate their own business have additional responsibilities. They must advertise, schedule appointments, set up and adjust equipment, buy supplies, keep records, charge customers, pay bills, and—if they have employees—hire, train, and direct their workers.

In addition, some photographers teach photography classes or conduct workshops in schools or in their own studios.

The following are examples of types of photographers:

Aerial photographers capture images from overhead. They may travel in planes or helicopters or use drones to take photographs of buildings, landscapes, scenery, or events.

Commercial and industrial photographers take pictures of subjects such as buildings, models, merchandise, artifacts, and landscapes. They usually go on location to take pictures for magazine covers, engineering projects, or other purposes.

Fine arts photographers sell their photographs as artwork. In addition to their knowledge of techniques such as lighting and the use of lenses, fine arts photographers use their artistic talent to express emotions and ideas through the images they capture.

News photographers, also called photojournalists, photograph people, places, and events for newspapers, television, and other media outlets. In addition to taking still photos, photojournalists often work with digital video.

Portrait photographers take pictures of individuals or groups of people and may work in studios. Photographers who specialize in weddings, religious ceremonies, or school photographs usually work on location.

Work Environment About this section

Most photographers stand or walk for long periods while carrying heavy equipment.

Photographers held about 151,200 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of photographers were as follows:

Many photographers are self-employed. Work settings for photographers vary. Photographers may work indoors or outdoors.

They may work in studios, and travel may be required. For example, a portrait photographer might travel to take photographs at a client’s location, such as a school or a home.

News photographers may travel locally or internationally and must be prepared to work in uncomfortable or even dangerous surroundings. For example, a news photographer may be sent to a war zone to capture images. News photographers may need to be available on short notice to cover developing events.

Aerial photographers work in planes or helicopters to capture a scene, event, or location from an overhead perspective.

Photographers might need to stand or walk for long periods. They also may need to carry heavy equipment.

Work Schedules

Part-time work is common, and work schedules may vary, including evenings and weekends. Hours often are flexible so that photographers can meet with current and potential clients or visit the sites where they will work. For certain types of photographers, workloads may fluctuate with the season. For example, wedding photographers are typically busiest in the summer and fall.

How to Become a Photographer About this section

Portrait photographers take pictures of individuals or groups of people and usually work in their own studios.

Photographers typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation. Many photographers take classes or earn a certificate or degree in photography or a related field to improve their skills.

Education

Postsecondary education is not always required for photographers. However, many photographers take classes or earn a certificate or degree to improve their skills.

Many universities, community colleges, vocational–technical institutes, and private trade and technical schools offer classes in photography. The subject matter in basic photography courses includes how to use various photography equipment, processes, and techniques. Art school training in photographic design and composition also may be useful.

Some employers may require or prefer that candidates have a bachelor’s degree in photography, photojournalism, or a related fine arts field.

Business, marketing, and accounting classes may be helpful for self-employed photographers.

Training

Photographers’ skill or ability for taking good photos is typically cultivated over years of practice. Photographers often start working as an assistant to a professional photographer, learning on the job. This work provides an opportunity to gain experience, build the photographers’ portfolios, and gain exposure to prospective clients. In addition, photographers must learn to use photo-editing software.

For many artists, including photographers, developing a portfolio—a collection of their work that demonstrates their styles and abilities—is essential. Art directors, clients, and others may review portfolios when deciding whether to hire a particular photographer.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Photographers who commercially operate drones, commonly known as unmanned aerial vehicles, must obtain certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). For specific guidelines and information, visit the FAA website’s section on unmanned aircraft systems.

Important Qualities

The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page.

Artistic ability. Photographers capture their subjects in images, and they must evaluate the artistic quality of a photograph. Photographers need the ability to use colors, shadows, shades, light, and distance to compose aesthetically pleasing photographs.

Business skills. Photographers must plan marketing or advertising strategies, reach out to prospective clients, and anticipate seasonal employment.

Computer skills. Most photographers do their own postproduction work and must be adept at using photo-editing software. They also use computers to maintain a digital portfolio.

Customer-service skills. Photographers must understand the types of shots their clients want and agree on suitable alternatives for ideas that may be unworkable.

Detail-oriented skills. Photographers must focus on details, especially in postproduction. In addition, photographers accumulate many photographs and must maintain them in an orderly fashion.

Interpersonal skills. Photographers must communicate and be flexible when working with clients in order to achieve the desired composition in a photograph.

Pay About this section

The median hourly wage for photographers was $20.44 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $14.23, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $45.56.

In May 2024, the median hourly wages for photographers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Part-time work is common, and work schedules may vary, including evenings and weekends. Hours often are flexible so that photographers can meet with current and potential clients or visit the sites where they will work. For certain types of photographers, workloads may fluctuate with the season. For example, wedding photographers are typically busiest in the summer and fall.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of photographers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2024 to 2034, slower than the average for all occupations.

Despite limited employment growth, about 12,700 openings for photographers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Employment of self-employed photographers is projected to grow as the number of amateur photographers and hobbyists entering the occupation increases. Demand for portrait photographers will remain as people continue to want new portraits. Corporations also will continue to require commercial photographers’ services to develop compelling advertisements to sell products.

However, the ease and quality of photos taken by smartphones may reduce the need for professional photographers. In addition, stock photographic services available online give individuals and businesses access to photographs for a fee or subscription, possibly dampening demand for these workers.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link below goes to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Use the dropdown boxes to select an occupation.

• Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about testing and obtaining certification to operate commercial drones or unmanned aerial systems, visit

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

O*NET

Photographers