Photographers
Under the title Photographers, workers photograph people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects. O*NET rates it as medium preparation, which usually means one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree. It leans on speaking, active listening, and service orientation. Expect to 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. Interest ratings put Realistic on top at 5.5 out of 7 and Artistic second, so the code is RAC and the day leans toward hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need helping, teaching or caring for people.
What they do
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.
Main tasks
- 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.
Skills
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You want room to make something in your own way.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on speaking and active listening.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You want helping people to be at the center of your work. Social rates 1.9 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RAC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Some College Courses. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Advertising Photographer
- Commercial Photographer
- Graduation Photographer
- Newspaper Photographer
- Photo Editor
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.