About This Career

Photographs 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.

This career is part of the Arts, Audio-Video Technology and Communications cluster Visual Arts pathway, Journalism and Broadcasting pathway.

A person in this career:

• Adjusts apertures, shutter speeds, and camera focus according to a combination of factors, such as lighting, field depth, subject motion, film type, and film speed.
• Creates artificial light, using flashes and reflectors.
• Transfers photographs to computers for editing, archiving, and electronic transmission.
• Determines desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.
• Uses traditional or digital cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.
• Takes pictures of individuals, families, and small groups, either in studio or on location.
• Manipulates and enhances scanned or digital images to create desired effects, using computers and specialized software.
• Enhances, retouches, and resizes photographs and negatives, using airbrushing and other techniques.
• Tests equipment prior to use to ensure that it is in good working order.
• Estimates or measures light levels, distances, and numbers of exposures needed, using measuring devices and formulas.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Irregular hours
• Overnight travel