Photographers held about 132,100 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of photographers were as follows:
| Self-employed workers | 64% |
| Photographic services | 20 |
| Broadcasting (except Internet) | 3 |
| Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers | 2 |
Working conditions for photographers vary by specialty. Photographers may work indoors or outdoors.
Portrait photographers may work in studios, but they also 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 often work irregular schedules and must be available on short notice.
Aerial photographers work in planes or helicopters to capture a scene, event, or location from an overhead perspective.
Most photographers stand or walk for long periods. They may need to carry heavy equipment.
Work Schedules
Some photographers work part time. 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.
Although portrait photographers are not required to have postsecondary education, many take classes because employers usually seek applicants with creativity and a "good eye," as well as a good technical understanding of photography. Photojournalists and industrial and scientific photographers often need a bachelor’s degree.
Education
Postsecondary education is not required for most photographers. However, many photographers take classes or earn a bachelor’s degree to improve their skills and employment prospects.
Many universities, community colleges, vocational–technical institutes, and private trade and technical schools offer classes in photography. Basic photography courses cover equipment, processes, and techniques. Art school training in photographic design and composition also may be useful.
Entry-level positions in photojournalism or in industrial or scientific photography generally require a college degree in photography or in a field related to the industry in which the photographer seeks employment. For example, classes in biology, medicine, or chemistry may be important for scientific photographers.
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 often 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). They must fulfill the following criteria:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English (exceptions may be made if the person is unable to meet one of these requirements for a medical reason, such as a hearing impairment)
- Be in good physical and mental condition to operate a small drone safely
- Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge exam at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center
For specific guidelines and information, visit the FAA website’s section on unmanned aircraft systems.
Photographers typically have an interest in the Building and Creating interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Building interest area indicates a focus on working with tools and machines, and making or fixing practical things. The Creating interest area indicates a focus on being original and imaginative, and working with artistic media.
If you are not sure whether you have a Building or Creating interest which might fit with a career as a photographer, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Photographers should also possess the following specific qualities:
Artistic ability. Photographers capture their subjects in images, and they must be able to evaluate the artistic quality of a photograph. Photographers need ""a good eye""—the ability to use colors, shadows, shades, light, and distance to compose good photographs.
Business skills. Photographers must be able to plan marketing strategies, reach out to prospective clients, and anticipate seasonal employment.
Computer skills. Most photographers do their own postproduction work and must be familiar with photo editing software. They also use computers to keep a digital portfolio and communicate with clients.
Customer-service skills. Photographers must be able to understand the needs of their clients and propose solutions.
Detail oriented. Photographers who do their own postproduction work must be careful not to overlook details and must be thorough when editing photographs. In addition, photographers accumulate many photographs and must maintain them in an orderly fashion.
Interpersonal skills. Photographers often photograph people. They must communicate effectively to achieve a certain composition in a photograph.
The median hourly wage for photographers was $17.44 in May 2019. 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 $9.92, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $38.19.
In May 2019, the median hourly wages for photographers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Broadcasting (except Internet) | $22.83 |
| Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers | 21.74 |
| Photographic services | 15.15 |
Some photographers work part time. 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.
Employment of photographers is projected to decline 6 percent from 2018 to 2028. The decreasing cost of digital cameras and the increasing number of amateur photographers and hobbyists will reduce the need for professional photographers. In addition, stock photographic services available online give individuals and businesses access to stock photographs for a fee or subscription, possibly dampening demand for photographers.
However, the application of newer technologies, such as drone photography, may contribute to increased demand for these workers. For example, drone photography in the commercial sector enables the capturing of images and information for agricultural land, real estate, and new construction projects. In addition, drone photography enables the photographer to create visuals of tall structures, such as cell towers and bridges, that are in need of repair. Drone photography at weddings or special events also captures scenic aerial portraits.
Employment of self-employed photographers is projected to grow 10 percent from 2018 to 2028. Demand for portrait photographers will remain as people continue to want new portraits. In addition, corporations will continue to require the services of commercial photographers to develop compelling advertisements to sell products.
Declines in the newspaper industry will reduce demand for news photographers to provide still images for print. Employment of photographers in newspaper publishing is projected to decline by about one-third from 2018 to 2028.
Job Prospects
Photographers will face strong competition for most jobs. Because of the relative ease with which photographers may enter the occupation, there will be many qualified candidates for relatively few positions.
In addition, salaried jobs may be more difficult to obtain as companies increasingly contract with freelancers rather than hire their own photographers. Job prospects will be best for candidates who have a strong portfolio and related skills, such as in editing photos and capturing digital video.
For more information about careers in photography, visit
American Society of Media Photographers
For more information about testing and obtaining certification to operate commercial drones or unmanned aerial systems (UASs), visit
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
For more information about university photographers, visit
University Photographers’ Association of America