Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Developing original ideas, approaches, designs, or solutions.
Understanding customer needs and providing helpful, professional service.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Photographer 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 & 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.
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Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of photographers is projected to grow 1 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline. About 10,700 openings for photographers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many 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 The ease and quality of photos taken by smartphones may reduce the need for professional photographers. In addition, some kinds of photography, such as stock photos, are projected to be partially replaced by artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images, dampening demand for these workers. However, 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. Photographers Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Media and communication equipment workers 1% Photographers -1% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Photographers Do
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
Work Environment
Photographers held about 145,000 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of photographers were as follows:
| Self-employed workers | 67% |
| Photographic services | 17 |
| Publishing, broadcasting, and content providers | 4 |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 |
| Retail trade | 2 |
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.
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.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about photographers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.