PHOTOGRAPHERS California Occupational Guide Number 51 Interest Area 1 1998
THE JOB
The basic skills involved in all photography are the same: a thorough understanding of camera operation, lighting, composition, darkroom procedures, and the special properties of films and papers. PHOTOGRAPHERS use combinations of cameras, films, lenses, filters, and lighting to create and to produce the final image or picture. Photographers may specialize in portrait, commercial, news, industrial, medical, or scientific photography, or they may generalize in a combination of two or more types of photography.
The primary differences between specialties lie in the subject matter, work site, type of equipment used, and the amount of training and precision required for design and composition of the photograph. Wedding and Portrait Photographers pose their subjects and carefully arrange lighting by using flood lights, electronic flash units, reflectors, and screens.
Commercial Photographers may take pictures of merchandise, architecture, and scenery for advertising and sales purposes. News Photographers generally work at the sites of news events. They take pictures that enhance stories used by news media. Industrial Photographers include all Photographers working in an industrial setting.
Scientific Photographers use specialized equipment such as electron microscopes for producing photographs of microscopic items and often assist in the preparation of specimens to be photographed. Many Photographers are skilled in the use of 35- or 16-millimeter movie cameras or video camcorders.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Most Photographers work indoors in clean, air-conditioned surroundings. Exceptions are News Photographers who may work indoors or out under all conditions of weather, lighting, and vantage points. News assignments may be dangerous. Normal or corrected vision and good color perception are essential. There is often pressure to meet deadlines.
Most News Photographers are members of the local chapter of the Newspaper Guild, a national organization. Independent, industrial, scientific and other Photographers working in smaller studios usually have no union affiliation.
EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
The following information is from the California Projections of Employment published by the Labor Market Information Division for Photographers.
Estimated number of workers in 1993 9,260 Estimated number of workers in 2005 11,720 Projected Growth 1993-2005 27% Estimated openings due to separations by 2005 2,600
(These figures do not include self-employment or openings due to turnover.)
This occupation is expected to grow about as fast as the average occupation through 2005. The job market for Photographers is very competitive. About as many openings will arise from the need to replace Photographers who leave the occupation as are created by job creation. There are, however, more qualified Photographers than there are job openings.
Some of the less-crowded fields in photography are the scientific and industrial photography fields. This is because these jobs demand very specialized technical knowledge in addition to photographic skill. Aerial photography is another field that is less crowded.
Many Photographers are self-employed. They often contract with various agencies or work on individual projects. Salaried Photographers work in commercial photography studios, while others work for magazines, newspapers, and advertising and government agencies. It is difficult to find permanent full-time work.
WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS
Pay for Photographers varies greatly, depending on the job duties and type of employer. The pay of newspaper Photographers ranges from $350 to $1,000 a week. A company car, equipment, and merit and pay differentials may be provided.
The State of California offers their Photographers a salary of $2,379 to $2,853 per month. For other salaried Photographers, earnings can reach $1,600 to over $2,200 per month. Self-employed or free lance Photographers may earn very modest salaries as part-time workers, or many thousands of dollars each month for Photographers who own busy studios. A very few Photographers earn salaries over $100,000 per year. Earnings are affected by the number of hours worked, the Photographer's creativity and skills, marketing and business ability, location, and general economic conditions.
Civil service, industrial, and news Photographers work a standard 40-hour week with time and a half for overtime. Benefits include paid vacations, holidays, and sick leave. Life, health, retirement and accident insurance policies may be fully or partially paid by employers.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING
The minimum entrance requirement is graduation from high school; however, employers prefer experienced applicants who are college graduates. All newspaper Photographers should have previous experience, and sometimes a college degree is required.
Prospective Photographers should take classes in photography, art, and chemistry. A photographic rating in the armed forces is helpful. Several four-year colleges offer courses in photography.
Many community colleges offer two-year vocational courses leading to an Associate of Arts degree in photography. Applicants with college training and little on-the-job experience can enhance their employability by completing one or more internships. This is especially true for beginning photojournalists. Most of the larger newspapers and magazines offer internships in the summer months.
Computers will be playing an important part in future professional photography. Experience with computer programs to alter and manipulate photographic images will be increasingly needed.
Although there is no systematic or best method of entering this occupation, determination, skill, and formal preparation are important factors for success.
ADVANCEMENT
Civil service Photographers and union newspaper Photographers advance to more responsible jobs as they gain experience and pass required tests. Most photographic studios are small and opportunities for advancement to supervisory levels are limited. Photographers can usually increase their earnings by developing a good reputation in a salable specialty and by gaining experience and mastery of their craft. Self-employment is also a popular option.
FINDING THE JOB
Applicants should prepare a portfolio of their photographs and apply directly to photographic studios or companies that employ Photographers. Those interested in civil service positions should contact the personnel offices of government agencies for information about examinations.
College students can obtain job information and references from their college placement offices. Networking is an important source of employment contacts in this occupation. Applicants should also register with California Employment Development Department Job Service offices, private employment agencies, unions, and professional associations. Newspaper advertisements and trade publications are also sources of job leads.
ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Additional information regarding the field of photography can be obtained from:
The Newspaper Guild 501 Third St. N.W., Suite 250 Washington, DC 20001 (202) 434 7177 www.newsguild.org/tng/
National Press Photographers Association 3200 Croasdaile Drive, Suite 306 Durham, NC 27705 (800) 289-6772 www.sunsite.unc.edu/nppa/
Professional Photographers of America, Inc. 229 Peachtree Street, Suite 2200 International Tower Atlanta, GA 30303 (800) 786-6277 www.ppa-world.org
RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES
Photo Finishing Occupations No. 245 Photographic Equipment Repairers No. 265
OCCUPATIONAL CODE REFERENCES
DOT (Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th Ed., 1991) Photographer, Scientific 143.062-026 Photographer, Still 143.062-030 Photojournalist 143.062-034 Photographer 143.457-010
OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System Photographers 340230
Source: State of California, Employment Development Department,
Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
(916) 262-2162
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