Photographers
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.
Also called: Advertising Photographer · Commercial Photographer · Graduation Photographer · Newspaper Photographer · Photo Editor · Photographer
Median pay (national)
$42,520
$29,610–$94,760 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
51,230
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+1.8%
~12,700 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for photographers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $94,760 versus $29,610 at the bottom 10% — 3.2x. The median of $42,520 leaves roughly 123% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +1.8% from 2024 to 2034 — slower than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 12,700 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 50 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $110,530, +160% vs the national median), while Arkansas sits lowest at $33,850 — a 227% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom as in-demand technologies for this role.
Tailor your resume to Photographers
Honest tailoring
See how your resume lines up with Photographers
Refit re-angles your real experience toward this role using the skills above — and never invents skills you don't have. A no-fabrication gate checks every change before you see it.
Free. No account needed to see your first re-fit.
Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Take pictures of individuals, families, and small groups, either in studio or on location.
- Enhance, retouch, and resize photographs and negatives, using airbrushing and other techniques.
- Estimate or measure light levels, distances, and numbers of exposures needed, using measuring devices and formulas.
- Perform general office duties, such as scheduling appointments, keeping books, and ordering supplies.
Tools & technology
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Apple macOS
- Intuit QuickBooks
- WordPress
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Blinkbid
- Cradoc fotoBiz
- Genbook
- Google Drive
- HindSight InView
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Computers and Electronics
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Communications and Media
- Fine Arts
- Production and Processing