so you want to be a… professional photographer. professional photographer photograph persons,...

So you want to be a…

Professional Photographer

Professional PhotographerPhotograph persons, subjects, merchandise, or other

commercial products. May develop negatives and produce finished prints.

• Salary– Entry level

workers can start out making $29,000, while more experienced workers can make as much as $76,000.

• Education– Most occupations in this

zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

– Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

So what does a Professional Photographer

do?• Develop and print exposed film using chemicals, touchup

tools, and developing and printing equipment, or send film to photofinishing laboratories for processing.

• 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.

• Adjust apertures, shutter speeds, and camera focus based on a combination of factors such as lighting, field depth, subject motion, film type, and film speed.

• Take pictures of individuals or families either in studio or on location.

• Employ specialized photographic materials and techniques, including infrared and ultraviolet films, macro-photography, photogrammetry, and sensitometry.

Outlook for the Future

• During 2009, there were approximately 14,130 people employed in this field in CA.

• It is estimated that in 2016 there will be 15,900 employed in CA. This represents an increase of 210 new positions each year (1.40%).

Similar Occupations

• Photographic Process Workers• Film and Video Editors• Camera Operators, Television,

Video, and Motion Picture• Sound Engineering Technicians• Set and Exhibit Designers

What will I need to know?

• Classes you will need to take for this career:

• Journalism• Photo Journalism• Mathematics• English• Computers

• Knowledge you will need to gain for this career:• Customer and

Personal Service• Sales and

Marketing• Computers and

Electronics• Clerical

How do I become a Professional

Photographer?• First, you need to make it out of middle

school. • Once you’re in high school:

– Consider taking some ROP classes specifically for photography or join journalism club, yearbook, or the newspaper.

– Think about taking some photography classes at your local community college.

– Maintain good grades because you’re definitely going to need a high school diploma and will need good grades to get into a college.

• Major in photography in college.

Questions?Speak to your counselor

• Mrs. Scribner– Students whose

last names begin with A-L

• Mrs. Jantz– Students whose

last names begin with M-Z