When you have an eye for finding the perfect perspective to capture an image, the possibilities are limitless. Our graduates find success in vastly different areas of the photography industry, from editorial and commercial to freelance, sports and more.
And while some students may already know what they want to pursue, maybe you are just beginning to explore your options.
If you’re unsure about pursuing a creative career, worry not! You can determine your career-readiness level by taking our quick 5-question quiz. Then, you can better decide on your creative career path.
Start by taking the quiz, then explore the many potential career paths available to you on this page!
The goal of editorial photography is to use pictures to communicate a narrative. An editorial photographer is hired by a newspaper to create photos to accompany its written material. The readers can better visualize what the author has written thanks to this style of photography. In newspapers, periodicals, and editorial features, editorial photos may frequently be used. Photographs for magazines or newspapers may be artistic, serious, or use complicated lighting.
Editorial photographers take pictures that convey the meaning of the articles they are shooting. While an image for an awareness campaign may be more concerned with communicating the campaign’s message, a photograph for a political news item may depict the mood of a politician. In contrast to commercial photography, editorial photography offers limited opportunities for artificial lighting, requiring photographers to be incredibly creative and impromptu.
Real estate photographers are in charge of taking pictures of the inside and outside of houses, apartments, commercial buildings, etc. To advertise these houses to potential purchasers, they collaborate closely with real estate agents.
Real estate photographers need to be able to take beautiful pictures in a range of settings, including strong sunlight and dimly lit interior spaces. To demonstrate how a home appears under varied lighting situations, they might also need to take extra pictures at various times of the day or during different seasons.
Commercial photographers must produce images used in commercial settings. For example, images of individuals using a company’s goods or services are included here and product shots for online stores.
Commercial photographers frequently have to complete their tasks by a tight deadline and must be able to react swiftly. To ensure that the finished image is correctly structured and prepared for use in its intended context, they might also need to work with other team members, such as graphic designers.
A professional photographer who works in a studio setting is known as a studio photographer. They photograph people individually or in groups. They could employ props, backdrops, lighting, and filters to achieve the desired effect for the images. They do not need to carry their photographic equipment frequently, like some photographers do, because they work in a studio. To edit the pictures they take, they could use software.
Fashion photographers produce images of apparel, accessories, and other fashion-related things. They collaborate closely with models, stylists, makeup artists, and other creatives to produce visually appealing content that appeals to the target market for their clients.
Fashion photographers must have an excellent sense of composition and an eye for detail. They must also be able to function well under pressure because they frequently have to fulfill many deadlines and consistently deliver high-quality photos.
The preservation, organizing, and archiving of images are within the purview of photo archivists. Additionally, they set up and prepare their collections for consumption by the general public. Therefore, archivists are employed anywhere there is a huge inventory of images that need archiving and preservation.
This comprises public and private collections, research facilities, academic institutions, libraries, historical centers, and museums. In addition, they collaborate with photo curators, museum directors, and art buyers to acquire and conserve images.
Curators are consulted by artists, curators, and museum directors for advice on the best images to utilize as references for publications and/or presentations. In addition, they might serve as general archivists at smaller institutions, handling all forms of artistic expression.
Travel photographers often capture images outside of their area in various settings. Although it is possible to work as an employee for a publication or photography agency, traveling photographers typically work freelance for numerous customers. Your obligations are determined by your company and the specifics of each job you take on. For journalistic or commercial motives, some photographers take their work abroad. Working in a studio environment or capturing special events, cultural subjects, vacation spots, or other locations may be part of your employment responsibilities. You must travel to the location of each assignment and adhere to all the client’s requirements.
A scientific photographer captures photographs for scientific textbooks, journals, reports, and instructional aids using photographic equipment and procedures. You take pictures of the data and write down essential information for research. Additionally, a scientific photographer can edit, upload, and contrast images. Your duties call for specialized camera gear to capture images through microscopes and the correct approach to present accurate information with the pictures. Forensic, medical, museum, lab specimen, and pharmaceutical photography are a few fields that use scientific photography.
Photographers of sports document the action on the ice, court, or playing field. At athletic events, they spend a lot of time photographing participants and taking part in various activities.
Sports photographers need to be able to predict when specific moments will occur so they can position themselves and take pictures at precisely the appropriate time. This calls for knowledge of the game being played as well as an aptitude for timing and composition.
A freelance photographer collaborates closely with customers to take pictures of people, places, and things using their creativity, technical expertise, and camera equipment and software. Photographers must successfully communicate with clients about expectations to achieve standards and project deadlines to guarantee the intended results. Other responsibilities include keeping a professional appearance and suggesting innovative ideas and solutions to fulfill the desired objectives.
Photo editors coordinate the positioning and editing of photos in magazines, websites, and newspapers. Sometimes, they might supervise a team of photographers. Photo editors are employed by newspapers or book publishers in a variety of industries. One of their duties is editing the photos to improve quality. Another is to maintain deadlines for publications and assignments. Many start their careers as photographers with an education in the graphic design field. In addition to technical training, photo editors must be organized and have excellent visual skills.
Product photographers are in charge of taking pictures of goods that are intended to be sold to customers or used in marketing materials. For example, they might collaborate closely with marketers, salespeople, or designers to ensure the finished product embodies their vision.
Product photographers need to pay close attention to detail and grasp how light affects products. They must also be able to see issues with a shot right away and decide how to resolve them effectively.
Wedding photographers are in charge of documenting the special day. They collaborate closely with the wedding party, bride, and groom to ensure that every significant moment is captured in images.
Wedding photographers need to be able to predict what will happen next to be prepared to get the ideal shot at the perfect moment. They should also have an eye for composition and design because they are making art rather than just taking images of people standing around awkwardly on this particular day.
Stock photography jobs mostly aim to shoot pictures of popular images that other people might want to utilize. These images typically have content that is at least partially self-explanatory. In addition to managing a digital portfolio of content with one or more stock photography dealers, many stock photographers also work independently. You are typically compensated per photograph in this role. You can choose the rights you want to sell each image under, prepare them for submission, and occasionally react to requests for particular ideas. To discover and work with models of diverse ages, one needs ingenuity.