Photographers
Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications · Journalism and Broadcasting
Pay and outlook shown for
New workers start near $28,440; experienced workers reach $61,870. About 330 people do this job in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
Job outlook
Alamo region (San Antonio and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034; U.S. figures from the BLS.
- Employment change
- +14.4%
- Openings a year
- 94
- Employed in 2024
- 931
Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Alamo Colleges programs that lead here
3 programs, with the college that teaches each.
Skills this career uses
The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.
- Active Listening3.6
- Speaking3.3
- Service Orientation3.1
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
What the work is
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.
- Take pictures of individuals, families, and small groups, either in studio or on location.
- 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.
- Use traditional or digital cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.
- Create artificial light, using flashes and reflectors.
- Determine desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.
- Test equipment prior to use to ensure that it is in good working order.
Education people in this job have
Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.
- High school or less27%
- Certificate14%
- Some college27%
- Associate degree14%
- Bachelor's degree18%
Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.
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