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Photography Jobs





How to get photography jobs near me is the first question that comes to mind once someone decides they want to be a photographer.  Securing your first photography job may or may not be easy for you depending on the network of family and friends you have available.  It will also depend on your portfolio. If you don’t have a portfolio of sample photos to start, you’ll have a hard time landing a photographer job.

Professional photographer jobs are out there in significant number, but there is also a lot of competition for those jobs.  Jobs for photographers include photographer assistant jobs, part time photography jobs and entry level photography jobs.  When starting out, you may need to take whatever you can get to get the experience you need. Do whatever you can to gain experience as soon as possible so that when new photography job openings arise, you are prepared.

The biggest consideration for photographers is whether to work for someone else in a salaried position vs going the Self-Employed and Freelancing route.  Depending on the choice, several areas of your career can be affected, not least of which may be creativity, fees, expenses, and your work schedule.

Ultimately, it comes down to establishing yourself as a credible photographer who does good work and then marketing yourself.  Eventually you’ll want a photography website with a portfolio, free local pages in Google, Bing & Yahoo at minimum, free social media pages at lest on Facebook, and you’ll also want to get in any other free local directories that you can to start.  There are a lot of options that are free to allow you to initially establish an online presence.

Photographer Job Outlook

“Employment of photographers is projected to decline 6 percent from 2016 to 2026” US Labor Bureau

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics with the United States Labor Bureau, Employment of photographers is projected to decline 6 percent from 2016 to 2026. Salaried jobs may be more difficult to find as more companies contract with freelancers rather than hire their own photographers.

The decreasing cost of digital cameras and the increasing number of amateur photographers and hobbyists will reduce the need for professional photographers. In addition, stock photographic services available online give individuals and businesses access to stock photographs for a fee or subscription, possibly dampening demand for photographers.

Employment of self-employed photographers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2016 to 2026.

Demand for portrait photographers will remain as people continue to want new portraits. In addition, corporations will continue to require the services of commercial photographers to develop compelling advertisements to sell products.

Declines in the newspaper industry will reduce demand for news photographers to provide still images for print. Employment of photographers in newspaper publishing is projected to decline 34 percent from 2016 to 2026.

Freelance Photography Jobs

Freelance photography jobs can be sourced locally through network connections once you’ve built up a following and some clients.  When first starting out you can try family and friends and their referrals. There are also many online photographer boards and networks where you can can search for photography job openings.  Some of these websites allow you to also post your profile, experience, rate, etc. and take job requests from companies or people looking to hire a photographer.

Browse providers of business insurance for photographers.

Freelance Job Boards

Freelance

General

Referral Directories

Photographer Employers

Types of Photography Jobs

When it comes to working in the photography industry, there are multiple jobs that you can do in the field other being an actual photographer. There is so much that goes into photo sessions and other types of photography work that sometimes goes beyond the act of actually taking photos. This article covers some of the different options in the field.

The Obvious (Photographer)

Becoming an actual self-employed photographer is the most obvious option. This means you are in charge of running the actual business, taking the photos, doing the editing, and delivery of images.

There are so many types of photography needs out there, and whether you focus on one genre or a few, the options are plentiful. Find your niche(s) and run with it!

Here are some of the most popular types of photographers:

  • Wedding/Engagement
  • Newborn
  • Children
  • Families
  • Pets
  • Sports
  • Products/Food
  • High School Seniors
  • Boudoir
  • Landscape
  • Wildlife
  • Fashion
  • Event/Concert

Assistant

If you are interested in becoming a photographer and looking for a good place to start, you could consider being an assistant. This is a great way to get your foot in the door and learn the ropes of becoming a photographer yourself. It is also a good way to see what all goes into running a business.

Photographers could always use a hand when it comes to things like bookwork or an assistant to help with gear during sessions or weddings. For those who own studios, they could probably use a front desk assistant or someone you know keep the studio tidy, clean, and organized. Contact some local self-employed photographers in your area and see if they could use an extra set of hands. Use the job as a learning experience and it’s a win for everyone!

Post Processing

Many photographers outsource their editing work to save them time. If you are great at editing and would like to take on some extra work, reach out and consider becoming an editor. It’s a great way for you to make extra cash and will give the photographer some breathing room.

You should create a portfolio showing your style of editing, and always one with more clean edits. You may find that some love your style and you mind find that others want to keep edits clean and simple.

Marketing

One thing that is very important for photographers is marketing. They need to stay relevant and “in the know” in order to keep up with the saturated industry.
Keeping social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter updated is a big part of marketing. If you have marketing skills, you may make a great addition to their team and again, save them time.

Teach

You don’t need a full blown school to teach photography. If you are educated and skilled as a photographer, consider passing that knowledge onto others.

You could do basic training to mothers who just want to learn to take good photos of their children, or you could teach those who want to become serious successful photographers. Whether you are teaching how to operate a camera, marketing tips, or editing, there are always many beginners eager to learn! And if you are a skilled, respected photographer, your time and knowledge could earn you extra income.
You can teach online, in a studio, on location, etc.

Writer

There are MANY photography educational websites online today. Members can watch tutorials, videos, go to online webinars, and simply read very useful content.
Websites that have high traffic volume like to keep their content plentiful and updated. This means many will hire others to come on as either a full time contributing author or a guest writer.

Write a few samples to show that you are capable of producing articles with good grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Also show that you know a thing or two about the industry. Present the articles to them and see if it’s a match! The pay is typically great and it’s a good way to earn extra income on your free time.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to topics to write about.

Here are just a few examples:

  • Marketing (social media, website, etc.)
  • Camera settings
  • Editing tips/tutorials
  • Posing tips
  • Shooting tips
  • Business tips
  • Photography news
  • Product reviews

You can find articles on pretty much any topic related to the actual art of photography and editing, as well as the business and marketing side of things.
Being a contributing author is basically like teaching photography, only you are using a larger outlet with more exposure as your platform.

Whether you want to become a successful business owner, or already are and just looking for extra side income, there are options. Working for others is not only a great way to learn yourself, but also a great way to build solid networking relationship with others.

Photographers Near Me