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Creative Industries

Photographer

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.

Annual openings

363

Median wage

$47,070

Typical education

High school (GED)

Growth 2026–2032

+6%

Median wage source: Colorado BLS OEWS (2025).

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

High school (GED)

Credential requirement

No certification is required or expected for this job.

Work experience

No previous work experience is required, though work experience/internship/education building the skills needed to become a professional photographer is expected.

Work-based learning

No information available

Employer competency information

Feedback from artists identifies the following competencies as being critical to success

  • Creativity — The ability to turn an idea into a product
  • Entrepreneurship — How to earn a living from your passion and creating a good business plan
  • Networking — Creating a network of people in the industry to connect you with people that need what you can create
Making a living in the creative arts requires a mix of skill, ability, and entrepreneurship - finding what you are passionate about and good at, and then finding a way to use that to create something that people want to buy.
Photography is creative, but to make a living you will need to systematize it to be efficient enough to be able to do it over and over again to make money.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is having a significant impact to how photographers earn a living - it can create pictures, but people are required to understand what the client needs and how the picture fits into that narrative.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Work style

The type of work can vary by job and employer.

  • With childrenMay vary
  • On a computerYes
  • OutdoorsMay vary
  • With your handsYes

Interests it draws on

  • Arts, Design, and Entertainment
  • Arts and Design

Automation exposure

Moderate exposure

Some routine tasks may shift as tools improve, but the role is likely to adapt.

A typical day

  1. 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.
  2. Create artificial light, using flashes and reflectors.
  3. Determine desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.
  4. Transfer photographs to computers for editing, archiving, and electronic transmission.
  5. Use traditional or digital cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.
  6. Manipulate and enhance scanned or digital images to create desired effects, using computers and specialized software.
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