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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Photographers

Part of Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications, in the Journalism and Broadcasting pathway.

Job zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 27-4021.00

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.

On a typical day

  • 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.

What it pays

$37,780
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $28,440
Experienced workers reach $61,870
  1. $28k10th
  2. $35k25th
  3. $38kMedian
  4. $47k75th
  5. $62k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $28,440, 25th $34,840, Median $37,780, 75th $47,460, 90th $61,870

About 330 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+14.4%

employment change in the Alamo region, 931 to 1,065 jobs · U.S. +2%

94

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 12,700

931

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 151,200

Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

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.

  1. Active Listening3.6
  2. Speaking3.3
  3. Service Orientation3.1
  4. Critical Thinking3.3
  5. Reading Comprehension3.1
  6. Active Learning3.1
  7. Monitoring3.1
  8. Social Perceptiveness3.0

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.

  1. High school or less27%
  2. Certificate14%
  3. Some college27%
  4. Associate degree14%
  5. Bachelor's degree18%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • Northeast Lakeview
  • St. Philip's
  1. Digital Art

    Transfer pre-major · Creative & Communication Arts

  2. Digital Arts and Media

    Transfer pre-major · Creative & Communication Arts

  3. Digital Arts and Media

    Transfer pre-major · Creative & Communication Arts

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