What Does a Photographer Do?

Posted on February 2022.

What is a Photographer?

A photographer is a professional that focuses on the art of taking photographs with a digital or film camera. Photographers use artificial and/or natural lighting to snap pictures of various people, places and things in a variety of settings. Some photographers focus on studio work, while other explore the natural, outside world. There are a variety of photography niches that one can choose from and be able to uniquely showcase their artistic ability with.

What does a Photographer do?

A photographer generally works in a freelance capacity, and is hired for specific jobs by numerous clients. Some photographers work exclusively in certain segments of the industry, such as wedding, graduation and other event-type settings, while others do mainly corporate work, and spend most of their time taking photographs that will appear on business websites and other promotional material. Still others, however, focus more on the artistic side of photography, and choose their own subjects and material that they wish to shoot.

Other forms of professional, full-time photography involve taking stills for motion pictures, taking pictures for crime scenes in cooperation with local and federal law enforcement agencies, and taking pictures for digital and print newspapers (photojournalist) - though often newspapers will work with a photographer on a freelance basis rather than hiring him or her full-time.

A part-time or freelance photographer who is hired by a client is responsible for following the client's wishes down to the finest details, as well as for setting up a business model that makes pricing and options clearly visible and accessible.

A professional photographer who works full-time often does studio work that involves taking pictures in a controlled interior setting, with professional or amateur models. These photographers can be freelance, or can also be kept on retainer by certain magazines and fashion companies.

Finally, photographers are responsible for the digital or physical development of their pictures, and may also be responsible for small or heavy editing of their pictures. For physical prints, a photographer will be required to know how to best develop their film, or will be expected to hire other professionals to develop their film for them.

The editing process of photographs, on the other hand, may include simple cropping, or could include changing colour schemes, lighting, and adding or removing objects from pictures to 'clear them up.' Some clients will choose to edit the pictures themselves, while others will expect the photographer to do the necessary photo editing.

There are many genres of photography. The following are just a few fields that photographers can specialize in:

Wedding Photographer Wedding photography is a very specialized type of photography. The wedding day is typically one of the most important and memorable days in a person's lifetime, and one that will be remembered for years to come. Therefore, for most couples, regular photographs just won’t do. Professional wedding photographers are hired to capture a couple's irreplaceable moments by taking creative, candid and beautiful photographs of the wedding ceremony and reception.

Before even photographing a wedding, the photographer corresponds with the clients for months, or even a year or two, before the actual wedding date. Getting to know the clients and understanding their likes, dislikes, and their ultimate vision is important, so that when the wedding day comes the couple feels comfortable enough to let their true personalities come out and shine. Once details are agreed upon, a standard written agreement is signed between the bride- and groom-to-be and the photographer.

After the event is over, the images are processed as quickly as possible, the wedding photographer and couple will meet to go over the images, and ordering details are finalized. A high level of customer service is just as important after the event as before it - good customer relationships can lead to family portraits and portraits of their children in years to come.

Fashion Photographer Fashion photographers are responsible for photographing apparel, accessories, and fashion models, as well as collaborating with hair stylists, fashion stylists, makeup artists, and fashion designers. A fashion photographer can either work freelance or be hired by a fashion designer, fashion publication, fashion house, advertising agency, or a fashion/beauty magazine.

Through their photographs, fashion photographers are able to create a certain aura and define what beauty and style is. Responsibilities typically involve setting up and running photo shoots, communicating with make-up artists and fashion designers to best represent their vision, and editing the photographs.

Real Estate Photographer Real estate is a very competitive industry, filled with ambitious agents looking for their next sale. Selling real estate is about setting yourself apart from the competition, and one of the ways that can be done is by capturing beautiful and enticing photos of a home that is for sale. Real estate photographers specifically hone in on this area of photography, creating photos for real estate agents and their property listings on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service).

This type of photography is somewhat detached from most of the artistic freedom one can enjoy with other forms of photography. Real estate photographers provide a much needed service for a very fast-paced industry. However, because the photos are temporary and, for the most part, don't have much sentimental value, the photographer can concentrate on producing a top notch product that can be duplicated from one photo shoot to the next.

Travel Photographer Travel photography involves taking images that express an area's people, cultures, customs, landscape, and history. However, travel photography, unlike other types of photography like fashion, wedding, or real estate photography, is harder to monetize. Travel photographers used to earn money through magazine assignments and stock photography. However, now that the stock photography market has shrunk, more and more photographers are using other ways to earn a living such as blogging, commercial projects, and teaching.

Careers in travel photography can be as varied as the destinations they serve. A big part of making a career out of this type of photography is by tapping into social media marketing, content development, negotiation, and sales. However, the first step is to just get out there and take some pictures - having a good portfolio is key in this genre of photography.

Source: https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/photographer/