Jobs / Design, media, and writing / 27-4021.00
Photographers
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.
- US jobs
- 51,760
- Median wage
- $44,660 a year
- Job family
- Design, media, and writing
Can agents do the work of photographers?
We read the evidence for the whole job family, Design, media, and writing: Unmeasured (no change in 12 months)
No direct benchmark gives a success rate.
0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.
- 25%Set up equipmentNot measured
- 10%Operate audiovisual or related equipmentNot measured
- 10%Determine operational methods or proceduresNot measured
- 7%Process digital or online dataNot measured
- 5%Create visual designs or displaysNot measured
- 5%Study details of artistic productionsNot measured
- 5%Confer with clients to determine needs or order specificationsNot measured
- 4%Apply decorative finishesNot measured
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in design, media, and writing, not always this occupation's tasks.
Also relevant
These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.
- OSWorld-Verifiedby HKU, Salesforce AI Research, Carnegie Mellon University and University of Waterloo90.2%Intelligence-Indeed Agent · 25 Jul 2026Saturated
Context only
These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.
- 1846 EloClaude Opus 5.5 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort, Default Fallback) · 23 Sep 2026Unrated
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- 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.
- Create artificial light, using flashes and reflectors.
- Determine desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.
- Transfer photographs to computers for editing, archiving, and electronic transmission.
- Use traditional or digital cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.
- Manipulate and enhance scanned or digital images to create desired effects, using computers and specialized software.
- Take pictures of individuals, families, and small groups, either in studio or on location.
- Enhance, retouch, and resize photographs and negatives, using airbrushing and other techniques.
- Test equipment prior to use to ensure that it is in good working order.
- Estimate or measure light levels, distances, and numbers of exposures needed, using measuring devices and formulas.
- Perform general office duties, such as scheduling appointments, keeping books, and ordering supplies.
- Review sets of photographs to select the best work.
Other job titles for this occupation (45)
Advertising Photographer · Commercial Photographer · Graduation Photographer · Newspaper Photographer · Photo Editor · Photographer · Photojournalist · Portrait Photographer · Sports Photographer · Studio Photographer · Aerial Photographer · Automotive Photographer · Biological Photographer · Biomedical Photographer · Crime Scene Photographer · Digital Photographer · Event Photographer · Fashion Photographer · Finish Photographer · Food Photographer · Forensic Photographer · Freelance Photographer · Industrial Photographer · Marine Photographer · Medical Photographer · Nature Photographer · Newborn Photographer · News Photographer · Newspaper Photojournalist · Ophthalmic Photographer · Photo Journalist · Photo-Optics Technician · Photographic Specialist · Preschool Photographer · Product Photographer · Real Estate Photographer · Sales Photographer · School Photographer · Scientific Photographer · Still Photographer · Street Photographer · Underwater Photographer · Vehicle Photographer · Wedding Photographer · Wildlife Photographer