(Starting this week, GDB will be doing spotlight articles on chosen categories in the liberal arts fields. These pieces will examine the employment opportunities available, what sort of training you will need, and other tips that may help shed light on these professions.)

Career Training In Photography
There are colleges and online design centers that can help you receive the proper training in this highly competitive field. You’ll learn about photo composition, color theory, camera operation, and other related coursework. Instructors guide you through the techniques in various photography disciplines such as commercial photography, industrial photography, photojournalism, and portraiture.

Photography is used in virtually all career fields such as medicine, law, business, entertainment, and publishing. Your career training should reflect the specialty you are interested in. Make sure that the college or online learning center you are considering covers your specific field and interests.

Photographer Job Statistics
Of those who worked as photographers in 2006, more than half were self-employed. This percentage is much higher when compared to other occupations. Full time photographers obtained work through contracts with magazines, advertising firms, or companies that paid flat fees for work.

Other salaried photographers worked in portrait studios, commercial studios, or worked as freelance photographers for stock image agencies. Some photographers worked in the capacity of darkroom technicians or in digital imaging labs.

Employment Opportunities
Because of the transition of film-based photography to digital photography, many businesses and firms are producing their own content. Because of this, jobs in photography are expected to be somewhat decreased.

However, jobs are still expected to grow about 10% though 2016 when compared to other jobs. Competition for salaried jobs will be high. In May 2007, photographers made a mean annual salary of $34.010.