What Is the Job Description of a Fashion Photographer?

<p>If you're working as a fashion photographer, you'll most likely be working on a freelance basis, taking photographs that will help fashion designers sell their products to customers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that as a photographer, you'll need technical expertise as well as creativity in order to capture the desired shots (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). To gain the necessary technical skills, you may choose to pursue a degree in photography, where you'll take classes in: </p> <ul><li>Working with a flash </li><li>Commercial photography </li><li>Editing digital images </li><li>Photographic styling </li><li>Lighting </li></ul><p>You may work long hours, and your on-location shoots may be physically demanding and uncomfortable. Although there will be lots of room for you to be creative, you'll ultimately have to present your work for approval by the designer or company that hired you. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutFashionPhotographers"> Important Facts About Fashion Photographers</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> Required Education </td><td> High school diploma or equivalent</td></tr> <tr><td> On-the-Job Training </td><td> Apprenticeships available</td></tr> <tr><td> Key Skills </td><td> Attention to detail, customer focused, computer competency, business acumen, social nuance</td></tr> <tr><td> Similar Occupations </td><td> Craft and fine artists; graphic designers; desktop publishers; film and video editors; camera operators; reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---PhotoShoots"> Photo Shoots</h3> <p>While on a fashion photography shoot, you'll use a variety of different tools to help capture the best possible shot. You'll also be responsible for bringing and assembling all the equipment needed, depending on the location of the photo shoot - you may be working in a studio or in an outside location. Because fashion shoots are narrative-driven, you'll be creating a shot that tells a story. </p> <p>You'll manipulate the lighting and background, as well as the position of the model and the angle of the camera. You may also choose to use different camera lenses and filters, depending on what the photo shoot requires. You might collaborate with a team that will help you make photographic decisions and arrange equipment to provide the necessary effect. </p> <h3 id="section---EditingPhotographs"> Editing Photographs</h3> <p>If you're using a digital camera, once you're done with the shoot, you'll need to upload the images you've taken onto a computer and manipulate them until you achieve the effect you want. To do this, you'll use photograph processing software, such as Adobe Photoshop. You'll manipulate and enhance your digital images until you create a photograph you can present to the designer who hired you. </p> <h3 id="section---EmploymentOutlookAndSalaryInformation"> Employment Outlook and Salary Information</h3> <p>According to the BLS, the employment of photographers, in general, is expected to increase 9% between the years 2021 and 2031. While the BLS does not report salary statistics specifically for fashion photographers, in 2031, the BLS reported that photographers, in general, earned a median annual income of $38,950.</p>