Digital photography is a technology that allows photographers to capture, edit, and develop images without the use of film. Read on to learn more about digital photography education and careers.
Industry Overview
If you've ever snapped a photo with your cell phone, you've utilized digital photography. Digital cameras store photographs as digital images instead of using film like traditional cameras. This provides an affordable and convenient way for individuals to take pictures.
Technology breakthroughs have caused the price of digital cameras and digital editing software to drop dramatically, allowing ordinary photographers to create extraordinary pictures inexpensively. With a multitude of in-camera features and computer programs that help photographers fine-tune their work, digital photography can inspire creativity in a different way than film-based photography. And because digital photographers don't have to pay to develop pictures they don't like, they can experiment with different styles and settings at little to no cost.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutDigitalPhotography">Important Facts About Digital Photography</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td> Median Salary (2021) </td><td> $48,210 (<i>for all photographers</i>)</td></tr>
<tr><td> Job Outlook (2021-2031) </td><td> 9%</td></tr>
<tr><td> Key Skills </td><td> Artistic eye, business acumen, computer competency, attention to detail, customer service and interpersonal skills</td></tr>
<tr><td> Similar Occupations </td><td> Craft and fine artist, graphic designer, industrial designer, film and video editor, camera operator, reporter, broadcast news analyst</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---Education">Education</h3><p>Today, digital photography is an integral part of most collegiate degree programs in photography, from the associate's to master's degree levels. Undergraduate digital photography programs typically offer courses in digital imaging software, such as Adobe Photoshop, to help photographers get the most from their pictures. Digital photography students also might study location and studio lighting, commercial photography, and Web page development.
</p><p>Some of the U.S. schools offering digital photography courses include the following:
</p><ul><li>University of Central Florida
</li><li>New York University
</li><li>Triton College
</li><li>Bellevue College
</li></ul><h3 id="section---DigitalPhotographyCareerOptions"> Digital Photography Career Options</h3><p>Graduates of digital photography degree programs can work in advertising, portraiture, or photojournalism. Jobs also are available in more specialized fields, such as aerial, fashion, documentary, or underwater photography.
</p><p>Approximately 69% of all photographers were self-employed in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). Many salaried photographers worked in studios specializing in commercial or portrait photography.</p>
