How To Become A Staff Photographer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a staff photographer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Susan McSpadden

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a staff photographer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.83 an hour? That's $37,094 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 11,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a staff photographer?

Susan McSpadden

Marketing Photographer, Johnson County Community College

I think the job market for photographers is tough right now, in the same way it is for many other professions. Companies are either holding steady with their current workforce or making cuts to stay afloat until the pandemic is under control and the economy starts to consistently improve. We've had quite a few members of our organization, the University Photographers' of America Association, lose their jobs, take a pay cut, or be furloughed for an extended period. It's challenging for seasoned photographers with a solid resume to find work. For recent graduates in the field, who don't have experience on their side, it has to be exponentially more difficult. The good news is that companies, organizations and publications have an easier time hiring a freelancer than a full time employee, so if you're self-motivated, with your own gear, there are good freelance opportunities out there.

ScoreStaff PhotographerUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $37,094

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.5

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 6.99%

Black or African American 6.29%

Hispanic or Latino 15.04%

Unknown 5.69%

White 65.77%

Gender

female 38.22%

male 61.78%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

1.9

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a staff photographer

Explore staff photographer education requirements

Most common staff photographer degrees

Bachelor's

75.9 %

Associate

15.9 %

Master's

3.4 %

Start to develop specific staff photographer skills

Skills	Percentages
Product Photography	32.80%
Adobe Photoshop	28.48%
Event Coverage	4.84%
Adobe Lightroom	3.70%
Photo Shoots	2.42%

Complete relevant staff photographer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New staff photographers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a staff photographer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real staff photographer resumes.

Research staff photographer duties and responsibilities

Manage creative projects from concept to completion; including signs, posters, specialize logos and video documentaries for clients.
Operate specialized camera equipment, including DSLR cameras and lenses, as well as video lighting.
Contribute to website and Facebook pages, keeping followers inform about local news and events between weekly papers.
Compile portfolios for multiple photography competitions/certifications.

Prepare your staff photographer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your staff photographer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a staff photographer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable staff photographer resume templates

Build a professional staff photographer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your staff photographer resume.