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Job outlook for still photographers in the United States
Are still photographer jobs in demand?
Still photographer job and salary trends over time
Still photographer jobs over time
Still photographer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 122 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 132 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 161 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 157 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 156 | 0.00% |
Average still photographer salary over time
Still photographer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $93,209 | $44.81 | +13.8% |
| 2024 | $81,919 | $39.38 | +6.7% |
| 2023 | $76,771 | $36.91 | +4.6% |
| 2022 | $73,362 | $35.27 | --4.6% |
| 2021 | $76,929 | $36.99 | +7.4% |
Still photographer jobs by state
Most common states for still photographers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 8 | 1% |
| 2 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 41 | 0% |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 32 | 0% |
| 4 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 28 | 0% |
| 5 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 25 | 0% |
| 6 | New York | 19,849,399 | 23 | 0% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 20 | 0% |
| 8 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 18 | 0% |
| 9 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 17 | 0% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 12 | 0% |
| 11 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 12 | 0% |
| 12 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 11 | 0% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 9 | 0% |
| 14 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 8 | 0% |
| 15 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 7 | 0% |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 7 | 0% |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 5 | 0% |
| 18 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 3 | 0% |
| 19 | Vermont | 623,657 | 2 | 0% |
| 20 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 1 | 0% |
Still Photographer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of still photographer experts
Michigan State University
Georgia State University
Murray State University
Birmingham-Southern College
Columbia College Chicago
George Fox University
Peter Glendinning
W.J. Beal Distinguished ProfessorMichigan State University
Fine And Studio Arts
What general advice would you give to a Still Photographer?
Peter Glendinning: More photographs are made in 2 minutes today than were made in the first 20 years of
the medium's existence, from 1839-1859, but the markets for professional photography are endlessly greater today than they were at the beginning as well. While everyone with a mobile phone camera can make photographs, it has raised the awareness that there
is a big difference between professionally made images and amateur ones. A photographer who can demonstrate their expertise is as much in demand today as at any time in the medium's history.
What Still Photographer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Peter Glendinning: In my experience, people like being a photographer for reasons that often have to do with what they like doing in life, what their personality is, what their passions outside of photography are. The "people person," the "quiet poet," the "analytical type," and more, all can find a field in photography that suits them well, whether fashion photography, landscape photography, architectural photography or other. Someone who is lazy, disorganized, feels they already know everything, undisciplined, lacking in courage, will probably not like this field.
What will help Still Photographers increase their earning potential?
Peter Glendinning: More photographs are made in 2 minutes today than were made in the first 20 years of the medium's existence, from 1839-1859, but the markets for professional photography are endlessly greater today than they were at the beginning as well. While everyone with a mobile phone camera can make photographs, it has raised the awareness that there is a big difference between professionally made images and amateur ones. A photographer who can demonstrate their expertise is as much in demand today as at any time in the medium's history.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Still Photographers?
Jill Frank: There is an expectation that material and technique are mastered. For example, if you want to photograph an event at night, you should know how to handle the resolution, the iso, the lighting, the speed of the shutter, etc., so that the images work for their intended purpose. If you are not ready to handle the technical elements, you are not ready for the photoshoot.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Still Photographers?
Michelle Burdine: If I looked at the history of economic downturns to guide me for this answer, I would have to say yes. However, our current situation is different, giving some reason to hope that our economy will bounce back more quickly than in the past. Despite the myth of the isolated genius artist, toiling alone in his studio, the arts are, at their core, about engagement. A vast majority of careers in the arts rely on public interaction, many of which are not possible, or not best experienced, via video. My hope, then, is that we continue to mask-up and stay distant until we reach herd immunity. With the vaccine, this could be as early as late summer 2021. If this happens, the impact will significantly lessen for graduates in the arts, as communities will be eager to get back into a social routine which includes the arts. It's actually easy for me to imagine a creative boom to balance the stifling isolation of life during this pandemic. My optimism, however, hinges on reaching herd immunity before we are overrun by new variants, in which case we could slide back to square one. A potential upside is that business may be looking to hire new employees at wages that would be manageable for recent graduates, but not for their more-experienced competition.
What will help Still Photographers increase their earning potential?
Michelle Burdine: Our society maintains the idea of the great life of the "starving artist" -a misconception which is a disservice for both artists and the general public. First it implies that artists don't mind living in poverty and so don't need to be paid fairly, or at all, for their work. Second, it perpetuates the myth that there are no jobs if you are an artist. Luckily, artists are good at ignoring social norms and blazing our own paths. My recommendation is to apply this quality to your job search. Of course, it is true that it is almost impossible to get paid directly out of college to sit in your studio and make art. And yes, it is true that very few artists at this level have collectors knocking down their doors to buy the work you made for your BFA show. Good thing there are so many other avenues to making a living in the arts! For example, look into non-profit organization, community art centers, live-work spaces, museums, galleries, and the even the commercial-arts industry.
You will also increase your earning potential if you say "yes" to unlikely jobs and are willing to relocate. For example, there is an apprentice system established for painting backgrounds and sets for theater and tv/movie productions, if you are willing to move to NY or Massachusetts. Another example-I have a friend with a BFA who has now has a high-level position working for a large bicycle company. He started out as a recent graduate working in a bike shop because he loves cycling. He moved up to managing a store within that company before getting recruited by this bike company. His BFA in photography was instrumental to his success, as creative thinking combined with manual skills is always in demand. Upon graduation, taking a job selling bikes was not the likely path for The Artist. However, he said "yes" to something that he liked even though it was not directly related to the arts. Success, then, can be a matter of applying your transferable skills to an adjacent sector. Despite the fact that you won't see an "artist wanted" ad, art itself, art thinking, and/or art related skills are needed in every type of business. I believe the key for graduates of the arts is a deep understanding of, and confidence in, the vast number of skills you have acquired while obtaining your degree, and the ability to transfer those skills to any sector interesting to you.
What soft skills should all Still Photographers possess?
Pamela Venz: Observation: all artists have highly developed skills of observation, attention to detail and applying their skills of observation to whatever task is at hand.
Creative Problem Solving: it's title clearly connects this skill with artist of all disciplines. Successful creative problem solving involves the ability to be flexible, to be open to many different interpretations of everything, to seek resolutions from seemingly unrelated sources and apply those resolutions in innovative ways.
Communication: One cannot succeed if one cannot communicate. Communication skills include not only verbal communication but written communication and for photographers and other artists visual communication as well. The ability to articulate one's ideas to a varied audience is crucial for success in any field.
Individual initiative: No one's path after graduation will be easy regardless of the field of the degree attained. The desire to achieve and the discipline to work towards that achievement cannot be understated.
Teamwork: We all must be able to work alone and to have the discipline to work alone towards a goal. But we are social beings and the ability to work as a member of a team is also crucial for success regardless of the field. Teamwork requires one to compromise, to communicate one's ideas in a diplomatic manner, to accept roles one may not want to do and to delegate roles to a group that reflect each individual's strengths and weaknesses.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Still Photographers in the next 3-5 years?
Verser Engelhard: Artificial Intelligence and how that is driving innovations in-camera software. The biggest advances being made in cameras are not hardware but software. The investments in research and development at companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google are propelling photography forward in ways that will fundamentally change how photographs are made. Imagine wanting to take a picture of the moon. You point your camera at the moon, and your camera immediately knows what you are trying to photograph. Your camera will assess everything about your chances of success, things like your specific point of view, time of day, lighting, weather conditions, everything. Your camera will then search the internet for everything it needs to create the "perfect" photograph for you, one that could only be made under ideal conditions. Scenarios like this are just the beginning. AI will make the seemingly impossible possible.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Still Photographers in the next 5 years?
Verser Engelhard: Most definitely an increase. We live in a world that is consuming more and more online every day, and photography makes much of that possible. As demand for content increases, so too will the industries that it relies on. Although technology has seemingly made it possible for anyone to become a photographer (or has made everyone believe they are a photographer), expertise will always have value and be in demand. The photography market is no exception.
Adam Long
Assistant Professor of Art and DesignGeorge Fox University
Department of Art and Design
What experience really stands out on Still Photographer resumes?
Adam Long: This question has multiple answers. Photography is extremely broad in its applications. I think most people that want to hire a full-time staff photographer are looking for a someone with photo and video capabilities. If someone can evidence a skillset in still and moving images, they can offer the company/person a variety of desirable options.
How do you envision technology impacting Still Photographers in the next 5 years?
Adam Long: Resolution continues to increase into greater and greater detail. The impact on the field is linked because photographers need to be on the forefront of acquiring the technology that the industry demands. Many people rent gear, and I could see that trend increasing as rapid technological advances continue. Software also continues to make crazy shifts with abilities to automate and analyze through facial recognition and image analysis for automatic masking and layering of content.