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

What is a writer and photographer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Cathy Irwin Ph.D.,

Gayle Rogers

The average writer and photographer salary is $50,412. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an journalism major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a writer and photographer. Writer and photographers with a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -10% and produce -5,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a writer and photographer?

Cathy Irwin Ph.D.

Professor of English, University of La Verne

Because of the pandemic, entering the workforce has been hard for many. At the same time, many employers have moved online and are meeting with clients and customers through Zoom and other online platforms. As a result, employers now, more than ever, need employees who have excellent communication skills.

English majors from La Verne graduate with excellent writing and critical thinking skills. As a result, they do have opportunities after they graduate. Many of them are hired in jobs because of their writing and editing skills. A large percentage of students decide to go to graduate school. They want to serve their communities, so they become teachers, librarians, lawyers, and officers in non-profits or the city sector.

The medical field is also starting to welcome students from the humanities because they are looking for well-rounded, articulate, and compassionate people. If students with a humanities degree want to go into the health or medical sector, they can apply to one-year post-baccalaureate programs that lead to medical school.

ScoreWriter And PhotographerUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $50,412

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.3

Growth rate -10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.29%

Asian 9.49%

Black or African American 6.25%

Hispanic or Latino 12.30%

Unknown 4.35%

White 67.32%

Gender

female 57.95%

male 42.05%

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

7.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.9

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

2.1

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a writer and photographer

Explore writer and photographer education requirements

Most common writer and photographer degrees

Bachelor's

78.8 %

Associate

9.1 %

Master's

5.7 %

Start to develop specific writer and photographer skills

Skills	Percentages
Adobe Photoshop	21.92%
Website Content	17.74%
Photography	7.77%
Event Coverage	4.25%
Feature Stories	4.05%

Complete relevant writer and photographer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New writer and 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 writer and photographer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real writer and photographer resumes.

Research writer and photographer duties and responsibilities

Manage and update social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram).
Provide strategic creative concepts, copywriting, technical writing and cost-effective digital media production services on a per-project outsource basis.
Upload content via CMS for editor approval.
Coordinate and conduct interviews with article subjects, and maintain constant communication with editor-in-chief.

Prepare your writer and photographer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your writer and 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 writer and 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 writer and photographer resume templates

Build a professional writer and 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 writer and photographer resume.

Apply for writer and photographer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a writer and photographer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do writer and photographers rate their job?

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Writer and photographer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019

Pros

I learned to read and write at an early age and have avidly pursued it since. Beside school publications and assignments, I've sought out numerous outlets for my love of writing, from features and sports writer for my local weekly news paper, to AP stringer for election coverage, to a Pohlad family internship at one of southeastern Minnesota's most respected dailies.

Cons

Unexpected deadlines, I guess, although it sometimes seems I do my sharpest writing in those pressured situations.

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019