Essential Information
While an eye for detail is necessary for a career in photography, many positions also require photographers to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in photography. Colleges and universities also offer graduate degree programs in photography geared toward students looking to advance their skills or teach at the college level.
Education Requirements
While some photographers lead successful careers with only experience and skill, many pursue formal career training through undergraduate degree programs. This is especially true for those in specialties such as industrial photography, photojournalism or scientific photography. Even photographers specializing in freelance and portrait photography often gain technical expertise through college degree programs.
Undergraduate Programs
Undergraduate degree programs in photography and related fields may be available at art schools, colleges, and universities. Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography programs generally focus on hands-on instruction in the technical and creative aspects of the visual art. Courses may include photography techniques, studio lighting, color theory, graphic design, digital photography, and artwork critique.
Upper-division courses may include studio classes in which students use advanced techniques including lighting and digital photography. These courses typically allow students to experiment with their photographic skills. Many photography degree programs culminate in a senior project. These projects help students to build their portfolios and transition to a career as a professional photographer.
Graduate Programs
Photographers interested in further developing their skills and advancing their careers may consider earning a master’s degree. While some colleges and universities offer Master of Fine Arts in Photography programs, which typically take 2-3 years to complete, studio courses and independent study are the backbone of such degree programs. Students utilize their advanced knowledge of photography to complete various projects while pushing the boundaries of their creative abilities.
Students generally develop their own curricula according to areas of interest and complete visual and written thesis projects based on their graduate studies. Thesis projects may be displayed in university exhibitions. Completion of a master’s degree program in photography may qualify graduates for teaching positions at community colleges and some four-year colleges. Some programs prepare students for careers in postsecondary education by incorporating teaching courses.
Education Needed for a Photography Career
If you have a love and talent for capturing life’s moments and the world’s beauty in the still of a picture, photography may be the idea career for you. The photographer can be self-employed, or work for a company such as a newspaper or magazine. A portfolio and a natural forte for taking pictures are what really count for this job, but a degree in fine arts of photography can boost your skills and potentially get you more clients.
Essential Information
Photographers work in industries like portrait photography, journalism, advertising and science. Because many photographers are self-employed, only a small number hold salaried positions. Although no postsecondary education is required to enter this field, many aspiring photographers seek fine arts undergraduate degrees in photography. Photographers can also earn a voluntary certification.
Education Needed to Become a Photographer
An undergraduate fine arts degree program in photography is different from a standard arts degree because it emphasizes studio work and the completion of a final project. Applicants to such bachelor’s degree programs in photography should have strong artistic sensibilities and be able to grasp technical concepts and techniques.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography (BFA)
A Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography program is studio intensive and challenges students to master photographic principles and develop distinct styles. Many fine arts programs allow students to choose a major area of study. Some possible concentration areas include commercial photography, fine arts photography and biomedical photography; however, most BFA programs in photography focus solely on the area of fine arts. Some key topics covered in a photography curriculum include photographic practices, color digital photography, large format photography, and documentary photography.
Many of these classes require that students spend a significant amount of time taking pictures in the field and gaining experience with photographic equipment, such as tripods, lighting equipment and meters. During the final year of the photography program, each student develops a portfolio of work on a particular subject of interest, working closely with their advisers to develop a theme that is closely mirrored to their work. Graduates can use these portfolios to demonstrate professional competency to future employers. It is not uncommon for a student’s final project to be exhibited at a university’s museum.
Optional Certification
The Professional Photography Certification Commission offers the Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) designation. Those interested in certification must declare their candidacy by filling out an application and paying a fee. Then, candidates must take the CPP examination. The exam covers technical topics in lighting, color and exposure. Finally, candidates must submit photographic images for review. Benefits of the CPP designation include proof of professional competency to potential clients and a listing in the photographer referral service offered through the Professional Photography Certification Commission.
Artistic prowess, interpersonal skills, business skills, and an eye for detail are qualities that every photographer should possess. Combine your passion for taking pictures with a degree in fine arts of photography, maybe even a certification, and you will have much better chance of getting work.
Alternate Career Options
Some skills required to be a photographer can also prepare you for jobs in other similar areas.
Camera Operator
For individuals interested in capturing moving images, a career as a camera operator is a possibility. Under the direction of producers and directors, camera operators shoot scenes for motion pictures, television and other mediums. These professionals should have knowledge of industry-standard computer software and digital technology, and most employers require a bachelor’s degree in a related field of study.
The BLS projects 14% growth in job opportunities for camera operators during the 2019-2029 decade, and strong competition will exist to fill available positions. In May 2019, the BLS reported that the median salary of motion picture, television and video camera operators was $55,160 per year.
Graphic Designer
Photographic editing and manipulation are part of the work that graphic designers perform, in addition to creating layout and text work for print and website projects. To enter this field, a bachelor’s degree in a related art or design field is required, or technical training can be combined with an unrelated degree. While pursuing a degree, students also need to develop a professional portfolio they can present when seeking employment. The BLS stated the median salary of graphic designers was $52,110 in 2019, and that these professionals can expect to see a decline of 4% in employment between 2019 and 2029.
