Photographer

Professional photographers usually specialise in one particular area of work, such as fashion, newspaper, medical or high street photography. Photographer is a blanket term, used to cover several different occupations in which the common factor is that a camera is used to record people, places, events or objects. The exact nature of the work depends very much on the specialism and determines the subject matter of the photographs being taken. Photographers’ work can appear anywhere from newspapers and magazines to billboards and textbooks. Much of their time is spent selecting locations and equipment, arranging lighting, positioning subjects and composing pictures.

They may specialise in one of the following areas:

· Fashion – working with models, stylists and lighting technicians for advertising agencies, magazines or design groups.
· Newspaper – working for local, regional or national newspapers, as a member of staff or freelance.
· Medical – taking photographs of operations, experiments and post-mortems for diagnostic and scientific purposes.
· High street or general practice – taking family portraits, school groups and weddings, and working for local businesses such as estate and advertising agencies.

There are also specialist police photographers and others who work in science, industry and commerce.

Entry level
It is common to start as a photographer’s assistant, particularly in high street, advertising, fashion and editorial photography. Many new entrants have completed courses in photography, but this is not always necessary. Others start through an apprenticeship, or as trainees in specialist fields such as medical photography. A portfolio of work is essential. The subject matter should reflect the specialist professional area for which you are applying, so you should avoid such things as holiday snaps, sunsets and family photographs. A dozen or so well-presented prints or transparencies should be enough at this stage.

Entry requirements for photography courses vary enormously. City & Guilds courses, for example, have no entry requirements; BTEC national certificates and diplomas require four GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) or the equivalent; HNC/HND courses look for one or two A levels/H grades and some GCSEs/S grades or the equivalent; Specialist degree and HND courses require two or three A levels/H grades and five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), or equivalent qualifications.

For trainee posts in medical photography employers prefer four or five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), possibly including English, maths and a science. Some may also require photography qualifications. The basic requirement for the press photographer training scheme is five GCSE/S Grade passes at (A-C/1-3), including English, or a further education course in photography. Some police forces take on trainees, normally with five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3).

Making the grade
Training can be formal or informal, depending on your specialist area. As a trainee medical photographer, for example, you would study part-time, while working in a hospital, for the Medical Photography Examination available from the British Institute of Professional Photography or the Institute of Medical Illustrators. Similarly, as a trainee newspaper photographer, you would work towards the National Council for the Training of Journalists National Certificate in Press Photography, or an NVQ/SVQ Level 4 in Newspaper Journalism (Press Photography). On the other hand, your training as an advertising or fashion photographer could be entirely on-the-job, starting with odd jobs in the studio such as messenger work or tea making.

At the higher end of qualification levels, the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) of the British Institute of Professional Photography enjoys a good reputation among employers. The PQE can be combined with a degree or higher national diploma and is beginning to break down the traditional resistance of many employers to photography graduates.

Some assistant photographers become partners or are hired as photographers in the studio. Press photographers can move to a national paper or magazine and then gain seniority within the team. For self-employed photographers, success depends on building up a business, a network of contacts and a good reputation.

Personal qualities
Given that most professional photographers are self-employed, you would need a high level of self-confidence, allied to creative talent and driving ambition, to survive in such fiercely competitive areas as advertising or fashion photography. Even in a high street studio, you would need good business skills and the ability to communicate effectively. While you need a good eye for colour and composition, qualities such as punctuality, patience and reliability are also important. You should be skilled in digital imaging technology and the use of computers, as photography is rapidly changing to accommodate these developments. As a medical photographer, you would need knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

Looking ahead
Photography is a very competitive occupation. There are about 25,000 professional photographers in the UK, and most are self-employed. It is particularly hard to find an opening in fashion, advertising or press photography and vacancies are rarely advertised. Starting as an assistant and gradually building up a network of personal contacts is often the only way to proceed. Once you are established in the profession, a combination of talent and perseverance can open the door to lucrative contracts. For those who want the security of a structured career path, medical photography may be the route to pursue.

Alternative suggestions
Other possibilities might include artist/illustrator, fashion designer, graphic designer, journalist, publisher or TV/Film camera operator.