What careers can you do with a Photography degree?

Graduating from a photography degree gives you far more skills than just the ability to take a great picture.

It develops your creative vision, process, technical expertise and storytelling ability. All of these are qualities that are highly valued in careers across the creative industries.

Whether your interest lies within fashion, fine art, journalism or elsewhere, your photography degree can lead to a wide range of exciting and creative careers.

Photography jobs for graduates

• Studio photographer: working in a controlled studio environment, you'll be producing high-quality image assets for commercial clients. This is likely to include product photography, advertising campaigns and portrait photography.
• Photojournalist: capture real-world events for digital news outlets, magazinese, charities and more. Photojournalists and documentary photographers are required to dedicate themselves to the topic they're covering, researching subjects in detail and at times working in challenging or dangerous environments.
• Fashion photographer: working with fashion designers, models, magazines and brands, you'll be creating striking editorial and commercial imagery. You'll be directing models and creative teams, liaising with stylists and art directors as you produce campaign and editorial photoshoots.
• Beauty photographer: working with a similar group of creatives as a fashion photographer, but to produce a different style of imagery that's more focussed on close-up portraits.
• Lifestyle photographer: capture natural-looking images to promote products, services and brands within their real-world context. Common areas of the creative industry using lifestyle photographers includes advertising and social media marketing. They are also heavily required for the travel and hospitality, and wellbeing and fitness industries.
• Press photographer: working under high-pressure and quick-moving conditions, press photographers provide imagery for news outlets covering current affairs, politics, sport and culture.
• Fine art photographer: producing works to be exhibited in galleries or for private collectors, fine art photographers often have the freedom to spend more time working on long-term projects. Grants and residency positions often exist for the artists, but obtaining them can be tough and requires persistence and resilience. 
• Commercial photographer: working with brands and corporate clients, commercial photographers will often be working on marketing and advertising campaigns. Clients often include companies from retail, property, food and technology sectors.

Become a freelance photographer

Freelance photography is one of the most popular career paths for photography graduates.

Even if you have a full-time job somewhere, you may find yourself taking on the occasional freelance gig.

Freelancing gives you the ability to manage your own time, clients and pricing and allows you to work in sectors that interest you most. 

Common freelance photography work includes:

• Wedding photography
• Portrait photography
• Corporate and commercial photoshoots
• Event photography
• Editorial photography 
• Property photography

Bear in mind that freelancing isn't without its own stresses. As well as having to market yourself in order to generate business you also have to remember that it is not a steady income. With a full-time job you know your pay and will receive it consistently. Whilst freelancing does come with the potential for higher pay, it also means you may have times with lower pay.

Freelance photography is ideal for self-motivated creatives with an entrepreneurial mindset.

Working in photography without being a photographer

Not all photography graduates go on to work directly behind the camera. Many build successful careers in roles that support and showcase visual content across creative industries.

From editing to archiving, these behind-the-scenes careers play a vital role in how images are produced, distributed, and experienced.

This includes:

• Photo editor: editors or retouchers enhance and refine images to ensure the final look of a photo matches the brief outlined by the client. Typical tasks for editors include colour correction, colour grading and background manipulation.
• Digital imaging technician: technicians manage and process digital files created during photoshoots and productions. They will be responsible for organising files and quality control. They are particularly important for advertising and fashion photography shoots.
• Picture editor: select, commission and manage photography for print and digital publications. These editors will work with photographers, curate visual content and manage the archives of work created.
• Content creator: the social media boom has created a whole near sector for creatives to work in. Content creators will often have to blend their photography ability with video, writing and marketing skills as they work with brands to promote their products.
• Curator: gallery curators and assistants organise exhibitions and manage art collections. They work with the artists as they develop the exhibitions and will then engage with the public to promote the work.
• Studio manager: oversee the bookings, equipment, staff and clients that are needed to make a photography studio operate smoothly.
• Creative producer: coordinate visual campaigns and work with photographers, designers, and marketeers to deliver high-quality creative projects.

More advice for photography applicants 

• How to write a great UCAS personal statement for a Photography degree
• How to make a perfect photography portfolio for university

Related courses

Undergraduate

• Photography BA (Hons) Farnham

Postgraduate

• Fashion Photography MA
• Photography MA