Annual Salary
£17,000 to £45,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Photographers take and process pictures of people, places, products and events.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; as customers demand
There will be
0.5% more Photographer jobs in 2027.
As a photographer, you could:
You could work in a creative studio.
Your working environment may be physically demanding and outdoors in all weathers.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
You'll usually need:
You could take a college course in photography. This might help you to find a job as a photographer's assistant in a studio.
You could apply to do an apprenticeship to get into this role, for example, a Photographer Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship takes around 1 year and 6 months to complete, and is a mix of training in the workplace and off-the-job study.
You'll usually need:
You could start as a photographer's assistant and work your way up. It's normal to specialise in one kind of photography, like fashion, advertising, wildlife or photojournalism.
You'll need a portfolio of your work to show your skills, interests and experience in photography. It will also help you to get noticed if you post examples of your work online.
The Association of Photographers offers membership for anyone with an interest in professional photography.
You can also apply to join the British Institute of Professional Photography.
You can get more details on working in the creative industries from Discover Creative Careers.
Many photographers are freelance and you could do a mix of contract work and following your own interests.
You could extend your range into other areas of photography like product, property, aerial or corporate work.
Specialist photographers
With training, you could work as a press or police photographer.
There are opportunities for photographers in the armed forces. You can find out more about being a Royal Air Force photographer.
If you do specialist qualifications, you could find jobs in medical photography or illustration.
Starting your own business
You may decide to become self-employed and set up your own business.
Photography is very competitive, so you'll need creativity and technical skills to make money. You'll also need finance for equipment, a space to work in and some business and admin skills.
You could increase your income by selling your images independently.
You can find out more about becoming a photographer through Creative Choices and the British Institute of Professional Photography.
You'll need: