Photojournalists
Overview
Introduction
Photojournalists, also known as news photographers, shoot photographs that capture news events. Their job is to tell a story with pictures. They may cover a war in central Africa, the Olympics, a national election, or a small-town Fourth of July parade. In addition to shooting pictures, they also write captions or other supporting text to provide further detail about each photograph. Photojournalists may also develop and print photographs or edit film. Photojournalists represent a small percentage of the 50,260 photographer...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Salaries vary drastically depending on the size and location of the employers. In general, the smaller the employer, the smaller the salary. Larger news organizations can offer staff photojournalists much more pay and added benefits such as medical insurance.
Freelance rates are dependent on both the experience of the photographer and the size of the magazine, but can sometimes be as hig...
Work Environment
Photojournalists work where their stories take them, such as sporting events, political rallies, or even the front lines of war. They also work in offices or out of their homes, developing film, printing images, downloading them onto computers, and writing accompanying text and captions. Because of these varying work environments, photojournalists have to be flexible and able to work under many...
Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labor reports that employment for photographers at print newspapers will decline by approximately 33 percent through 2028 as a result of industry consolidation, declines in advertising revenue, and the continuing transition of print publications to digital formats. Photojournalism is a highly competitive field, but individuals who develop a strong portfolio, develop and m...