Career Research Essay

This career is about taking photos from events, the ocean, plants, food, landscapes, etc. The
tasks and activities done are setting up the equipment, choosing and setting up the location,
reproducing and framing photographs, and more. Photographers are very precise at taking
photos. They want to have the right settings, lighting, and subject to get the shot they want.
Photographers do this to attract clients for market or advertise service.
To be a photographer, a person needs to have artistic and technical skills, dedication and
attention to detail, ability to work as a team, and full-time skills training. The first step is getting
to know the camera. The basic skills are: triangle exposure (shutter speed, f-stop, and ISO),
composition rules, observing light, and focus. For self-employed photographers, they must have
business, computers, and customer and service skills to show clients and staff their abilities.
Allan Hancock College, Rio Hondo College and San Diego Miramar College offer training
programs for students who want to get into photography. Allan Hancock College is located in
Santa Maria, CA. Rio Hondo College is at Whittier, CA. Azusa Pacific University is in Mission
Center Office Park. By going on the Allan Hancock College website, click on where it says
“Students,” then select “Catalog” on their “Programs and Degrees” section. Then on the left-
hand side, go on “Career education.” Photography can be found listed on the “M” section. Once
you’re on the Rio Hondo College website, go to the “Explore Careers” section. Next use their
“Browse Careers,” photography will appear when typing its name. On the San Diego Miramar
College website, go to the “academics & programs” tab. From there click on “Program finder.”
Photography is on the third page in the “Art & Visual Studies” section. The courses they provide
on the Allan Hancock College website, are introduction to graphic design, multimedia, basic
photography, digital photography and more. The Rio Hondo College offers journalism AA-T,
art/studio arts AA-T, etc. San Diego Miramar College includes courses related to apparel Design
and merchandising, graphic design, photography, and more. The salary for Allan Hancock
College is $43,000. At Rio Hondo College, the salary is different. $14,356 is for new workers,
$52,036 is normal pay, and $183,448 is for highly experienced workers. San Diego Miramar
College’s salary is $1,805. The benefits that photographers earn are paid vacation, health-
insurance, maternity benefits, and more. But if a photographer works freelance, they would
have to cover the benefits themself. Some ways to increase salary, are raising prices to clients,
decrease overhead expenses, and decrease hours worked.
The related careers that are similar to photography are drawing, documentary production, fine
and studio arts, and more. Fine arts are associated with photography to express ideas,
emotions, or message. They are the opposite of documentary photography. Fine and studio arts
are expected to grow 6.3% between 2016 and 2026, making this a field in demand. Both
drawing and photography are not completely the same, but they served the same purpose.
Photographers take photos to capture a scene, create a portrait, or document a moment in
time. Drawing or artists worked the same way. It is not known whether or not this career is in-
demand or in-decline.
Photography is a career that I would succeed in. Based on my experiences with using a camera,
adjusting the settings, and using camera equipment, will benefit me in this career path. I’m
eager to listen and learn from somebody that is giving instructions so that I can understand and
make improvements on. I enjoy working as a team that is supportive, encouraging, and caring
in order to perform tasks without any problems.
“Media Arts: Photography.” Allan Hancock College,
https://catalog.hancockcollege.edu/current/programs/media-arts-photography-associate-in-
science.php. Accessed 10 Sept 2021.

“Photography.” Rio Hondo College, https://riohondo.emsicc.com/careers/photographer?

region=20%20Mile%20Radius&radius=20%20miles. Accessed 10 Sept 2021.
“Art & Visual Studies.” San Diego Miramar College, https://sdmiramar.edu/programs/art-visual-
studies. Accessed 10 Sept 2021.