Job description Commercial Photographer in Alberta

Find out what work is like for a commercial photographer in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Photographers (NOC 53110).

Photographers

Description

Photographers operate still cameras to photograph people, events, scenes, materials, products and other subjects. They are employed by photographic studios, newspapers, magazines, museums and government, or they may be self-employed.

Work week duration

Photographers usually work more than 40 hours per week.
More than 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Photographers have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Study requirements of a particular assignment and decide on type of camera, film, lighting and background accessories to be used
  • Determine picture composition, make technical adjustments to equipment and photograph subject
  • May operate scanners to transfer photographic images to computers
  • May operate computers to manipulate photographic images
  • May adapt existing photographic images and create new digitized images to be included in multimedia/new media products
  • May use delicate instruments, such as optical microscopes attached to cameras
  • May process exposed film
  • May use airbrush, computer or other techniques to retouch negatives
  • May operate unmanned aerial vehicle/drone to capture aerial photographs of the landscape or any subject.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Handling material manually
  • Standing
  • Sitting

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Photographers are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • Self-employed
  • Newspapers
  • Photographic studios
  • Governments
  • Museums
  • Magazines

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Outside, exposed to weather
  • Indoors, environmentally controlled
  • Hazardous equipment, machinery, tools

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Close (at arm’s length)

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 53110), and a list of similar occupations:

  • aerial photographer
  • commercial photographer
  • forensic photographer
  • industrial photographer
  • photographer
  • portrait photographer
  • scientific photographer

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Photographers in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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