Photographer

A photographer captures images for commercial, editorial, or artistic purposes using digital cameras and lighting equipment in studios, on location, or at events. They compose shots, manage technical camera settings, process images using editing software, and deliver final products to clients or publications. Work spans portraiture, product photography, event coverage, landscape, and commercial assignments across diverse Australian industries.

Compose and frame photographs using knowledge of lighting, depth of field, angle, and subject positioning to achieve desired visual outcomes. Operate digital cameras and adjust settings including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance for different lighting conditions and artistic effects. Set up and position studio lighting equipment, reflectors, diffusers, and backdrops to control light quality and direction. Conduct pre-shoot consultations with clients to establish brief requirements, style preferences, shot lists, and delivery specifications. Capture multiple exposures and angles of subjects to provide clients with selection options and ensure technical quality. Transfer and organise image files from cameras to computers, create backup copies, and manage image libraries using file management systems. Edit and retouch photographs using software such as Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to adjust colour, contrast, exposure, and remove blemishes. Deliver finished images to clients in agreed formats and resolutions, and provide hard copies or digital files as specified in contracts.

The standard entry pathway requires a diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Income is unpredictable and often low, especially starting out. You'll compete with phone cameras and amateur competitors undercutting prices. Building a client base takes years. Many photographers do weddings and events on weekends and evenings. Equipment costs are high upfront, and you're constantly investing in new gear to stay competitive.

Regional areas have fewer opportunities. Most work is freelance or small studio-based rather than traditional employment. Remote work is limited since you need to be on location for shoots, though editing can happen anywhere with internet.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2113, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Adapt to type of mediacore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Customer Needs Assessmentcore
• Digital Literacycore
• Goal Setting and Planningcore
• Invoicing and Billing Administrationcore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Adapt to changing situations
• Advertising techniques
• Advise customers on photography
• Appointment Scheduling
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity
• Electronic Document Management
• Email Management
• Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
• Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive)
• Negotiation

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Photographer workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026