With photography training, you can specialize as a portrait photographer, photojournalist, a fine arts photographer, or commercial and industrial photographer, and more. Entry-level positions in most photography occupations require formal training. Even if you are self-employed, the level of technical proficiency required to take and edit professional photographs means that some career training is essential.
Developing Your Photography Skills
Your degree or career training program should cover equipment, processes, techniques, and composition. With the wide availability of digital equipment, more people are able to enter the profession and keen competition for jobs is expected. Your degree or career training can give you an advantage in this competitive market place.
Photographer Career Outlook
- Number of photographers in 2012: 136,300
- Photographers who were self-employed in 2012: 60%
- High-growth specialties: Portrait photography, Commercial photography
- Projected job growth: 4% through 2012-2022
- Median earnings as of May 2014: $38,350
- Top 10% earners as of May 2014: More than $68,930
- Highest paying industries: Radio and Television Broadcasting, Motion Picture and Video Industries
- Highest paying states: District of Columbia, New York, California, Hawaii, New Mexico
Source
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes274021.htm
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/photographers.htm