The photo imaging industry is part of the creative industries, which is represented by Creative Skillset. This includes: advertising; animation; computer games; corporate and commercial production; fashion and textiles; film; interactive media; photo imaging; publishing; radio; and television.
The photo imaging industry includes: image producers (including laboratories and minilabs); photo retail; picture libraries and agencies; manufacturers; and support services (such as equipment hire and repair).
Key facts:
- Around 44,000 people work in the industry.
- Just under half of the workforce is based in the South of England.
- There are nearly 14,000 companies in the industry, of which:
- 58% are photography
- 35% are retail, laboratories or image production companies
- 5% are picture libraries and agencies
- 3% are manufacturers or support services companies
- Almost half of companies are sole traders or freelance photographers.
- 93% of companies employ 5 people or less.
- More than two fifths have a degree and over a fifth have a technical qualification, including a quarter of all photographers.
Jobs in the industry can be divided into:
- Photography – Advertising and Editorial Photographer, General Practice (Social)
- Photographer, Press Photographer or Photojournalist, Fashion Photographer, Scientific
- Photographer, Corporate Photographer, Forensic Photographer, Medical Photographer, Assistant Photographer, Staff Photographer
- Photographic Laboratories and Image Producers – Minilab Operator, Print Finishing Technician, Digital Imaging Specialist
- Photo Retail – Photo Retail Manager, Minilab Operator Photo Retail
- Picture Libraries – Picture Researcher, Picture Library Manager
- Manufacturers – Field Service Technician, Marketing Executive
- Equipment Support Services – Product Repair Engineer, Technical Support Engineer, Product Returns Management Technician.
National and regional data
The total workforce comprises around 44,000 people. The largest photo imaging workforce is located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
- South West
In the East Midlands, there are nearly 2,700 people working in the industry. Nottingham is home to Boots and PA Photos, the photo library of the Press Association.
There are over 2,500 people working in photo imaging in the East of England. Larger employers in the region include two big manufacturers, Fujifilm UK in Bedford and Kodak in Hemel Hempstead. There are a number of schools photography companies in the region employing 8‐15 people as well as franchised retail outlets and privately owned camera shops.
The largest proportion of those who work in photo imaging are based in London; nearly 10,500 people. London has the highest concentration of fashion, advertising and editorial photographers as well as numerous specialist image producers and retouching/digital bureaux. A large majority of picture libraries and four Creative Skillset Approved Training Providers for Photo imaging are based in London.
There are nearly 1,200 people working in the industry in the North East.
In the North West around 5,000 people work in the industry and over half of these are photographers. Most of the businesses are very small, with almost 90% employing just 1‐5 people. Redeye (the North West Photography Network) is based in Manchester. Venture Portraits has its Head Office and fulfilment centre in Cheshire.
There are over 6,800 people working in the industry in the South East covering all parts of the industry from individual photographers to larger manufacturing outlets.
Nearly 5,000 people work in the industry in the South West and over half of these are photographers. Larger employers in the region include Harrier LLC (Truprint) in Newton Abbot and Tempest in St Ives. Transmedia, an Approved training provider, have a training facility in Bristol to complement their main base in Greenwich.
In the West Midlands, the photo imaging industry is the second largest industry comprising a large number of laboratories and retail outlets with a workforce of nearly 2,700. Rhubarb Rhubarb, a photographic training and development agency based in Birmingham, is internationally acclaimed for its exhibitions and the career development opportunities it offers to professional photographers.
Around 2,500 people work in Yorkshire and the Humber in the photo imaging industry. Symbiosis, an Approved training provider, has a training facility in Leeds to complement their main base in Leamington Spa.
In Wales, the photo imaging industry employs around 1,200 people. Most of the businesses are very small, with the majority employing just 1‐5 people, reflecting the high number of freelancers and sole traders in the industry.
In Northern Ireland, the photo imaging industry employs around 600 people.
In Scotland, the photo imaging industry employs around 2,800 people in 750 companies across four broad sub‐sectors: Photographers, Image producers and photo retailers, Picture libraries and agencies, and Manufacturing and support services.
