Photographic technician Job Information | National Careers Service

Job profiles

Photographic technician

Hours

37-40 per week
Starting salary

£12,000 + per year

Photographic technicians produce images from digital files, either as prints on photographic paper or on a wide variety of other media, such as mousemats, t-shirts, mugs and posters. If you are interested in photography and can work accurately, this job could be ideal for you.

In this job you would need to have good colour vision. You will also need to have computer skills and be good at dealing with customers.

There aren't any set entry requirements to get into this job, but some employers may prefer you to have GCSEs including maths and science, or qualifications of a similar level. There are college and university courses in photography you can do that could help you develop the skills you would need.

The work

Photographic technicians can work for large photofinishing operations, professional film processing laboratories, or in retail mini-labs on the high street.

As a photo processing technician in a large processing lab or mini-lab, you would:

use computerised equipment to print customers' image files onto photographic paper or copy them onto a disc
make adjustments where necessary, to take lighting conditions or exposure into account
quality check prints, pack them into envelopes and label them for customers
follow health and safety guidelines for working with chemicals
check and maintain equipment.

A few professional labs may use traditional darkroom techniques for hand printing. In most high street stores you would also have retail duties such as taking payment from customers, selling camera equipment and assisting customers downloading files via a kiosk system.

As a digital imaging technician, you would work for professional photofinishing labs and picture libraries. You would:

discuss the format and finish of the image with customers
download or import digital files or scan images into a computer
use specialised software to crop, resize and colour correct the images where necessary
print the images onto suitable paper, load them onto a website or e-mail them to the customer
build up image banks.

As a print finisher, you would use laminating and precision cutting equipment to cut, mount and frame large-size prints. You might work for a printing company or photo processing lab.

Hours

You would work between 37 and 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday, although shift work may be required in some larger laboratories.

Your working environment could be a photographic laboratory, darkroom or high street shop. You would wear protective gloves and clothing when handling chemicals. Print finishing can involve physical work, such as lifting large picture frames or rolls of laminate.

Income

Starting salaries can be around £12,000 a year. With experience and skills this can rise to between £15,000 and £25,000. Skilled digital imaging technicians can earn up to £35,000 a year.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

For semi-skilled work in high street mini-labs, you will need basic computer skills and an interest in photography. You don't always need formal qualifications, but some employers may prefer you to have GCSEs including maths and science, or qualifications of a similar level.

In professional labs, you are more likely to need formal qualifications in photography such as:

City & Guilds Award, Certificate and Diploma in Photo Imaging (7512) at levels 1, 2 and 3
BTEC Level 3 National Certificates and Diplomas in Art and Design (Photography)
BTEC HNC/HND, foundation degree or degree in photography.

To work in digital imaging, you will need experience of desktop publishing packages such as Photoshop, Quark, Illustrator or InDesign, and you will find it useful to have Apple Macintosh (Mac) computer skills. You may have an advantage with a HNC/HND, foundation degree or degree in photography or graphic design.

For print finishing, you will usually need practical skills such as woodwork or picture framing.

Training and development

Your training will usually be a mixture of learning on the job from experienced staff, and attending short courses run by equipment manufacturers.

You may also have the opportunity to work towards City & Guilds Diplomas in Photo-imaging Competence at levels 2 and 3. These include optional units on photo processing in retail mini-labs or photographic laboratories, if these are relevant to your job.

You could also take short courses in digital imaging skills, such as Photoshop or InDesign. You can search for relevant courses on Creative Skillset's website.

Skills and knowledge

To be a photographic technician you should have:

good colour vision
accuracy and attention to detail
an interest in photography
basic mathematical skills
good computer skills
practical skills, for operating machinery and diagnosing faults
good communication and customer service skills
creativity and design skills, if working in digital imaging.

More information

Creative Skillset (Opens new window)
Focus Point
21 Caledonian Road
London
N1 9GB
www.creativeskillset.org

Creative Skillset Careers (Opens new window)
Tel: 08080 300 900 (England and Northern Ireland)
Tel: 0845 850 2502(Scotland)
Tel: 08000 121 815 (Wales)
www.creativeskillset.org/careers

British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) (Opens new window)
1 Prebendal Court
Oxford Road
Aylesbury
Buckinghamshire
HP19 8EY
Tel: 01296 718530
www.bipp.com

Association of Photographers (Opens new window)
81 Leonard Street
London
EC2A 4QS
Tel: 020 7739 6669
www.the-aop.org

British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies (BAPLA) (Opens new window)
www.bapla.org

Opportunities

You could work for large photo-processing companies, high street franchises, specialist professional labs and picture libraries. There may also be opportunities in graphic design studios, hospitals and universities and colleges.

Jobs may be advertised in the local press, Jobcentre Plus, and photography magazines and websites.

With experience, in larger companies you could move into management. You could also choose to start your own photographic business or open a franchise to run a mini-lab.

You may find the following useful for job vacancies and further reading (links open in new window):

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.

Related industry information

Industry summary

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.