Photography Career Resources
The Career Center has built this page to provide you with valuable advice and resources relevant to your major. Explore and take advantage of what you find here to maximize your career readiness!
Common Career Paths for Photography Majors
If you are still trying to explore and evaluate your career path, you can check out this selected list of common job titles that alumni often pursue. Please keep in mind, this is not meant to be exhaustive. Rather, you can consider it a starting point to explore options in the field.
Commercial Photographer - Work with businesses and brands to create images for advertisements, catalogs, and websites. Often done on a freelance/contract basis.
Photojournalist - Capture newsworthy events and stories for newspapers, magazines, or online publications. May be done on a freelance basis or while employed full-time.
Film Director - Oversee the creative vision of a film or video project, working closely with actors, producers writers, and other crew members. This work might be done with independent productions, advertising agencies, production companies, or film studios.
Cinematographer (DP)- Work closely with the director to execute the cinematic visual look of a film or video, including camera work, lighting, and shot composition.
Photo Editor - Specialize in the post-production stage to select, edit, and enhance images for publications or media. May work in-house for a company or as part of a photo agency / post-production studio.
Fashion Photographer - Focus on shooting clothing, accessories, and models, often for magazines, designers, or advertising campaigns. Often done on a freelance/contract basis.
Fine Art Photographer - Create artistic images intended for gallery exhibitions and museum collections, often exploring creative or conceptual themes.
Product Photographer - Focus on photographing products for commercial use, such as e-commerce sites, catalogs, and advertisements. Often done on a freelance/contract basis.
Architectural Photographer - Specialize in photographing buildings and other structures, often for real estate, architecture firms, or design publications. Often done on a freelance/contract basis.
Event Photographer - Document events like weddings, parties, or corporate gatherings. Often done on a freelance/contract basis.
Art Director- Oversee and manage the visual elements of a project, ensuring that the design aligns with the overall vision and goals. Art directors work in various fields, including advertising agencies, design studios, publishing houses, film and television, and more.
Photo/Production Assistant - Providing general support on set or during production, often performing various tasks as needed. This is often an entry level role in the production industry, and may vary depending on the type of production and unit.
Art Educator - Teach and guide students of various ages in developing their artistic skills and knowledge, often through work in educational settings such as schools, colleges, universities, community art centers, and museums.
Places Where Students Have Recently Interned - A Selected List
This is a curated list of places where students have done internships in the last few years.
Internships, Jobs, & Opportunities
Find jobs, internships, and other opportunities related to your major.
Organizations, Directories, & Communities
This is a curated selection of communities and organizations that are relevant to the field.
Association of International Photography Art Dealers
American Society of Media Photographers
International Center for Photography
Baxter Street Camera Club of NY
Society for Photographic Education
National Press Photographers Association
Grants, Fellowships, and Residencies
Explore this selection of internal grant and fellowship opportunities available to RISD students.
RISD Managed Grants and Awards
Student & Alumni Stories
Read these stories of students and alumni expressing their creativity in the professional world.
CreativeStudy
This free online video learning platform is presented by creatives who have dedicated their lives to sharing knowledge on financial and business topics. Use your RISD Single Sign On credentials to access it!
Learn About Being a Freelancer
RISD alumna and long-time freelancer Jackie Ferrentino 15 IL partnered with the Career Center to create this talk highlighting best practices on how to be a successful freelancer.
Learn About Grants and Residencies
The following tutorial, produced by Grants & Residencies Manager Lisa Cramer, focuses on guiding you through the application process. RISD students and alumni are encouraged to meet with us to learn more.
Learn About Seeking Exhibition Opportunities
In this panel discussion, you'll hear directly from gallery and museum representatives along with RISD artists, who will offer specific tips and best practices to help improve your approach.