Photography and Graphic Design - Essay Example

Photography and Graphic Design Taking a career in Photography and Graphic Design was always my dream from my childhood. Since I was a 4 year old little girl, I loved art and would engage in coloring and painting activities. I would fill up 200 to 500 paged books with colors within a week. The most intriguing part about my experience as a young, new artist was when a photographer requested me to design his web page and make a few business cards for his client. It is during this point that I realized that such a task would make way for me in this career, aspiring to become a top-notch graphic designer and photographer. I had my first professional camera when I turned 18 years. By taking thousands of photos on a weekly basis, I also realized as a young adult that I could put my skills into good use as a future photography and graphic design professional. Given that this is a career that needs a creative mind, it is also important to note that it has evolved with technology. These are my key reasons that inspired me to take a career in photography and graphic design. History of the Career Years ago, artists and graphic designers got inspired by earlier painters and ideas from art origins. Art such as medieval architecture, early paintings were inspiration to artists and graphic designers in the 19th century (Kleiner, 2009). The same paintings and architecture inspired the modern-day graphic designer and photographer. Some of the early painters or pioneers were Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti, an Italian painter, architect and Leonardo da Vinci also a painter and architect (Kleiner, 2009). Therefore, this shows that cultural influences were equally critical in making the history of photography and graphic designs. People in this Career According to the report made by the U.S department of labor, graphic designers in the year 2006 held about 261,000 jobs in different fields (2008, p.305). Out of these jobs, 25% of them were self-employed as full-time or part-time freelancers. Latest bureau of labor statistics from the U.S department of labor shows that in 2012, there were 136,300 jobs, held by photographers. The current employment trends related to this career only depend on photographer designer’s professional experience, education level and the size of the firm hiring. The employment statistics also show a photographer graphic designer’s career is also projected to grow by 4% by year 2022 (U.S Department of Labor, 2008). Most of the jobs in photography and graphic design are found in the entertainment industry where those with web site design and creation of animations have some of the best opportunities. Career Duties The general duties of photographer and graphic designers revolve around their use of creativity, technical expertise and skills composition. The designers are responsible for design creation and listening to customers before making any decision related to photography or design. The specific duties include thinking creatively to come up with new concepts in design. Other specific duties include demonstrating their skills and concepts. A photographer and graphic designer’s working hours are highly dependent on the client’s schedules and availability. A photographer or a graphic designer also has the ability to adjust the work schedule or hours whether the job is on contract or not. What is unusual is that contrary to other professions, a self-employed photograph graphic designer works for longer hours and in smaller environments (U.S Department of Labor, 2008). Qualifications of Workers In this field, the sex and age of people are not key qualities to consider when hiring. The entry-level qualifications for photographers do not necessarily warrant a post-secondary level of educational skills. Graphic designers on the other hand should at list have a college-level educational training. However, it is imperative to note that earning a bachelor’s degree or any other post-secondary level of education always helps when looking for a job or clients. The personality, health and aptitude of an individual worker are not the main qualities that employers look for, but they have an impact on how clients view the professionals in this field. Additionally, some of the key skills that photographers and graphic designers should possess are computer and business skills, artistic abilities, interpersonal, business and customer-service skills. For those who are self-employed, detail-oriented skills are also beneficial. Education Plan Back in high school, my dream was not immediately realized due to a few years of sickness, so I did not graduate high school like most of my friends. However, my determination and hard-work enabled me, to graduate from high school earlier this year, with a GED and managed to get into the Gateway Program at the City College. At the City College I passed well and managed to get a scholarship for over $5,000. The scholarship will cover for my educational and training expenses at the college. It is an added advantage that paved the way for me to present how I always imagined and saw the world in a visual form. Since I am 23 years old, I am still young and plan to get a bachelor’s degree which will be an added advantage in this field. Though I do not plan to join the armed forces training, it is worth mentioning that there exist many opportunities for photographers and graphic designers in the armed forces. The military makes many publications n an annual basis such as newspapers, reports and training manuals among others. It allows a professional in this field to produce visual displays, web pages and graphic artwork. However, after getting my bachelor’s degree, I hope to get an on-the-job training which may take around 1-3 years. It will create the way to becoming an advanced professional. Career Related Fields There are many fields related to this career. One of these fields is as a commercial artist or a commercial and industrial designer. In this field, the professional designer develops products such as the manufactured products which include, home appliances and cars. The other field is in interior designing where interiors designers make products used on a daily basis. Becoming a photojournalist and employed by magazine and newspaper agencies is also another field, related to this career. The other four fields related to this career include; being a photo editor, freelance photographer, landscape architect and fashion designer. Finding a Job in this Career Field Local firms that offer good jobs are mostly in some of the top-paying industries, such as monetary authorities like central banks, arcades and amusement parks, computer and peripheral equipment manufacturers and the entertainment industry. If I was to apply for work in any of these industries, I would ask for recommendations from my high school principal, previous managers from my internship programs and the College City’s president. Earnings According to the U.S Department of Labor (2008), beginner’s salary for all graphic designers in the year 2007 was $35,000. The employment statistics have changed over the years with a growth rate of 10%. Therefore, I would expect a beginner’s salary of $ 48,140 on an annual basis. The average salary in 2007 was $45,000 (U.S Department of Labor, 2008). I hope to earn an average salary of $45,000 to $ 58,000 yearly. Lastly, as a senior photographer graphic designer, in a top firm, I hope to earn an exceptional salary of $76,910 to $98,600 annually. Since there are a number of factors that affect how much a person earns in this field, I hope to earn a median salary of around $60,000 if freelancing as a self-employed photographic designer. The earnings will be enough to meet all the expenses in this field such as legal costs of operation if self-employed, painting materials, photographs, high quality digital camera, laptop and other necessary equipment. Nature of Job Professionals in this career analyze and make visual solutions for all the communication problems presented by clients. The field requires a professional to prepare sketches, develop layouts and production materials for report journals, magazines, newspapers and other publications. A person has to find the most efficient and effective ways of communicating with clients whether it is through electronics or print. All these are some of the skills a person continues to learn in this field, which serve as an additional benefit when working as a solo photograph graphic designer. As a photograph graphic designer, it is imperative to note that a person faces various hazards. These are hazards such as being imprisoned in countries or states which are not too friendly to photographers. There are photography processing hazards such as exposure to the chemical agents which cause diseases in the nervous and respiratory systems. There are also psychological problems from busy work schedules. Career Advancement Photograph graphic designers also face fierce competition from other jobs. Since there are fewer barriers of entry into this field, this career choice tends to have many candidates for fewer positions. Therefore, I plan to advance in my career and work as a freelancer, and not a hired professional. I plan to acquire different skills in this field to improve my talents and emerge as a multi-talented professional with different skills. Interview Summary I was lucky to have an online interview with one of the most inspiring and established graphic designers in Birmingham, John Williamson. Currently Williamson works in one of United Kingdom’s leading construction companies. Williamson was once a freelance designer and started his career by picking clients through recommendations. He also mentioned that he was not so enthusiastic at school until he was 10 years. He also has a bachelor’s degree in Creative Digital Media. He advanced in his career by starting as an intern in an animation company. I got inspired to learn that he started as a simple man and ended up as a very rich and important man in the world of photography and graphic designs Reflection Photographers and graphic designers and other professionals in this field must value at all time, all the duties that they undertake. Attention to detail is also a key skill that every professional in this field requires. Lastly, given that the market in the production service industry is not high stability, it is fundamental to exercise vigilance and open-mindedness. References Kleiner, F. (2009). Gardner's art through the ages: The western perspective. (Vol. 2). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. U.S. Department of Labor. (2008). Occupational outlook handbook. New York: Sky horse Publishing Inc. Read More