Editing Photographer (section)

== Duties and types of photographers ==
[[File:Portrait of a Daguerreotypist, 1845 (with Frame).jpg|thumb|A photographer with his [[Daguerreotype|daguerrotypes]], 1845]]
[[Image:Photographer1850s.png|thumb|An English photographer in his studio, in the 1850s.]]
As in other arts, the definitions of [[amateur]] and [[professional]] are not entirely categorical.
[[File:Epifania de Guadalupe Vallejo (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|[[Epifania de Guadalupe Vallejo]], the earliest known photographer active in what is the present-day [[West Coast of the United States]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Palmquist |first1=Peter E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nne4L9h27RsC |title=Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary, 1840–1865 |last2=Kailbourn |first2=Thomas R. |date=2000 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-0-8047-3883-5 |language=en}}</ref>]]
An ''[[amateur]] photographer'' takes snapshots for pleasure to remember events, places or friends with no intention of selling the images to others.

A ''professional photographer'' is likely to take [[photograph]]s for a session and image purchase fee, by salary or through the display, resale or use of those photographs.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9ySsCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA37 |title=The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography |first=Grant |last=Scott |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |date=22 May 2015 |page=37 |isbn=9781317618140}}</ref>

A professional photographer may be an employee, for example of a newspaper, or may contract to cover a particular planned event such as a [[Wedding photography|wedding]] or graduation, or to illustrate an [[advertising|advertisement]].  Others, like [[Fine art photography|fine art photographers]], are [[freelancer]]s, first making an image and then licensing or making printed copies of it for sale or display.  Some workers, such as [[crime scene]] photographers, [[Real estate photography|estate agents]], journalists and scientists, make photographs as part of other work.  Photographers who produce moving rather than still pictures are often called [[cinematographer]]s, [[videographer]]s or [[camera operator]]s, depending on the commercial context.

The term professional may also imply preparation, for example, by academic study or apprenticeship by the photographer in pursuit of photographic skills. A hallmark of a professional is often that they invest in continuing education through associations. While there is no compulsory registration requirement for professional photographer status, operating a business requires having a business license in most cities and counties. Similarly, having commercial insurance is required by most venues if photographing a wedding or a public event. Photographers who operate a legitimate business can provide these items.

Photographers can be categorized based on the subjects they photograph.

Some photographers explore subjects typical of paintings such as [[landscape]], [[still life]], and [[portrait]]ure. Other photographers specialize in subjects unique to photography, including [[sports photography]], [[street photography]], [[documentary photography]], [[fashion photography]], [[wedding photography]], [[war photography]], [[photojournalism]], [[aviation photography]] and commercial photography. The type of work commissioned will have pricing associated with the image's usage.

===Photographers===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
Beckenbauer Pressefotografen2.jpg|A group photographing retired footballer [[Franz Beckenbauer]].
Urmas Tartes 2.jpg|[[Nature photography|Nature photographer]] [[Urmas Tartes]] working on an outdoor environment.
Douglas Osheroff photographing along CA-1 May 2011 003.jpg|A photographer ([[Douglas Osheroff]]) setting up a shot with the aid of a [[tripod]].
Photographing a model.jpg|Photographing a model. An assistant is holding a [[reflector (photography)|reflector]].
Photographer (48010186141).jpg|[[Sports photographer]] during [[2019 Pocono 400]]
Parliament Square Ramsey memorial with bibbed photographers.jpg|Sanctioned motorsport photographers identified by individually numbered white [[Bib (garment)#Sports|bib]]s on a road-course in the [[Isle of Man]] with public spectator area behind.
Storformatskamera - Malmö-1985.jpg|A photographer and his [[large format camera]] 1985.
Lucerne Minolta Photographer.jpg|Photojournalist in Lucerne.
</gallery>