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Pay: Median pay for a photographer in the Seattle area is $49,239 a year, with most making from $41,520 to $60,642, according to salary.com.
Demand: Demand for portrait photographers should increase as the population grows. Growth of Internet versions of media will require increasing numbers of commercial photographers to provide digital images. The Internet should make it easier for freelancers to market directly to customers, boosting opportunities for self-employment and decreasing reliance on stock-photo agencies. However, the widespread use of digital photography and the falling price of digital equipment will constrain growth somewhat.
A decline in the newspaper industry also will reduce demand for photographers to provide still images for print.
Photographers can expect keen competition because the work is attractive to many people.
Need to know: Employers seek applicants with a "good eye" and creativity, as well as good technical understanding of photography. Photojournalists or industrial or scientific photographers generally need a college degree. Freelance and portrait photographers need technical proficiency.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
