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Build a career in Photography
This career guide is designed to help University of Portsmouth students and recent graduates explore job options, key employers, and entry routes into the Photography sector.
Potential Job Roles
Prospects has a useful list of job profiles, each containing relevant information about key responsibilities, skill requirements, starting salaries, entry requirements, career prospects with links to major employers and current graduate vacancies. Some roles include:
Portfolios
Throughout your degree, it is a good idea to start developing a portfolio of your work. Portfolios are a great way to showcase your design work to employers and help you to stand out from the crowd.
Gaining Experience
Getting relevant experience is essential. Many employers recruit through internships, placement programmes, or work experience programmes. Overall, additional experience will boost your employment prospects by helping to build a network of contacts. Most of your graduate competition will have degree-related work experience.
Types of Opportunities
Placements are a great way to gain substantial experience, help you to build contacts and gain an understanding of an organisation.
Contact the Placements team in the Careers and Employability Service for support in finding a placement.
Learn more about completing a placement year
Students from the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Arts may choose to take a Self-Employed Placement. This allows you to work for yourself during your placement year and receive support from the University's Student Startup Team. You will have access to funding opportunities, networking events and workshops.
Enhance your prospects with hands-on experience through volunteering. Whether you're uncertain about your career path or aiming for professional success, volunteering offers a chance to explore diverse roles.
You can also get involved in relevant university projects through the different groups and societies via the Student Union. This is a good way of demonstrating your motivation and interest in this area of work.
Internships give you hands-on industry experience for a fixed period. Many employers will treat interns as an organisation employee and so when future job roles ask for 'at least one year's experience' you can include an internship as this experience.
Be proactive and try to gather inspiration and ideas from the world around you: join creative clusters and attend networking events. This is a great way to meet people working in the creative industries and will help you with your networking skills.
LinkedIn is a useful platform to network with sector employers.
Where to find work experience opportunities
There are plenty of ways to find work experience in the Photography industry. Some key online platforms include:
Speculative applications
Speculative applications involve sending a CV and cover letter to an employer to ask if they have any vacancies, even if the company is not currently advertising for a role. They're a great way to access "hidden jobs" that go unadvertised.
Submitting a speculative application shows your interest in a specific company and your willingness to go above and beyond to develop your skills and understanding of the industry.
Finding a Graduate Job
Photography graduate employers
- Media organisations such as newspapers, magazines, film and television
- Wedding photographers or high street photography companies
- Large organisations such as universities, hospitals or airports
- The police ('scene of the crime') photography
- Advertising companies
What can I do with my Photography degree - A Prospects article with a comprehensive list of employers.
Useful websites to help you start your job search
Going freelance
Freelancers use a variety of means to generate work: some rely on their portfolio, self-promotion and a good contact network, while others use a photographic agent.
- Student StartUp Team – Advice and support to students and graduates at the University of Portsmouth to develop their enterprise skills and set up their own business.
- Creativepool – Online networking site for people working within the creative industries. Provides a platform from which to research and network with relevant companies as well as finding advertised vacancies.
- Artquest – Sharing the resources, networks and opportunities you need to develop your visual arts practice including a range of ‘How to’ guides
- a-n.co.uk – Supporting contemporary visual arts practice including a knowledge bank with expert resources and toolkits.
Keep up-to-date with the industry
Below are some key resources to help you research opportunities available. The knowledge gained through your research may help you to target your applications and will help when preparing for interviews.
- The British Institute of Professional Photography – The qualifying and governing body of professional photography.
- The Association of Photographers – A leading professional association, their website has a news section as well as contract advice for freelancers and a JobShop advertising current vacancies.
- British Journal of Photography – The online edition providing topical content, including news articles, informational resources, community galleries, forums and comment tools.
- ScreenSkills – Industry body which supports skills and training for people and businesses working in the creative industries.
- Creative Review – Monthly publication covering advertising, design and visual culture.
- Creative Boom – Online magazine and network community that aims to celebrate, inspire and support the creative industries throughout the UK and the rest of the world.
- CreateBritain Create a Profile for peers, fans and business opportunities to find you. The site brings many aspects of the creative industries together into an easy to navigate, highly relevant space.
- 'a space' arts is an organisation that supports and inspires artists, audiences and communities through an ambitious programme of exhibitions, artist resources, opportunities, and by culturally reanimating lost spaces with arts and heritage.
- Dribbble The world’s destination for design. We’re on a mission to build the world’s best community for creatives to share, grow, and get hired.
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