What Does A Photographer Do?

WHAT DOES A PHOTOGRAPHER DO?

Published: Nov 25, 2025 - The Photographer captures compelling visual stories through skilled use of light, composition, and perspective. This role delivers emotionally engaging images that highlight authentic moments across diverse settings. The individual also blends creativity and technical expertise to produce photographs with lasting impact.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Photographer

1. Photographer Duties

Photography Services: Schedules, coordinates, and provides photographic services to support sales, promotions, and other organization-wide needs
Studio Operations: Provides related processing, studio, and darkroom services
Photo Retouching: Editing and retouching photos and maintaining files of projects
Vendor Coordination: Collaborates with outside vendors
Equipment Maintenance: Arranges for the repair and maintenance of supplies and equipment
Customer Focus: Customer focus with a desire to over-deliver on quality
Independent Styling: Work independently to style and shoot, as well as work with in-house chefs and stylists

2. Photographer Details

Product Shooting: Responsible for product and video shooting
Video Production: Responsible for video editing and mostly visual brainstorming from beginning to end, pitch concepts, write scripts, shoot, edit, and handle post-production
Still Photography: Deliver Still Life photography to the highest quality for the NEXT customer aligned to brand principles and creative direction
Creative Direction: Take direction from the Senior Photographer in line with the Creative Lead
Professional Conduct: Remain calm and professional while maintaining a positive and proactive attitude
Studio Adaptability: Identify with the ever-changing requirements of a large studio team
Relationship Building: Build and maintain strong relationships with the Creative Lead and the Senior Photographer

3. Photographer Responsibilities

Image Quality: Responsible for providing high-quality, consistent image content
Team Coordination: Work with other studio contributors to ensure completion of daily deliverables
Creative Support: Share creative vision, technical skill, and operational support with the entire team to accomplish varied photo assignments
Travel Shooting: Support local and occasional travel shoots for Uline and affiliated assignments
Trend Research: Explore trends and evolve photo ideation for collaboration with design / creative teams
Creative Alignment: Work with business partners to accomplish creative goals and ensure consistency of the Uline vision
Asset Management: Fulfill file-naming and metadata initiatives to ensure accurate and complete digital asset protocols for all files
Studio Maintenance: Operate and maintain studio equipment, organize photo supplies, and maintain storage areas
Photo Retouching: Provide photo retouching and digital manipulation of images to support the post-digital team

4. Senior Photographer Job Summary

Shoot Setup: Manages day-to-day setup of photoshoots for products, lifestyle, and brand campaigns
Product Photography: Photographer of products, lifestyle imagery, and brand campaign elements
Team Collaboration: Collaborates with the production team to manage the studio/agency/client team on set to ensure the shoot goes smoothly
Onset Guidance: Guide and explain activities on set, answer questions, troubleshoot with the Producer, review and ensure the shoot meets the client's deliverables
Set Maintenance: Maintain high-caliber photo sets, keep equipment organized, ensure sets are clean and safe, address issues with the Photo Assistant, and record time sheets of all labor and materials to the proper internal job numbers daily
Skill Development: Take initiative to expand relevant industry/software knowledge and skills and share ideas to improve photography, creative design, production, or enhancements to internal processes and procedures
Equipment Research: Explore new equipment and make recommendations for equipment, set, or other studio enhancements
Assistant Training: Provide guidance and development support to photography assistants with the production team, and keep a relevant studio portfolio of work, technology, capabilities, work experience, skills, and education

5. Vehicle Photographer Accountabilities

Client Visits: Visit client dealership locations to perform contracted services for customers
Vehicle Photography: Photograph vehicles at client sites using a company-provided camera, tablet, and equipment
Video Capture: Capture a brief “walk-around” video of vehicles
Spin Capture: Capture 360-degree spins of vehicles
Label Printing: Print window labels (i.e., window stickers and Buyer’s Guides) and apply them to vehicles using a printer provided by the company
Customer Interaction: Interact with dealership personnel during visits to ensure customer satisfaction
Media Uploading: Synchronize (i.e., upload) photos and video clips to the company’s cloud environment using the company's software
Supervisor Communication: Communicate with supervisor in person, by phone, text, chat, and email regularly about work performance and client satisfaction

6. Voyage Photographer Functions

Guest Storytelling: Help the guests tell the story of their voyage
Expedition Support: Assists and reports to the Expedition Leader
Photo Lecturing: Prepares and delivers 2–3 lectures about photography, i.e., Intro to Expedition Photography, How to Photograph Wildlife, Photography with Smartphones, How to Edit, etc.
Guest Socializing: Higher responsibility than the rest of the team to socialize with guests
Media Uploading: Responsible for uploading slideshow, activity and nature photos, and guests-in-action photos after each voyage
Slideshow Creation: Prepares and delivers a slideshow for guests toward the end of the voyage
Consent Management: Confirm all guests have signed AQV Photographic Consent Forms
Nonconsent Tracking: Note if any guests do not want their photo taken and included in the slideshow, create a list of photo non-consent guests and make it available to the E-team
Expedition Photography: Photograph and document all aspects of life aboard the ship, each expedition activity, zodiac cruising, kayaking, hands-on science, town visits, cultural experiences, and sightings of wildlife/landscapes/seascapes
Voyage Documentation: Produce a photographic record of the voyage with an emphasis on capturing the participation and enjoyment of passengers during highlights and varied events
USB Production: Produce a complimentary trip-specific “Passenger Voyage USB” at voyage end
Expedition Duties: Assisting with program, boot, log, lifejacket distribution, landing duties (boat driving/catching, gangway, shore supervision)
Marketing Support: Work with AQV marketing and sales to capture requested photos for promotion purposes
Program Improvement: Work with the expedition team and home office to continually improve the program

7. Photographer Job Description

Instagram Management: Manage business Instagram and create reels
Content Creation: Content creation such as written, graphics, video, and photos
City Photography: Taking photos around the city and neighborhoods
Social Posting: Creating social media posts (mostly Instagram)
Blog Writing: Write blog posts with photos gathered
Team Collaboration: Collaborating with others in the marketing department
Visual Editing: Capture and edit visual content for multiple platforms
Equipment Operation: Operate and maintain live equipment including microwave, satellite, and related news-gathering equipment
Story Development: Work in tandem with newsroom personnel to create and develop news stories

8. Photographer Overview

Studio Imaging: Produce compelling images that are well-lit, well-composed, using elements such as proper exposure, focus, lens selection, composition, colors, props, angle of light, locations, and sets that align with established branded style guides in a fully digital in-house studio
Shoot Planning: Plan and manage shoots based on an understanding of the department’s prioritization needs
Image Processing: Process, name (metadata), and prepare images for the editing team
Needs Balancing: Finds balance between organization needs, personal needs, and team needs
Project Assistance: Assist the Photo Manager with special projects, initiatives, and other duties
Project Editing: Capture and edit visual content with a focus on special projects for multiple platforms
Story Assistance: Assist newsroom personnel with story creation and development, including research, undercover work, surveillance, and interviews
Advanced Lighting: Utilize a variety of cameras, technologies, and advanced lighting techniques to create visually compelling stories, including but not limited to Sony PXW-X320 XD cameras
Vehicle Operation: Drive the company vehicle for business purposes

9. Photographer Details and Accountabilities

Trend Monitoring: Keep up to date on current and developing social media trends, working with the wider team to implement them into the social media strategy
Event Management: Manage and oversee the events within the community
Schedule Planning: Develop an optimal posting schedule, considering web traffic and customer engagement metrics
Project Scoping: Define the expectations, budgets, and deliverables for projects with internal and external clients
Social Operations: Oversee daily social tasks including creating posts, interacting with communities, managing, and updating editorial calendars
Brand Training: Join an extensive training session, upskill on the Plum Guide brand, and familiarize yourself with photography guidelines
Home Visiting: Visit the most beautiful homes in the area and meet their owners
Home Styling: Shoot and style homes according to photography guidelines
Image Retouching: Edit, retouch, and format images to meet the requirements in the guidelines

10. Commercial Photographer Tasks

Lifestyle Photography: Photograph engaging story-driven lifestyle product images for packaging, eComm, digital, brand campaigns, and other RSC brand needs
Studio Photography: Photograph studio on-white images of product only and product with pet for use in a variety of packaging, eComm, and digital needs
Photo Editing: Perform all photo editing including retouching, color correction, and formatting images for use across all media, including print, web, digital, and social media
File Archiving: Archive files on the internal server and the Product Information Management System
Brand Compliance: Contribute and adhere to RSC photography standards and all brand guidelines
Consumer Insight: Understand consumers’ needs and expectations for products and services as related to product photography
Shoot Planning: Individually plan, schedule, and execute photoshoots in collaboration with the media coordinator
Shot Listing: Work with brand teams on assisting and creating detailed product shot lists
Tech Research: Research new technologies, maintain work areas, and make suggestions for new production and post-production equipment
Creative Collaboration: Work and collaborate with cross-functional brand teammates to conceptualize, plan, and execute creative studio product photography
Trend Research: Research and stay knowledgeable about current trends in lifestyle and product post-production technology including CGI use in advertising, e-commerce, and digital/social platforms
Project Tracking: Uphold project specifications and updates using the Jira project management system
Career Development: Take ownership of career development and coordinate with the manager for setting goals, milestones, and accountability for meeting objectives