Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Photographer to photojournalist

A photographer already meets 16% of what the photojournalist role asks for. The move turns on 23 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From photographer
16 % overlap
Distant match
To photojournalist
10 You already bring
23 Still to learn
51 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance A rebuild

85.8/ 100

1 How much of what a photojournalist is expected to do is already part of a photographer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the photojournalist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A photojournalist role treats 3 of its required skills as things a photographer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • select camera apertures
  • select photographic equipment
  • set up photographic equipment

What stands in the way is 23 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 10 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A photojournalist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a photographer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held direct photographic workers communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held test photographic equipment information skills
  • already held select photographic equipment working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held set up photographic equipment working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held develop film communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held maintain photographic equipment working with machinery and specialised equipment

All 10 carried skills, including the 3 the photojournalist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 41 missing skills fall into 10 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.

Skill to pick up Tier
01 communication, collaboration and creativity 8 required, 7 supplementary
  • still to learn adapt to type of media required
  • still to learn build contacts to maintain news flow required
  • still to learn evaluate writings in response to feedback required
  • still to learn interview people required
  • still to learn participate in editorial meetings required
  • still to learn use specific writing techniques required
  • still to learn apply grammar and spelling rules required
  • still to learn develop professional network required
  • optional, not held create online news content optional
  • optional, not held edit digital moving images optional
  • optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
  • optional, not held maintain an artistic portfolio optional
  • optional, not held write captions optional
  • optional, not held write headlines optional
  • optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
02 information skills 4 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn follow the news required
  • still to learn stay up to date with social media required
  • still to learn study topics required
  • still to learn consult information sources required
  • optional, not held check correctness of information optional
  • optional, not held manage writing administration optional
03 arts and humanities 4 required
  • still to learn grammar required
  • still to learn photography required
  • still to learn spelling required
  • still to learn writing techniques required
04 social sciences, journalism and information 3 required
  • still to learn digital journalism required
  • still to learn editorial standards required
  • still to learn interview techniques required
05 management skills 2 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn write to a deadline required
  • still to learn meet deadlines required
  • optional, not held manage personal finances optional
  • optional, not held manage personal professional development optional
06 assisting and caring 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn follow ethical code of conduct of journalists required
  • optional, not held follow newspaper house style optional

4 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a photojournalist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 10 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held select camera apertures skill
  • already held select photographic equipment skill
  • already held set up photographic equipment skill
  • already held develop film skill
  • already held direct photographic workers skill
  • already held edit negatives skill
  • already held edit photographs skill
  • already held maintain photographic equipment skill
  • already held test photographic equipment skill
  • already held use photographic equipment skill
The 4 learning areas not shown above
Skill to pick up Tier
07 business, administration and law 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn copyright legislation required
  • optional, not held press law optional
08 working with computers 3 supplementary
  • optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
  • optional, not held perform video editing optional
  • optional, not held perform image editing optional
09 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held audio editing software optional
10 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held record multi-track sound optional
18 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held check correctness of information optional
  • optional, not held create online news content optional
  • optional, not held edit digital moving images optional
  • optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
  • optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
  • optional, not held follow newspaper house style optional
  • optional, not held maintain an artistic portfolio optional
  • optional, not held manage personal finances optional
  • optional, not held manage writing administration optional
  • optional, not held perform video editing optional
  • optional, not held record multi-track sound optional
  • optional, not held write captions optional
  • optional, not held write headlines optional
  • optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
  • optional, not held audio editing software optional
  • optional, not held manage personal professional development optional
  • optional, not held perform image editing optional
  • optional, not held press law optional
43 held skills the photojournalist role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role advertising techniques knowledge
  • not needed by the target role advise customers on photography skill
  • not needed by the target role architectural design knowledge
  • not needed by the target role art collections knowledge
  • not needed by the target role brand marketing techniques knowledge
  • not needed by the target role care for food aesthetic skill
  • not needed by the target role collaborate with a technical staff in artistic productions skill
  • not needed by the target role communicate with youth skill
  • not needed by the target role computer graphics knowledge
  • not needed by the target role conduct extensive international travel skill
  • not needed by the target role create artificial light skill
  • not needed by the target role create digital images skill
  • not needed by the target role create infrared imagery skill
  • not needed by the target role design an artificial lighting system skill
  • not needed by the target role design greeting cards skill
  • not needed by the target role determine image composition skill
  • not needed by the target role develop an artistic framework skill
  • not needed by the target role develop artistic educational activities skill
  • not needed by the target role develop artistic project budgets skill
  • not needed by the target role develop visual elements skill
  • not needed by the target role digital marketing techniques knowledge
  • not needed by the target role handle artworks skill
  • not needed by the target role home decoration techniques knowledge
  • not needed by the target role landscape architecture knowledge
  • not needed by the target role license photo usage skill
  • not needed by the target role load film skill
  • not needed by the target role measure light levels skill
  • not needed by the target role mount photos skill
  • not needed by the target role operate a camera skill
  • not needed by the target role organise product display skill
  • not needed by the target role prepare digital art for master photograph skill
  • not needed by the target role prepare personal work environment skill
  • not needed by the target role represent company in exhibitions skill
  • not needed by the target role research new photographic procedures skill
  • not needed by the target role scan photos skill
  • not needed by the target role select auxiliary equipment for photographic work skill
  • not needed by the target role select photos skill
  • not needed by the target role set up cameras skill
  • not needed by the target role set up photographic exhibitions skill
  • not needed by the target role social media marketing techniques knowledge

3 further entries not listed here

10 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to pick up Tier
  • still to learn digital journalism required
  • still to learn copyright legislation required
  • still to learn editorial standards required
  • still to learn grammar required
  • still to learn interview techniques required
  • still to learn photography required
  • still to learn spelling required
  • still to learn writing techniques required
  • optional, not held audio editing software optional
  • optional, not held press law optional
Index

Other moves recorded from photographer

Full index of moves from photographer

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a photographer become a photojournalist?

Yes, and it is a career change move. A photographer already covers 16% of what a photojournalist is expected to do: 10 skills carry over, 3 of which the photojournalist role treats as required.

What skills does a photographer need to become a photojournalist?

23 required skills are missing, plus 18 optional ones. They fall into 10 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is adapt to type of media.

How hard is the move from photographer to photojournalist?

Its learning distance is 85.8 out of 100, which is the career change band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.