Food Photographers

According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), employment of photographers is expected to decline 6 percent through 2028. The growth of digital cameras and improvements in digital technology have enabled more businesses to create, store, and access photographic images on their own. Also, the photography field has always been attractive to many people, so competition for jobs is strong. There are only a small number of food photographers, and the health of the food, entertainment, and publishing industries play a major role in influencing job growth. When fewer people eat out or purchase food-related publications, there are fewer jobs for food photographers. Employment for photographers at newspapers, book, and periodical publishers is expected to decline by 29.6 percent through 2028, according to the DOL, as a result of declining advertising revenue, industry consolidation, and other factors. Though many companies have reduced their advertising budgets, they still have to employ professionals to capture images of their food for print and Web advertising. Most restaurants, no matter how successful, will need to display their food in menus or ads as well as on their Web sites to attract diners.