Amateur experience is helpful in getting an entry job with a commercial studio, but post-high school education and training usually are needed for industrial or scientific photography. Here success in photography depends on being more than just a competent photographer, and adequate career preparation requires some knowledge of the field in which the photography is used. Photographers and camera operators must have good eyesight and color vision, artistic ability, and manual dexterity. They should be patient, accurate, and enjoy working with detail. Some knowledge of mathematics, physics, and chemistry is helpful for understanding the use of various lenses, films, light sources, and development processes.
Some photographic specialties require additional qualities.
Commercial or freelance photographers must be imaginative and original in their thinking. Writing ability sometimes is important for photojournalists, who may write captions and accompanying articles for their photographs. Portrait photographers need the ability to help people relax in the presence of the camera. Newly hired workers are given relatively routine assignments that do not require split-second camera adjustments or decisions on what subject matter to photograph. News photographers, for example, may be assigned to cover events such as civic meetings or snowstorms.