Artistic, cultural and culinary associate professionals

How to become a Photographer

Official title: Photographers

Also called: Aerial photographer, Commercial photographer, Industrial photographer, Photojournalist, Photographer, Portrait photographer, Scientific photographer

Photographers operate still cameras to photograph people, events, scenes, materials, products and other subjects.

Main tasks

Taking photographs for advertising or other commercial, industrial or scientific purposes and to illustrate stories and articles in newspapers, magazines and other publications
Taking portrait photographs of persons and groups of persons
Studying requirements of a particular assignment and decide on type of camera, film, lighting and background accessories to be used
Determining picture composition, making technical adjustments to equipment and photograph subject
Operating scanners to transfer photographic images to computers
Operating computers to manipulate photographic images
Adapting existing photographic images to create new digitized images to be included in multimedia products
Using airbrush, computer or other techniques to create the desired visual effect

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: HK$27,000 a month
About 1,542,900 people in 2025, and about 1,639,100 projected by 2028. (+6.2%)
Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Questions people ask

Do you need a degree to become a Photographer?

Not always. 36% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Photographer?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026