Find Trade Colleges
What You Need to Know About Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator
Position Description Perform work involved in developing and processing photographic images from film or digital media. May perform precision tasks such as editing photographic negatives and prints.
Life As a Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator: What Do They Do?
- Retouch photographic negatives or original prints to correct defects.
- Upload digital images onto Web sites for customers.
- Examine drawings, negatives, or photographic prints to determine coloring, shading, accenting, or other changes required for retouching or restoration.
- Shade negatives or photographs with pencils to smooth facial contours, soften highlights, or conceal blemishes, stray hairs, or wrinkles.
- Clean or maintain photoprocessing or darkroom equipment, using ultrasonic equipment or cleaning and rinsing solutions.
- Thread filmstrips through densitometers or sensitometers and expose film to light to determine density of film, necessary color corrections, or light sensitivity.
Featured schools near , edit
What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator?
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Types of Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator Jobs
- Negative Spotter
- Lithography Contact Worker
- Quality Control Head
- Screen Maker
- Laboratory Technician
Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 26,900 jobs in the United States for Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 3,300 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator are Maryland, Nevada, and Georgia. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Hawaii, or Delaware. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators is somewhere between $21,050 and $53,200.
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators who work in New York, Maryland, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $35,820 |
| California | $47,360 |
| Colorado | $37,170 |
| Connecticut | $33,410 |
| Delaware | $33,410 |
| Florida | $32,930 |
| Georgia | $26,750 |
| Hawaii | $32,000 |
| Idaho | $44,880 |
| Illinois | $37,700 |
| Indiana | $24,770 |
| Iowa | $29,150 |
| Kansas | $33,660 |
| Kentucky | $26,780 |
| Louisiana | $44,280 |
| Maryland | $35,740 |
| Massachusetts | $33,980 |
| Michigan | $31,340 |
| Minnesota | $35,540 |
| Missouri | $34,720 |
| Nebraska | $32,200 |
| Nevada | $31,500 |
| New Hampshire | $32,470 |
| New Jersey | $33,790 |
| New Mexico | $29,600 |
| New York | $45,300 |
| North Carolina | $31,350 |
| North Dakota | $31,290 |
| Ohio | $32,200 |
| Oklahoma | $27,590 |
| Oregon | $39,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $25,920 |
| South Carolina | $28,970 |
| South Dakota | $30,780 |
| Tennessee | $25,820 |
| Texas | $30,420 |
| Utah | $31,440 |
| Virginia | $27,820 |
| Washington | $35,690 |
| West Virginia | $31,330 |
| Wisconsin | $30,180 |
What Tools & Technology do Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Access
- MySQL
- MongoDB
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Publisher
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
How to Become a Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator
Individuals working as a Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator?
Who Employs Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators?
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators work in the following industries:
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Photographic Process Worker or Processing Machine Operator sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.