Occupation Summary

Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators

O*NET 51-9151.00

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.

Annual Wages:
$41,014.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by -1.47%.
Education Level:
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED). According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Business and Industry

  1. Create prints according to customer specifications and laboratory protocols.
  2. Examine developed prints for defects, such as broken lines, spots, or blurs.
  3. Fill tanks of processing machines with solutions such as developer, dyes, stop-baths, fixers, bleaches, or washes.
  4. Immerse film, negatives, paper, or prints in developing solutions, fixing solutions, and water to complete photographic development processes.
  5. Insert processed negatives and prints into envelopes for delivery to customers.
  6. Load circuit boards, racks or rolls of film, negatives, or printing paper into processing or printing machines.
  7. Load digital images onto computers directly from cameras or from storage devices, such as flash memory cards or universal serial bus (USB) devices.
  8. Maintain records, such as quantities or types of processing completed, materials used, or customer charges.
  9. Measure and mix chemicals to prepare solutions for processing, according to formulas.
  10. Monitor equipment operation to detect malfunctions.
  11. Operate scanners or related computer equipment to digitize negatives, photographic prints, or other images.
  12. Operate special equipment to perform tasks such as transferring film to videotape or producing photographic enlargements.
  13. Place sensitized paper in frames of projection printers, photostats, or other reproduction machines.
  14. Produce color or black-and-white photographs, negatives, or slides, applying standard photographic reproduction techniques and procedures.
  15. Read work orders to determine required processes, techniques, materials, or equipment.
  16. Reprint originals for enlargement or in sections to be pieced together.
  17. Retouch photographic negatives or original prints to correct defects.
  18. Review computer-processed digital images for quality.
  19. Select digital images for printing, specify number of images to be printed, and direct to printer, using computer software.
  20. Set or adjust machine controls, according to specifications, type of operation, or material requirements.
  21. Clean or maintain photoprocessing or darkroom equipment, using ultrasonic equipment or cleaning and rinsing solutions.
  22. Examine drawings, negatives, or photographic prints to determine coloring, shading, accenting, or other changes required for retouching or restoration.
  23. Examine quality of film fades or dissolves for potential color corrections, using color analyzers.
  24. Produce timed prints with separate densities or color settings for each scene of a production.
  25. Splice broken or separated film and mount film on reels.
  26. Thread filmstrips through densitometers or sensitometers and expose film to light to determine density of film, necessary color corrections, or light sensitivity.
  27. Upload digital images onto Web sites for customers.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators employed Annual Growth Rate
Other professional, scientific, and technical services 27.9 -1.81
Other personal services 24.1 -2.21
Employment services 2.7 0.00
Motion picture and video industries 2.2 0.00
Independent artists, writers, and performers 2 0.00


Labor Market Information


2024 Statewide average hourly wage $19.72
2024 National average hourly wage $22.14
2022 National employment 6,400
2022 Texas employment 68
Texas projected employment by 2032 67
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 8




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
78.60%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
74.00%
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
62.80%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
62.60%
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
52.00%
Chemistry
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
51.60%
Sales and Marketing
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
50.60%
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
45.20%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
45.00%
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
40.80%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
70.00%
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
67.60%
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.
67.60%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
65.00%
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
65.00%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
65.00%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
62.40%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
62.40%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
62.40%
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
62.40%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
75.00%
Visual Color Discrimination
The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
72.40%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
72.40%
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
70.00%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
67.60%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
65.00%
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
65.00%
Flexibility of Closure
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
65.00%
Selective Attention
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
65.00%
Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
65.00%


  • Working with Computers
    -- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Controlling Machines and Processes
    -- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    -- Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Other Activities


  • Independence
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
  • Support
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.



Tools

Air brushes: Photo retouching air brushes;

Bar code reader equipment: Barcode scanners;

Camera lens: Contrast filters;

Cathodes or emitters: Silver recovery systems;

Clock timers: Darkroom timers;

Colorimeters: Color testing equipment;

Densitometers: Darkroom densitometers;

Developing tanks: Photographic developing tanks;

Developing tongs: Film processing tongs;

Developing trays: Developing spirals; Film developing trays;

Digital cameras: Digital cameras;

Dye sublimination printers: Thermal dye sublimation printers;

Film driers: Drying cabinets;

Film splicers: Cement splicers; Daylight splicers; Tape splicers; Ultrasonic film splicers;

Flash memory storage card: Secure digital (SD) cards;

Flowmeters: Water flow meters;

General purpose refrigerators or refrigerator freezers: Film refrigerators;

Handheld thermometer: Darkroom thermometers;

High capacity removable media drives: Universal serial bus USB flash drives; MultiMediaCard storage devices;

Hot air blowers: Mechanical air dryers;

Hydrometers: Darkroom hydrometers;

Inkjet printer for commercial printing applications: Photo printers;

Laboratory beakers: Darkroom beakers;

Laboratory graduated cylinders: Measuring cylinders;

Laboratory mixers: Hand mixers; Power mixers;

Laboratory stirring rods: Chemical stirrers;

Laminators: Mounting presses;

Laser printers: Laser photo printers;

Light enhancing cameras or vision devices: Infrared goggles;

Offset darkroom equipment: Leader cards; Film pickers; Film winders;

Offset film processors: Manual photo printers; Minilab processors; Automatic photo printers; Digital minilabs; Roller transport film processors; Rotary drum processors;

Paint brushes: Artists' brushes;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Photo cutters or trimmers: Photo scissors;

Photographic enlargers: Photographic print enlargers;

Printing guillotines: Paper cutters;

Printing plates: Film plates;

Reflectometers: Sensitometers;

Scanners: Flatbed scanners; Drum scanners;

Squeegees or washers: Photo drying squeegees;

Thermal transfer printer for commercial printing applications: Solid ink printers;

Thermographs: Infrared scanners;

Ultrasonic cleaning equipment: Ultrasonic cleaners;

Water pumps: Water recirculation pumps;


Technology

Application server software: Docker;

Data base management system software: MongoDB;

Data base user interface and query software: MySQL; Structured query language SQL; Amazon Web Services AWS software; Microsoft Access;

Desktop publishing software: Microsoft Publisher; Adobe InDesign;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook;

Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software;

File versioning software: Git;

Graphics or photo imaging software: HeliconSoft Helicon Focus; Adobe Photoshop; Adobe Creative Cloud software; Adobe Illustrator; Camera Bits Photo Mechanic; ExpressDigital Labtricity; Phase One Capture One;

Object or component oriented development software: TypeScript;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Web platform development software: Cascading style sheets CSS; RESTful API;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators include:
  • 49-9061.00 Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers
  • 51-9194.00 Etchers and Engravers
  • 43-9071.00 Office Machine Operators, Except Computer
  • 51-9123.00 Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
  • 51-9196.00 Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  • 27-4021.00 Photographers
  • 51-5111.00 Prepress Technicians and Workers
  • 51-5113.00 Print Binding and Finishing Workers
  • 51-5112.00 Printing Press Operators
  • 51-9141.00 Semiconductor Processing Technicians


No sources of additional information found.

Contact Texas Workforce Commission
Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.