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What job would be most fitting for me that would pay enough to live comfortably?

I am a senior in high school, currently dual enrolled into a college for a Graphic Design program, but I also want to be a photographer. If I do persue graphic design or photography what would be the best thing to do after I graduate? #graphic-design #photography #computer

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Jessica’s Answer

Honestly, photography and graphic design pair very well together. I imagine it depends on what aspects you enjoy most from photography. I went to school for Graphic Design but studied photography just a little bit. In my career so far, I've been able to take photos and edit the photos in a way to use them as my own sourced "stock" imagery instead of having to pay for stock imagery from a site like Shutterstock. Or, I've been an event photographer for concerts, often editing the photos after the show and adding logos or other watermarks to the design afterward. I've doctored damaged photos for people. I've even worked for some restaurants where I was a food photographer who, then, incorporated the photos of their food into advertisements for the restaurant. Most of these photography + design jobs I've gotten to do were when I was a designer for a marketing firm. It was my first gig after college so I didn't make a lot of money starting off, but it was a great way to begin building my portfolio for bigger and better jobs after that gig. I wouldn't expect to make a ton of money right out of college as a graphic designer, but the work is fulfilling and you learn a lot on the job within your first year that you can take with you to your next job. Compared to my friends, I got to have a job that I enjoyed and looked forward to doing every day, but you might struggle financially at first. Make sure your first graphic design or photography job doesn't have any Conflict of Interest rules so you can still freelance on the side and that they don't own the rights to your work so that you're allowed to include the work you create for them in your personal portfolio, otherwise, I would 100% pass on that company until you build up your portfolio enough to get a well-paying gig.
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David’s Answer

Hello Eleazar,
With a degree in graphic design you should be able to secure some form of employment although I hear entry level work does not pay very well. If you get a degree in photography in addition to design that may give you a little edge over other job seekers. With either degree, or both, getting established and making a decent living will be a challenge. Whatever you choose, you will have to start at the bottom, prove yourself and work your way up the ladder. You might want to look at teaching to get started. That way you have a decent income as you establish yourself as a designer or photographer.
Best of luck to you.
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Nir’s Answer

Photography as a full time job can be very hard because you have to have a lot of connections that pay very well. I once knew a man who was a rich photographer and he told me what he did was extremely rare. However, graphic design leaves a lot of doors open. You can work for a studio, or a TV show, or an advertising or marketing company, very in demand and with decent wages.

That being said maybe that's not what will make you happiest. For that reason the best thing you can do for yourself is to shadow a few different professionals. Ask them if you can be a fly on the wall and buy them coffee and see if you can sit with them for a day. The more people you get to shadow the better the idea you will have about what you want to do.
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Michael’s Answer

If it were just photography, you'd have some challenges. The graphics design element makes you more versatile. Both require good computer skills. Options after graduating can include advertising agencies, fashion, film, corporate marketing, and even a role in an engineering team where industrial design graphics are essential in early stage product visualization. If you want to go the entrepreneurial route then find teammates that complete you talents in content creation for market services. A lot of companies outsource this work to contractors rather than doing it in house. You'll need some funds to start things up if you go this independent route. You can also start with a marketing role at a company and then move to your own organization later if you choose.

Michael recommends the following next steps:

Look up someone that's in the visual arts field working at a company already. Use LinkedIn and simply ask if you can ask if you can talk about what it's like working in their field.
Think about who needs these services in different industries. The technology, film making, advertising and other industries vary in how they value (and pay) for these skills. Explore and ask questions.
Take some marketing classes. Consider an industrial design class.
Start creating a portfolio of work items. Show off you professional quality output.
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