According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Select digital images for printing, specify number of images to be printed, and direct to printer, using computer software. | 93% |
| Create prints according to customer specifications and laboratory protocols. | 91% |
| Produce color or black-and-white photographs, negatives, or slides, applying standard photographic reproduction techniques and procedures. | 90% |
| Set or adjust machine controls, according to specifications, type of operation, or material requirements. | 88% |
| Review computer-processed digital images for quality. | 88% |
| Operate scanners or related computer equipment to digitize negatives, photographic prints, or other images. | 87% |
| Fill tanks of processing machines with solutions such as developer, dyes, stop-baths, fixers, bleaches, or washes. | 86% |
| Measure and mix chemicals to prepare solutions for processing, according to formulas. | 85% |
| Load digital images onto computers directly from cameras or from storage devices, such as flash memory cards or universal serial bus (USB) devices. | 84% |
| Operate special equipment to perform tasks such as transferring film to videotape or producing photographic enlargements. | 84% |
| Examine developed prints for defects, such as broken lines, spots, or blurs. | 83% |
| Read work orders to determine required processes, techniques, materials, or equipment. | 82% |
| Operate machines to prepare circuit boards and to expose, develop, etch, fix, wash, dry, or print film or plates. | 82% |
| Immerse film, negatives, paper, or prints in developing solutions, fixing solutions, and water to complete photographic development processes. | 80% |
| Load circuit boards, racks or rolls of film, negatives, or printing paper into processing or printing machines. | 79% |
| Insert processed negatives and prints into envelopes for delivery to customers. | 78% |
| Examine quality of film fades or dissolves for potential color corrections, using color analyzers. | 78% |
| Reprint originals for enlargement or in sections to be pieced together. | 78% |
| Clean or maintain photoprocessing or darkroom equipment, using ultrasonic equipment or cleaning and rinsing solutions. | 78% |
| Thread filmstrips through densitometers or sensitometers and expose film to light to determine density of film, necessary color corrections, or light sensitivity. | 77% |
| Monitor equipment operation to detect malfunctions. | 77% |
| Shade negatives or photographs with pencils to smooth facial contours, soften highlights, or conceal blemishes, stray hairs, or wrinkles. | 77% |
| Examine drawings, negatives, or photographic prints to determine coloring, shading, accenting, or other changes required for retouching or restoration. | 76% |
| Place sensitized paper in frames of projection printers, photostats, or other reproduction machines. | 74% |
| Upload digital images onto Web sites for customers. | 72% |
| Maintain records, such as quantities or types of processing completed, materials used, or customer charges. | 71% |
| Dry prints or negatives using sponges, squeegees, mechanical air dryers, or drying cabinets. | 71% |
| Produce timed prints with separate densities or color settings for each scene of a production. | 69% |
| Set automatic timers, lens openings, and printer carriages to specified focus and exposure times and start exposure to duplicate originals, photographs, or negatives. | 62% |
| Splice broken or separated film and mount film on reels. | 61% |
| Apply paint, using airbrushes, pens, artists' brushes, cotton swabs, or gloved fingers to retouch or enhance negatives or photographs. | 61% |
| Retouch photographic negatives or original prints to correct defects. | 59% |
