There are many types of outdoor photographers, including those hired to capture animals and nature.
In the United States, more than 50 percent of all photographers are self-employed freelance workers. Photography, like all art and media industries, is very difficult to enter and obtain a contracted position in. Most opportunities for outdoor photography are through freelance work with magazines and newspapers, with select openings for contracted staff photographers.
Photojournalism
The majority of outdoor photography jobs are based in photojournalism and are freelance. Moreover, the majority of photography jobs are freelance--that is, sporadic assignments through various publications. Contracted work as a photojournalist for a newspaper or magazine can often be outdoors-based, such as sports, nature, architecture and news photography. However, note that hired positions generally are not specific to the "outdoors photographer," but rather, many assignments have the possibility of being outdoors.
Landscape Photography
Landscape photography is a freelance "job" in which the photographer must either sell his own prints or obtain an assignment from a publication (such as a magazine or a newspaper). Landscape photography usually focuses on locations free of people and can include architecture, nature and aerial photography.
Nature Photography
Another ambiguous job description, nature photographers can either be contract-hired by a publication (such as "National Geographic") or hired freelance. Nature photography focuses on live subjects--generally animals, insects, sea life and people of international cultures. Most nature photography requires extensive travel, patience, willingness to enter possibly dangerous situations, and a love for nature, animals and travel.
Travel Photography
Travel photography, like nature photography, can be either a contract position (for the Travel Channel, "National Geographic," or travel book guides and others) or freelance work. Travel photography focuses on the culture and environment of a given location, including the people, food, customs, architecture, art and overall life of a foreign culture. Travel photographers who are fluent in multiple languages, are extroverted and enjoy a nomadic life have an advantage in the profession. Freelance travel photography is usually hired for newspaper travel sections, travel guide books or magazine-article features. Or, as with all forms of photography, travel photographers can sell their own work through prints or books.
Commercial Photography
Though commercial photography is not specifically an outdoor genre, it can include outdoor work. In general, aside from modeling photography, outdoor natural lighting is preferred for most forms of photography. Outdoor commercial photography can include architectural photography, real estate photography, product photography (such as for advertisements for bicycles, food items, wine at a vineyard, cheese from a farm and so on) and some forms of modeling photography. Again, commercial photography is usually freelance with select opportunities for a contracted position.
Tags: photography usually, commercial photography, contracted position, forms photography, freelance work
