Photographic Processing Careers: Workers, Machine Operators

Also called: Air Brush Artist, Airbrush Artist, Art Tracer, Automatic Developer, Automatic Mounter

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Photographic process workers and processing machine operators 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.

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

Work Context

Work Context information for this career will be available soon.

Work Activities

Interacting 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.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment — Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment — Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources — Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Detailed Work Activities

Operate photographic developing or print production equipment.
Inspected printed materials or other images to verify quality.
Load materials into production equipment.
Immerse objects or workpieces in cleaning or coating solutions.
Load materials into production equipment.
Load digital images onto computers or websites.

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.

Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Production and Processing

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

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.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Visual Color Discrimination

The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

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.

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.

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).

Control Precision

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Selective Attention

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Manual Dexterity

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Perceptual Speed

The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Finger Dexterity

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

Achievement/Effort

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self Control

You might use software like this on the job:

Desktop publishing software

Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
Microsoft Publisher

Data base user interface and query software

MySQL
Microsoft Access

Data base management system software

MongoDB

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New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

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Photographic Processing Careers: Workers, Machine Operators

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