?U S E SSTOCKIMAGERY

An insight into image buyers in the creative industriesDiscover how widely used stock

photography is in loads of different

creative job roles. We’ve spoken to a

whole host of creative image buyers

across the industry to get their insights

on how they use stock photography to

enhance their projects.

We also explore career opportunities in

the creative industries, give you insight

into the best places to study creative

courses and tell you where to go

for daily inspiration.

• A breakdown of jobs in the creative industries, guiding you from entry level positions all the way through to director level roles

• Insight from image buyers about their job roles and how they use stock imagery to enhance their projects

• 8 websites and blogs where you can find creative inspiration and stay up to date with creative trends

• The top 10 universities in the UK and US to study creative courses

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Start exploring now and share with your colleagues, friends and anyone with an interest in the creative world

Take the next step in your career with our

breakdown of jobs in the creative industries.

We’ve taken 7 of the key sectors in the

creative world and explored the different

career paths from entry level all the way up to

director positions.

Use this handy overview to plan the next steps

in your career, whether you’re just starting out

or have been in the creative world for a while.

J O BC R E A T I V

E

B R E A K D O WN

Share it with your friends & colleagues to help them do the same

A D V E R T I S I N GA G E N C I E S

B O O KP U B L I S H E R S

D E S I G N A G E N C I E S

M A G A Z I N E S M A R K E T I N G A G E N C I E S

N E W S PA P E R S T V &F I L M

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

SENIOR DESIGNER

PICTURE RESEARCHER

GRAPHIC ARTIST

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

ART DIRECTOR

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

JUNIOR PICTURE EDITOR

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

EDITORIALASSISTANT

HEAD OF DESIGN

SENIOR DESIGNER

GRAPHIC ARTIST

JUNIOR WEB DESIGNER

JUNIOR DESIGNER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

ACCOUNT MANAGER

MARKETING MANAGER

CONTENT MARKETING MANAGER

CONTENT MARKETER

MARKETING ASSISTANT

CHIEF MARKETINGOFFICER

MANAGING EDITOR

EDITOR

MARKETING OFFICER

PICTURE BUYER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

PICTURE RESEARCH MANAGER

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

PICTURE RESEARCHER

PICTURE RESEARCHER

DIRECTOR LEVEL

SENIOR / MANAGEMENT

EARLY CAREER

ENTRY LEVEL

ART DIRECTOR

EDITOR

PICTURE RESEARCH MANAGER

JUNIOR PICTURE EDITOR

JUNIOR ARTDIRECTOR

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

PICTURE DESK ASSISTANTADMINASSISTANTNEWSASSISTANTASSISTANT EDITOR

J O BC R E A T I V

E

B R E A K D O WN

WHAT DOES AN ART DIRECTOR DO?

An Art Director at an ad & design agency is responsible for all the visual work that goes into an advertising campaign. They decide how to represent a concept visually and work with the client to develop the overall look and style of a campaign.

THINGS THEY DO EVERY DAY:

• Generate creative ideas and visual styles• Create storyboards and moodboards to show off

their ideas • Make sure campaigns deliver the right message

HOW DO I BECOME AN ART DIRECTOR?

• Do work experience at an ad agency • Look at graduate schemes – some agencies offer

great opportunities for graduates!• Pitch your portfolio to as many agencies as you can

WHAT TYPE OF PERSON DO I NEED TO BE.. .

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK IMAGE:It depends on what client they’re working for, but the main concern is how good it looks.• Images need to be believable - a natural snapshot

of a moment, rather than a staged situation• High quality imagery that looks unedited

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK LIBRARY:• Something different, not the usual stock• Believable and authentic imagery• Content that is beautifully shot, and conveys a sense

of intimacy or realness

HOW DOES STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY HELP WITH THIS JOB ROLE?• Helps visualise the end creative – stock imagery is

great when you’re pitching an idea to your client • Handy when timeframes are tight – stock images are

always ready to go• Helps with conceptualising campaigns• Saves time and money by removing the need for a

custom photo shoot

Buyer Profiles

H O W A N A R T D I R E C T O R U S E S S T O C K P H O T O G R A P H Y

AD &DESIGN

AGENCY

£23,000 - £52,000 $40,000 - $96,500

ART DIRECTOR

SALARY RANGE

CREATIVE

CONFIDENT

COMFORTABLEleading a team

LOVEWorking onmultiple projects

S A L A R Y R AN G E

Enjoy taking a creative approach to tasks

GOOD PICTURE RESEARCH SKILLS

WHAT DOES A PICTURE EDITOR DO?

A Picture Editor at a magazine is responsible for all picture content within the magazine, from stock imagery to commissioned shoots.

THINGS THEY DO EVERY DAY:

• Photo research• Look after the image selection for each issue• Make sure they have all the right permissions and

licenses to use the images

HOW DO I BECOME A PICTURE EDITOR?

• Get an internship at a publishing company• Enter a company as an Editorial Assistant or

Picture Researcher and work your way up

WHAT TYPE OF PERSON DO I NEED TO BE.. .

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK IMAGE:Images that are a good match for the feature and work within the magazine as a whole. They need to be relevant, high quality and reasonably priced.

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK LIBRARY:• Broad choice of images with good key wording

and access to downloads• Competitive price• Easy to use website – simple search and easy

to find the right image

• Strong customer support HOW DOES STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY HELP WITH THIS JOB ROLE?• Great for finding images to enhance a feature• Can use images in layouts to make sure they work• Variety of images means they can find what they’re

looking for• More time and cost-efficient than commissioning

a shoot

H O W P I C T U R E E D I T O R S U S E S T O C K P H O T O G R A P H Y

P I C T U R E E D I T O R

M A G A Z I N E

£15,000 - £36,000 $30,000 - $68,000

Buyer Profiles

A background in photography or a

CREATIVE EYE

ORGANIZED

£16,000–£41,000$30,000–$60,000

S A L A R Y R A N G E

Sometimes what I’m looking for is specialized but using stock imagery means I can always find what I need, and being able to download high resolution images for comping is incredibly valuable as I’m working in such a high volume, fast paced environment.

D E S I G N E R

PUBLISHINGBOOK

WHAT DOES A DESIGNER DO?

A Designer for a book publisher is responsible for designing book covers from the concept to the final print.

THINGS THEY DO EVERY DAY:

• Source images for a wide range of book projects• Design the page layouts • Manage budgets

HOW DO I BECOME A DESIGNER?

• Study design or something similar at college or university

• Enter the sector as an Editorial Assistant and work your way up

WHAT TYPE OF PERSON DO I NEED TO BE.. .

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK IMAGE:• Creative, high quality images that meet the brief • Original images – the cover of a book is what

sells it

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK LIBRARY:• High quality imagery • A good selection of images to choose from• An easy-to-use website

HOW DOES STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY HELP WITH THIS JOB ROLE?• Increases the range of images available to

choose from • Images can be tested in layouts to make sure they’re

the perfect fit• Images with the right releases make life much easier • It’s much quicker and cheaper than commissioning

a photo shoot

CREATIVE

able to jump from project to project

Flexible

Confident at presenting ideas

H O W A D E S I G N E R U S E S S T O C K P H O T O G R A P H Y

Buyer Profiles

£125-£190 P E R D A Y

$160-$250 P E R D A Y

My searches can be really eclectic and one of the great things about using stock photography is the breadth of the collection available. The more I can find in one place, the better!

P I C T U R E R E S E A R C H E R

C R E A T I V E

Able to easily jump from project to project

F R E E L A N C E

WHAT DOES A PICTURE RESEARCHER DO?

A Picture Researcher finds images for a range of projects including advertising campaigns, television programs, magazines and books.

THINGS THEY DO EVERY DAY:

• Research and find images, video and audio HOW DO I BECOME A PICTURE RESEARCHER?

• Get experience on a picture desk or in a photo agency

• Study photography or a visual arts subject at college or university

WHAT TYPE OF PERSON DO I NEED TO BE.. .

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK IMAGE:It really depends on the project but in general…• Visually striking images • Images that are accurately key worded (so they

can find them)

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK LIBRARY:• Easy to find high-quality content quickly• Simple, easy-to-use website • A wide range of images for different briefs

• Friendly customer service

HOW DOES STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY HELP WITH THIS JOB ROLE?• Makes researching easier because of the huge

variety of images in one place

HOW A PICTURE RESEARCHER USES STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

S A L A RY R A N G E

S E C T O R

A B L E t o P R I O R I T I Z E

c h a n g i n g D E A D L I N E S

Buyer Profiles

£19,000 - £40,000 $25,000 - $50,000

TENACIOUSD E T A I L O R I E N T A T E DHAPPY TO WORK IN A TEAM

S A L A R Y R A N G E

H O W A P I C T U R E B U Y E R U S E S S T O C K P H O T O G R A P H Y

WHAT DOES A PICTURE BUYER DO?

A Picture Buyer at a newspaper is responsible for finding and editing sets of images for publication.

THINGS THEY DO EVERY DAY:

• Picture research • Working with editorial departments to make sure

they have the images they need • Sending final article designs to editors for approval• Being on top of the laws around using images and

making sure they are followed

HOW DO I BECOME A PICTURE BUYER?

• Do some work experience for a newspaper e.g. on the picture desk

• Study photography or a visual arts subject at college or university

WHAT TYPE OF PERSON DO I NEED TO BE.. .

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK IMAGE:• Live news images that tell the story • Editorial images that can support an article • Copy space if text or artwork is being placed over

the image

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR IN A STOCK LIBRARY:• Good content that matches the newspaper’s drive to

have the best stories• Accurate and relevant news stories, delivered fast • Prices that can be negotiated

HOW DOES STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY HELP WITH THIS JOB ROLE?• Lots of variation in the type of images, newspaper

articles cover a range of subjects so need a variety of images for each edition

• Stock images often inspire new ideas • Images are easy to access and can be used instantly

which fits in with the fast paced world of newspapers

F O RN E W S PA P E R S

BUYERP I CT U RE

Buyer Profiles

Get your daily dose of creative inspiration and stay on top of the latest industry news with our breakdown of top creative blogs and websites. Use the links below to visit each site and get inspired.

FEATURE SHOOT – featureshoot.com

Feature Shoot showcases incredible work from photographers all over the world. If you are looking for image inspiration this is a great place to start.

THE NEXT WEB – thenextweb.com

The Next Web is traditionally a technology site but we love using it to keep up to date with what’s new in the world. It’s a great source of inspiration if you are working for technology clients and a great place to stay on top of changes across the world.

MASHABLE – mashable.com

Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the globe.

CREATIVEPOOL creativepool.com

A great place for creatives to be, especially if you’re a freelancer. Not only do they have amazing articles and all the latest creative news, you can also share your work and promote your services on their site!

PETAPIXEL – petapixel.com

Love photography? Check out PetaPixel for all the latest news and views from the world of photography.

WIRED – www.wired.co.uk

With a focus on “what’s next”, we love Wired for keeping us up to date on the trends and big ideas that will change our lives. Great to help you produce client work that’s ahead of the curve…

LINE25 – line25.com

Line25 is perfect for anyone with an interest in web design. With awesome tutorials and fact-filled articles it is a great place for everyone from beginners to seasoned web professionals.

ALAMY – alamy.com/blog

With a mix of blogs for photographers, designers and image buyers the Alamy blog gives you both practical insight into the world of stock photography and inspiration for your next project!

websites & blogs for creative inspiration

WHERE TO STUDY TO GET IN TO THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIESImprove your chances of landing your dream job in the creative industries by picking the perfect university course. Using topuniversities.com we’ve created a list of the top 10 universities in the UK and US where you can study a variety of creative courses from web design to visual communications.

For more details on the courses available at each of the universities listed, check out their website.

Already got a creative qualification? Share this with the next generation of creatives!

1. ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART, LONDON 2. UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDON3. GOLDSMITHS, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON 4. THE GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART 5. LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY 6. RAVENSBOURNE, LONDON7. KINGSTON UNIVERSITY, LONDON 8. LANCASTER UNIVERSITY 9. UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON 10. THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

1. PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN AT THE NEW SCHOOL, NEW YORK CITY2. RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN (RISD)3. PRATT INSTITUTE, NEW YORK4. SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO (SAIC)5. CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS6. ART CENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN7. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (UCLA)8. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK 9. SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS (SVA)10. CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS

Source: topuniversities.com

UK US