Production · Holland code RCA

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.

Also called: Photo Lab Technician (Photographic Laboratory Technician), Photo Printer, Photo Specialist, Photo Technician, Digital Printer Operator, Film Processor, Film Technician, Lab Technician.

O*NET 51-9151.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $40,610; Middle half earn $35,170 to $50,150. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 84% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

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.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Active Listening3.4 / 5
Reading Comprehension3.3 / 5
Speaking3.3 / 5
Critical Thinking3.1 / 5
Monitoring3.1 / 5
Active Learning2.9 / 5

Knowledge areas

Customer and Personal Service3.9 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.7 / 5
Production and Processing3.1 / 5
English Language3.1 / 5
Mechanical2.6 / 5
Chemistry2.6 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic75
Investigative19
Artistic32
Social2
Enterprising2
Conventional70

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

photographer · DE Fotograf/Fotografin · FR photographe
motion picture film developer · DE Filmlaborant/Filmlaborantin · FR opérateur de laboratoire cinématographique/opératrice de laboratoire cinématographique
photographic developer · DE Fotolaborant/Fotolaborantin · FR développeur de photographies/développeuse de photographies

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Print finishing and binding workers (5423)8,400 employed
Medical radiographers (2254)44,200 employed
Elementary administration occupations n.e.c. (9219)17,100 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Plant and machine operators and assemblers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Plant and machine operators and assemblers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€39,630
Netherlands	€37,567
Austria	€37,304
Sweden	€36,005
Germany	€34,433
Ireland	€32,617
France	€28,550
Italy	€28,330
Spain	€24,409
Portugal	€11,309
Poland	€10,259

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the middle third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -0.36. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-9151).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

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