Picture researcher

Picture researcher job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Typical responsibilities of the job include:

• negotiating terms and conditions of contracts
• establishing time-scales and budgets
• determining project requirements
• liaising closely with clients
• undertaking relevant research
• sourcing appropriate pictures and images for assigned projects
• exploring all picture sources including online image banks and stock photo libraries
• deciding when to use existing images or to commission a photographer
• negotiating fair prices for pictures
• handling images with care and protecting them from loss or damage
• building computer archives of images
• keeping accurate records of pictures
• obtaining correct caption and credit information
• using specialist software for editing and manipulating images
• working with other professionals including writers, reporters, graphic designers and editors
• keeping up to date with rules and regulations governing the use of images.

Typical employers of picture researchers

• publishing houses
• film companies
• television studios
• advertising companies
• design companies.

Large companies, art galleries and museums also employ them. Many are self-employed/freelance and run their own business or work from home.

Vacancies attract intense competition as there are few permanent paid positions. Advertisements appear in national newspapers and publications including Design Week, Campaign Magazine, Creative Review and The Bookseller. Directories such as The Writers' and Artists' Year Book and Le Book can provide useful contact information for speculative applications.

Qualifications and training required

There are no formal academic requirements, although visual arts qualifications (fine art, photography, publishing, illustration or graphic design) may be helpful. Aptitude, relevant experience and artistic abilities are generally regarded as being equally important.

It is essential to have excellent picture knowledge and photographic experience. Relevant work experience is normally essential - this can be gained via speculative approaches to appropriate employers.

Key skills for picture researchers

• initiative
• good language skills
• team working skills
• organisational skills
• negotiation skills
• problem solving skills
• communication skills
• presentation skills

IT skills (including knowledge of digital imaging and associated software packages).