First and foremost, photographers take pictures. They’re experts in using light (or lack thereof) to capture moments and details in interesting and appealing ways. But that’s not all photographers do.
Unless photographers are successful enough to employ assistants and other staff, they’ll be responsible for much more than snapping pictures. Brian St. Denis, a freelance photographer, says he was surprised by how little time he actually spends photographing: “Being a photographer today means hours of editing, updating blogs and your portfolio website, maintaining a presence on social media—being your own little one-person marketing machine.”