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27-4021.00 · Learning planner

Photographers: a task-based learning plan

Photograph people, landscapes, merchandise, or other subjects. May use lighting equipment to enhance a subject's appearance. May use editing software to produce finished images and prints. Includes commercial and industrial photographers, scientific photographers, and photojournalists.

Explore the complete task inventory first →

Understand the profile before choosing priorities

The table shows the ten highest importance ratings among 35 skills with usable ratings. Skills tied on importance can share a rank. Importance (1–5) and level (0–7) describe different dimensions. A level of 4 is not 4/7 of a course, and neither scale is your personal score. Source dates refer to the underlying rating, not the database release date.

SkillImportance / 5Level / 7Rating date
Active Listening3.753.6208/2021 · Analyst
Speaking3.753.2508/2021 · Analyst
Service Orientation3.253.1208/2021 · Analyst
Critical Thinking3.123.2508/2021 · Analyst
Reading Comprehension3.123.1208/2021 · Analyst
Active Learning3.123.1208/2021 · Analyst
Monitoring3.123.1208/2021 · Analyst
Social Perceptiveness3.123.0008/2021 · Analyst
Complex Problem Solving3.123.0008/2021 · Analyst
Judgment and Decision Making3.123.0008/2021 · Analyst

Anchor the plan in an actual task

Choose one reported task you want to understand better. Then choose one to three skills and describe an appropriate learning activity, evidence you will review and a date. For practical work requiring authorization, choose relevant coursework, observation or supervised training.

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.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 4: Answer inquiries regarding credit references

Level 2: Take a customer's order

What would you ask the other person to clarify, and how would you confirm you understood?

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 4: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history

Level 2: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions

How would you explain the task, audience needs and next step in a short conversation?

Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 4: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site

Level 2: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee

What does the person receiving the work need, and how would you confirm the need was met?

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 4: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses

Level 2: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late

What assumption could change your conclusion, and what evidence would you check first?

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 4: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies

Level 2: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form

Which instruction, constraint or exception in a document would you need to explain accurately?

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 4: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements

Level 2: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities

What new information would change your approach, and how would you record the change?

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 4: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed

Level 2: Proofread and correct a letter

What result or exception would you inspect during the task, and when would you revisit it?

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 2: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long

Level 4: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group

What perspective or concern might another person bring to this task?

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 2: Lay out tools to complete a job

Level 4: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques

How would you separate the problem into parts and compare possible explanations?

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Read the scale examples

These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for photographers.

Level 2: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow

Level 4: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk

Which options, constraints and consequences would you compare, and what could change the choice?

Review the result

Your plan should explain why the selected skills matter for your chosen task, what you will do next and what evidence you will examine. Revisit the plan after that activity. Completing a worksheet or matching an occupation’s ratings does not establish professional competence.

Keep your worksheet

Download before leaving this page. Unsaved writing remains only in the page and is cleared on refresh. Notes and learning actions are not sent to a server. This guide describes an occupation and supports study planning; it does not provide clinical, legal or equipment-operating procedures.

Source and practice material

Occupational context uses the O*NET® 31.0 Database from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. View the occupation.

Skill Workbench selected and adapted the occupational information and added its own fictional cases, calculations, guidance and worksheets. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.