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Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators - 51-9151.00

The occupation code you requested, 51-9132.00 (Photographic Processing Machine Operators), is no longer in use. In the future, please use 51-9151.00 (Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators) instead.

O*NET-SOC Description

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.

Sample of Reported Job Titles

No information available.

SOC Occupation Groups

51-0000 Production Occupations
51-9000 Other Production Occupations
51-9150 Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
51-9151.00 Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators

Related Occupations

Tasks

  • Apply paint, using airbrushes, pens, artists' brushes, cotton swabs, or gloved fingers to retouch or enhance negatives or photographs.
  • Clean or maintain photoprocessing or darkroom equipment, using ultrasonic equipment or cleaning and rinsing solutions.
  • Color photographs to produce natural, lifelike appearances, using oil colors and airbrushes.
  • Create prints according to customer specifications and laboratory protocols.
  • Dry prints or negatives using sponges, squeegees, mechanical air dryers, or drying cabinets.
  • Examine developed prints for defects, such as broken lines, spots, or blurs.
  • Examine drawings, negatives, or photographic prints to determine coloring, shading, accenting, or other changes required for retouching or restoration.
  • Examine quality of film fades or dissolves for potential color corrections, using color analyzers.
  • Expose filmstrips to progressively timed lights to compare effects of various exposure times.
  • Fill tanks of processing machines with solutions such as developer, dyes, stop-baths, fixers, bleaches, or washes.
  • Immerse film, negatives, paper, or prints in developing solutions, fixing solutions, and water to complete photographic development processes.
  • Ink borders or lettering on illustrations using pens, brushes, or drafting instruments.
  • Insert processed negatives and prints into envelopes for delivery to customers.
  • Load circuit boards, racks or rolls of film, negatives, or printing paper into processing or printing machines.
  • Load digital images onto computers directly from cameras or from storage devices, such as flash memory cards or universal serial bus (USB) devices.
  • Maintain records, such as quantities or types of processing completed, materials used, or customer charges.
  • Measure and mix chemicals to prepare solutions for processing, according to formulas.
  • Monitor equipment operation to detect malfunctions.
  • Mount original photographs, negatives, or other printed material in holders or vacuum frames beneath lights.
  • Operate machines to prepare circuit boards and to expose, develop, etch, fix, wash, dry, or print film or plates.
  • Operate scanners or related computer equipment to digitize negatives, photographic prints, or other images.
  • Operate special equipment to perform tasks such as transferring film to videotape or producing photographic enlargements.
  • Place sensitized paper in frames of projection printers, photostats, or other reproduction machines.
  • Produce color or black-and-white photographs, negatives, or slides, applying standard photographic reproduction techniques and procedures.
  • Produce timed prints with separate densities or color settings for each scene of a production.
  • Read work orders to determine required processes, techniques, materials, or equipment.
  • Reprint originals for enlargement or in sections to be pieced together.
  • Retouch photographic negatives or original prints to correct defects.
  • Review computer-processed digital images for quality.
  • Select digital images for printing, specify number of images to be printed, and direct to printer, using computer software.
  • Set automatic timers, lens openings, and printer carriages to specified focus and exposure times and start exposure to duplicate originals, photographs, or negatives.
  • Set or adjust machine controls, according to specifications, type of operation, or material requirements.
  • Shade negatives or photographs with pencils to smooth facial contours, soften highlights, or conceal blemishes, stray hairs, or wrinkles.
  • Splice broken or separated film and mount film on reels.
  • Thread filmstrips through densitometers or sensitometers and expose film to light to determine density of film, necessary color corrections, or light sensitivity.
  • Upload digital images onto websites for customers.

Detailed Work Activities

  • adjust production equipment/machinery setup
  • apply cleaning solvents
  • assure quality control in printing processes
  • attach or mark identification onto products or containers
  • clean equipment or machinery
  • compute production, construction, or installation specifications
  • determine film exposure settings
  • develop film or other photographic medium
  • distinguish details in graphic arts material
  • examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
  • fabricate, assemble, or disassemble manufactured products by hand
  • identify color or balance
  • load or unload material or workpiece into machinery
  • load, unload, or stack containers, materials, or products
  • maintain consistent production quality
  • maintain production or work records
  • maintain records, reports, or files
  • make independent judgment in assembly procedures
  • measure, weigh, or count products or materials
  • mix paint, ingredients, or chemicals, according to specifications
  • mix photographic chemicals
  • monitor production machinery/equipment operation to detect problems
  • operate cameras
  • operate graphic reproduction equipment
  • operate video recorders
  • perform safety inspections in manufacturing or industrial setting
  • process photographic prints
  • read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
  • record test results, test procedures, or inspection data
  • restore photographs
  • retouch negatives or prints
  • test manufactured products or materials
  • understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
  • use densitometer
  • use hand or power tools

Military Crosswalk Titles

  • EH-38 Photographic Quality Control Technician (Navy - Enlisted)
  • Photographic Quality Controlman (Navy - Enlisted)

Apprenticeship Crosswalk Titles

  • Colorist, Photography
  • Film Developer
  • Film Laboratory Technician
  • Film Laboratory Technician I
  • Photograph Retoucher
  • Projection Printer
  • Reproduction Technician

DOT Crosswalk Titles

  • Airbrush Artist
  • Color-Printer Operator
  • Colorist, Photography
  • Computer-Controlled-Color-Photograph-Printer Operator
  • Contact Printer, Printed Circuit Boards
  • Contact Worker, Lithography
  • Developer
  • Developer, Automatic
  • Developer, Printed Circuit Board Panels
  • Film Developer
  • Film Laboratory Technician
  • Film Laboratory Technician I
  • Film Laboratory Technician II
  • Film Printer
  • Microfilm Processor
  • Mounter, Automatic
  • Photo Mask Pattern Generator
  • Photo Mask Processor
  • Photo Technician
  • Photograph Retoucher
  • Photographic Aligner, Semiconductor Wafers
  • Photographic Processor, Semiconductor Wafers
  • Photostat Operator
  • Print Developer, Automatic
  • Printer Operator, Black-and-White
  • Projection Printer
  • Rectification Printer
  • Reproduction Technician
  • Spotter, Photographic
  • Step-and-Repeat Reduction Camera Operator
  • Take-Down Sorter
  • Template Reproduction Technician
  • Utility Worker, Film Processing