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Photographer
Photographs people, events and objects so that a picture tells a story or shows a thing at its best.
Career overview
What a day looks like
A photographer plans the shot: the light, place, pose and background. They shoot, choose the best frames, edit them and hand them to the client. Part of the time goes on talking with people and preparing.
Try it yourself this week
40 minutes
Make a poster for a school event
- Choose an event: a real school event or a made-up one, for example a board game night.
- Write the key facts on a sheet of paper: what, when and where. Nothing else goes on the poster.
- Draw the poster by hand or in any free editor that's already on your phone and doesn't need registration. Pick two or three colours and one big image.
- Show the poster to your parents or a friend and ask: what did they understand at first glance? Write down the answer.
What you'll learn about yourself: Whether you enjoy coming up with an image and choosing colours, or get more out of thinking through exactly what to tell people.
40 minutes
Edit a 30-second video from your own photos and clips
- Choose 8-10 photos or short videos on one theme on your phone.
- Open the built-in editor in your phone's gallery, which doesn't need registration.
- Put the shots in a clear order: beginning, middle, end. Add music or text if you know how.
- Watch the video and cut anything that drags on too long. Show it to one person and ask what stuck in their mind.
What you'll learn about yourself: Whether you feel the rhythm of images and enjoy choosing what to keep and what to cut.
What you can do next
Next 3 months
Shoot a series of pictures
Pick a theme, such as "my neighbourhood in the morning", and shoot a series. Choose the best and explain why.
In six months
Play with light
Photograph one object in different light: by a window, under a lamp, on a cloudy day. Compare the results.
In a year
Ask a photographer
Through people you know, and together with your parents, ask a photographer what their working day looks like.
What it pays
No verified information is available in this section yet.
Where to study
No verified information is available in this section yet.
How to get into college
College gets you a profession faster than university. You can apply after grade 9 or after grade 11.
- Colleges accept students both after grade 9 and after grade 11. After grade 9 you study longer — about 3 years 10 months; after grade 11, about 2 years 10 months. The exact length depends on the college and the specialty.
Source: kchk.edu.kz (opens in a new tab) - About 80% of students admitted to colleges in the 2024/25 school year study on a state order, which means in state-funded places (in 2023/24 it was about 70%). But each college and each specialty has its own number of state-funded places.
Source: inbusiness.kz (opens in a new tab) - There are also paid colleges. For example, training as a nurse at ADILMED costs 450,000 ₸ per year. Check the price and conditions on the college's website.
Source: adilmed.kz (opens in a new tab)
UNT: which subjects to take for university
The UNT (Unified National Testing) is Kazakhstan's national university entrance test. You need it to get into university after grade 11.
- The UNT 2026 has three compulsory subjects: History of Kazakhstan, Reading Literacy and Mathematical Literacy. On top of these, you take two profile subjects, chosen to match your specialty.
Source: testcenter.kz (opens in a new tab) - In total, the test has 120 questions (maximum 140 points) and you get 4 hours. The format is the same as in 2025.
Source: testcenter.kz (opens in a new tab) - Profile subjects depend on the group of specialties. For example: information technology — Mathematics and Computer Science; nursing and veterinary medicine — Biology and Chemistry; electrical engineering — Mathematics and Physics; law — World History and Fundamentals of Law. The full list is published by the National Testing Center.
Source: testcenter.kz (opens in a new tab) - For creative specialties (for example, media and design), you take History of Kazakhstan and Reading Literacy through the UNT, and two creative exams at the university itself.
Source: testcenter.kz (opens in a new tab) - Some universities have their own admission rules. Nazarbayev University, for example, requires a UNT score of at least 85, a GPA of 4.0 and English at IELTS 6.0 level.
Source: nu.edu.kz (opens in a new tab)
Courses and opportunities
Opportunities near this field
- ProgrammefreeAtlas of New Professions (opens in a new tab)
Минтруда РК и Центр развития трудовых ресурсов
Who it's for: everyone.
When: reference guide, always available.
Atlas of New Professions: which jobs will appear, change or disappear in the next 5–10 years. Free to read.
Checked: September 2026
Source: atlasbt.enbek.kz (opens in a new tab) - Youth centrefreeAstanaages 12–18TUMO Astana (opens in a new tab)
TUMO
Who it's for: teenagers aged 12–18.
When: all year round, opened in February 2026.
A free centre for teenagers with 11 fields, from coding and robotics to film, graphic design and 3D.
Checked: September 2026
Source: astana.tumo.kz (opens in a new tab)
Can you work before you turn 18?
Under Kazakhstan's Labour Code, teenagers can work, but with limits.
- Usually you can work from age 16. From 15 — if you are getting basic or general secondary education. From 14 — only in your free time outside school and only light work. If you are under 16, you need a signature from a parent or legal guardian.
Source: kodeksy-kz.com (opens in a new tab) - From 14 to 16 you can work no more than 24 hours a week; from 16 to 18, no more than 36 hours a week.
Source: kodeksy-kz.com (opens in a new tab) - Under-18s must not be given heavy or hazardous work, jobs with full financial liability, night work, overtime or business trips.
Source: mybuh.kz (opens in a new tab)
History of the career
No verified information is available in this section yet.
Well-known people in this field
No verified information is available in this section yet.