There are various types of camera work. Camera operators catch the excitement of breaking news and sports, operate in television studios on live broadcasts, and generate stunning visual imagery for motion pictures and advertising. This is a diverse profession with common requirements: the ability to capture an image that conveys meaning and the technical expertise to record that image reliably. 

Camera operators on the field and in TV studios work with video. They usually secure salaried jobs at production companies, television stations, and networks. Some prefer to work as freelancers, contracting out their services for the day, week, or project. 

You can learn to operate a video camera in high school, college, or even on the job. Operators of motion picture cameras shoot film. They, too, can begin to master their trade in school. However, because film requires more detailed technical knowledge than videotape, a film camera operator must progress through several levels of apprenticeship. 

Advancement can take years and is usually the result of referrals from producers or directors of photography. Long hours are also the standard in all types of video and film production labour. With an expansion of visual image channels, career prospects for camera operators are expected to grow in the next years. However, as competition in this fascinating and appealing profession grows, so will career possibilities.