Advertising photographer vs product photographer

The differences between advertising photographers and product photographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an advertising photographer and a product photographer. Additionally, an advertising photographer has an average salary of $75,692, which is higher than the $37,701 average annual salary of a product photographer.

The top three skills for an advertising photographer include adobe photoshop, studio equipment and lifestyle. The most important skills for a product photographer are adobe photoshop, photograph products, and product images.

Advertising photographer vs product photographer overview

	Advertising Photographer	Product Photographer
Yearly salary	$75,692	$37,701
Hourly rate	$36.39	$18.13
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	4,916	57,109
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	2	2

Advertising photographer vs product photographer salary

Advertising photographers and product photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Advertising Photographer	Product Photographer
Average salary	$75,692	$37,701
Salary range	Between $17,000 And $328,000	Between $23,000 And $59,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between advertising photographer and product photographer education

There are a few differences between an advertising photographer and a product photographer in terms of educational background:

	Advertising Photographer	Product Photographer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Photography	Photography
Most common college	Harvard University	Harvard University

Advertising photographer vs product photographer demographics

Here are the differences between advertising photographers' and product photographers' demographics:

	Advertising Photographer	Product Photographer
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1%	Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between advertising photographer and product photographer duties and responsibilities

Advertising photographer example responsibilities.

Manage creative projects from concept to completion; including signs, posters, specialize logos and video documentaries for clients.
Compile portfolios for multiple photography competitions/certifications.
Compile portfolios for multiple photography competitions/certifications.

Product photographer example responsibilities.

Manage post and add editorial photos to the company Facebook page.
Manage assistants and stylist teams to ensure timely completion of brand-appropriate studio photography.
Photograph products for catalog using studio lighting, DSLR and background.
Table top, fashion models, jewelry, furniture, etc.
Film scanners used include those make by Imacon, Nikon, and Epson.
Photograph new and used vehicles for Motorwerks of Barrington using DSLR camera and equipment.

Advertising photographer vs product photographer skills

Common advertising photographer skills

Adobe Photoshop, 35%
Studio Equipment, 18%
Lifestyle, 10%
Graphic Design, 10%
Photo Shoots, 8%
Adobe Lightroom, 6%

Common product photographer skills

Adobe Photoshop, 20%
Photograph Products, 11%
Product Images, 6%
Quality Images, 6%
Color Correction, 4%
Art Direction, 4%

Advertising Photographer vs. similar jobs

Advertising Photographer related careers

Advertising Photographer related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Industry
Advertising Photographer
Advertising Photographer vs Product Photographer

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs