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Chief photographer vs photography assistant

The differences between chief photographers and photography assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a chief photographer and a photography assistant. Additionally, a photography assistant has an average salary of $94,147, which is higher than the $38,178 average annual salary of a chief photographer.

The top three skills for a chief photographer include adobe photoshop, video production and ENG. The most important skills for a photography assistant are adobe photoshop, photo shoots, and video production.

Chief photographer vs photography assistant overview

Chief PhotographerPhotography Assistant
Yearly salary$38,178$94,147
Hourly rate$18.35$45.26
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs14,1266,155
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age3939
Years of experience22

Chief photographer vs photography assistant salary

Chief photographers and photography assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Chief PhotographerPhotography Assistant
Average salary$38,178$94,147
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $71,000Between $17,000 And $503,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between chief photographer and photography assistant education

There are a few differences between a chief photographer and a photography assistant in terms of educational background:

Chief PhotographerPhotography Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorPhotographyPhotography
Most common collegeHarvard UniversityHarvard University

Chief photographer vs photography assistant demographics

Here are the differences between chief photographers' and photography assistants' demographics:

Chief PhotographerPhotography Assistant
Average age3939
Gender ratioMale, 79.7% Female, 20.3%Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%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%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between chief photographer and photography assistant duties and responsibilities

Chief 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.

Photography assistant example responsibilities.

  • Help manage facebook, youtube page for studios work.
  • Manage the company Facebook account (choosing, editing, uploading pictures, engaging clients, etc . )
  • Manage social media accounts including Instagram and Facebook.
  • Photograph food and field marketing social events used for social media inquiries such as Instagram, Facebook, and press release.
  • Well verse in photography and DSLR bodies
  • Aid students in learning basic DSLR photography skills in classroom and field.
  • Show more

Chief photographer vs photography assistant skills

Common chief photographer skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 21%
  • Video Production, 18%
  • ENG, 12%
  • Visual Content, 6%
  • News Coverage, 5%
  • Local News, 4%
Common photography assistant skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 33%
  • Photo Shoots, 17%
  • Video Production, 6%
  • Photographic Equipment, 5%
  • Adobe Lightroom, 4%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 3%

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