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Contract-photographer vs studio photographer

The differences between contract-photographers and studio photographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a contract-photographer and a studio photographer. Additionally, a contract-photographer has an average salary of $37,986, which is higher than the $28,196 average annual salary of a studio photographer.

The top three skills for a contract-photographer include adobe photoshop, product photography and video production. The most important skills for a studio photographer are customer service, scheduling appointments, and adobe photoshop.

Contract-photographer vs studio photographer overview

Contract-PhotographerStudio Photographer
Yearly salary$37,986$28,196
Hourly rate$18.26$13.56
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs9,2822,226
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age3939
Years of experience22

Contract-photographer vs studio photographer salary

Contract-photographers and studio photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Contract-PhotographerStudio Photographer
Average salary$37,986$28,196
Salary rangeBetween $17,000 And $80,000Between $18,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between contract-photographer and studio photographer education

There are a few differences between a contract-photographer and a studio photographer in terms of educational background:

Contract-PhotographerStudio Photographer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common majorPhotographyPhotography
Most common collegeHarvard UniversityNorthwestern University

Contract-photographer vs studio photographer demographics

Here are the differences between contract-photographers' and studio photographers' demographics:

Contract-PhotographerStudio Photographer
Average age3939
Gender ratioMale, 57.7% Female, 42.3%Male, 37.7% Female, 62.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 7.1% White, 65.4% 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 contract-photographer and studio photographer duties and responsibilities

Contract-photographer example responsibilities.

  • Manage creative projects from concept to completion; including signs, posters, specialize logos and video documentaries for clients.
  • Create PowerPoint presentations and publication quality images using digital input devices, photo-editing and graphic arts software.
  • Perform all photography and photo-editing/finishing/restoration of product.

Studio photographer example responsibilities.

  • Manage photographic operations and darkroom facility.
  • Generate engaging lifestyle, editorial, celebrity, and model images in fast-pace, fully-digital production studio.
  • Design and animate motion graphics for YouTube and promotional material.

Contract-photographer vs studio photographer skills

Common contract-photographer skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 44%
  • Product Photography, 12%
  • Video Production, 10%
  • Adobe Lightroom, 6%
  • Photo Shoots, 6%
  • Real Estate Properties, 3%
Common studio photographer skills
  • Customer Service, 19%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 18%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 17%
  • Photo Studio, 5%
  • Photo Shoots, 4%
  • Digital Photography, 3%

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