Forensic photographer vs owner/photographer

The differences between forensic photographers and owner/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 forensic photographer and an owner/photographer. Additionally, a forensic photographer has an average salary of $79,125, which is higher than the $39,992 average annual salary of an owner/photographer.

The top three skills for a forensic photographer include latent prints, photographic techniques and adobe photoshop. The most important skills for an owner/photographer are adobe photoshop, portrait photography, and customer service.

Forensic photographer vs owner/photographer overview

	Forensic Photographer	Owner/Photographer
Yearly salary	$79,125	$39,992
Hourly rate	$38.04	$19.23
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	1,964	47,716
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	2	2

Forensic photographer vs owner/photographer salary

Forensic photographers and owner/photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Forensic Photographer	Owner/Photographer
Average salary	$79,125	$39,992
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $306,000	Between $28,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between forensic photographer and owner/photographer education

There are a few differences between a forensic photographer and an owner/photographer in terms of educational background:

	Forensic Photographer	Owner/Photographer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Photography	Photography
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Northwestern University

Forensic photographer vs owner/photographer demographics

Here are the differences between forensic photographers' and owner/photographers' demographics:

	Forensic Photographer	Owner/Photographer
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5%	Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 5.8% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.1% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between forensic photographer and owner/photographer duties and responsibilities

Forensic photographer example responsibilities.

Coordinate and manage providing and dressing the customers with old western costumes in preparation of taking their photos.
Photograph latent impressions on a variety of surfaces using ALS, RUVIS, and other light sources using a Nikon D3S.
Compile portfolios for multiple photography competitions/certifications.
Compile portfolios for multiple photography competitions/certifications.

Owner/photographer example responsibilities.

Manage creative projects from concept to completion; including signs, posters, specialize logos and video documentaries for clients.
Set up multiple Profoto lighting and tether DSLR camera equipment.
Develop Facebook posts to ensure social interactions with customers.
Do stylize commercial photography for fellow business owners for products and portfolio building.
Obtain permits, insurance and responsible for acquiring any and all documentation need for photography productions.
Perform all photography and photo-editing/finishing/restoration of product.

Forensic photographer vs owner/photographer skills

Common forensic photographer skills

Latent Prints, 32%
Photographic Techniques, 27%
Adobe Photoshop, 15%
Biometrics, 14%
Law Enforcement, 12%

Common owner/photographer skills

Adobe Photoshop, 25%
Portrait Photography, 13%
Customer Service, 11%
Adobe Lightroom, 8%
Photo Shoots, 4%
Lifestyle, 2%

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Forensic Photographer
Forensic Photographer vs Owner/Photographer

Updated January 8, 2025

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