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Owner/photographer vs commercial photographer

The differences between owner/photographers and commercial 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 owner/photographer and a commercial photographer. Additionally, an owner/photographer has an average salary of $39,992, which is higher than the $37,027 average annual salary of a commercial photographer.

The top three skills for an owner/photographer include adobe photoshop, portrait photography and customer service. The most important skills for a commercial photographer are product photography, adobe photoshop, and art direction.

Owner/photographer vs commercial photographer overview

Owner/PhotographerCommercial Photographer
Yearly salary$39,992$37,027
Hourly rate$19.23$17.80
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs47,71633,133
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age3939
Years of experience22

Owner/photographer vs commercial photographer salary

Owner/photographers and commercial photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Owner/PhotographerCommercial Photographer
Average salary$39,992$37,027
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $55,000Between $23,000 And $59,000
Highest paying City-New York, NY
Highest paying state-New York
Best paying company-Armedia
Best paying industry-Utilities

Differences between owner/photographer and commercial photographer education

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

Owner/PhotographerCommercial Photographer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common majorPhotographyPhotography
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityHarvard University

Owner/photographer vs commercial photographer demographics

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

Owner/PhotographerCommercial Photographer
Average age3939
Gender ratioMale, 37.5% Female, 62.5%Male, 73.9% Female, 26.1%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 7.1% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between owner/photographer and commercial photographer duties and responsibilities

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.

Commercial 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.

Owner/photographer vs commercial photographer skills

Common owner/photographer skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 25%
  • Portrait Photography, 13%
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Adobe Lightroom, 8%
  • Photo Shoots, 4%
  • Lifestyle, 2%
Common commercial photographer skills
  • Product Photography, 38%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 15%
  • Art Direction, 7%
  • Video Production, 5%
  • Photo Shoots, 4%
  • Lifestyle, 3%

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