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The differences between owner/photographers and freelance 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 freelance photographer. Additionally, a freelance photographer has an average salary of $42,949, which is higher than the $39,992 average annual salary of an owner/photographer.
The top three skills for an owner/photographer include adobe photoshop, portrait photography and customer service. The most important skills for a freelance photographer are adobe photoshop, aperture, and adobe lightroom.
| Owner/Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Yearly salary | $39,992 | $42,949 |
| Hourly rate | $19.23 | $20.65 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 47,716 | 1,766 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An owner/photographer is responsible for developing digital photographic contents based on clients' needs and specifications by operating multiple photography equipment and photo editing software tools. Owner/photographers coordinate with the clients closely to update them with the progress of the project, ensuring that the deliverables meet the budget goals and the agreed timeframe. They also suggest the best places for the photoshoot for the client's approval. An owner/photographer must be highly creative and organized to achieve clients' satisfaction that would benefit their portfolios and attract more potential clients upon their former clients' recommendations.
A freelance photographer produces photos while under a specific short-term contract. They are primarily responsible for coordinating with the client to learn any requests or preferences, bringing necessary devices and lighting equipment, securing the best location and setting, handling any obstruction during the photoshoot, and delivering high-quality results in a short amount of time. Moreover, a photographer must maintain a healthy working environment with clients or models by building rapport, which will also help establish a client base.
Owner/photographers and freelance photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Owner/Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average salary | $39,992 | $42,949 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $55,000 | Between $29,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an owner/photographer and a freelance photographer in terms of educational background:
| Owner/Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Photography | Photography |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between owner/photographers' and freelance photographers' demographics:
| Owner/Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 7.0% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |