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Owner/photographer vs sports photographer

The differences between owner/photographers and sports 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 sports photographer. Additionally, an owner/photographer has an average salary of $39,992, which is higher than the $27,958 average annual salary of a sports photographer.

The top three skills for an owner/photographer include adobe photoshop, portrait photography and customer service. The most important skills for a sports photographer are adobe photoshop, camera equipment, and kids.

Owner/photographer vs sports photographer overview

Owner/PhotographerSports Photographer
Yearly salary$39,992$27,958
Hourly rate$19.23$13.44
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs47,7166,917
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age3939
Years of experience22

What does an owner/photographer do?

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.

What does a sports photographer do?

Sports photographers are hired to take pictures of different sports events and athletes. They mainly work in print medias such as magazine or newspapers. Their photos must express the skill and emotion of the athletes. Sports photographers carry sophisticated cameras and shoot photos from different angles. Their photos could be mesmerizing to sports enthusiasts.

Owner/photographer vs sports photographer salary

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

Owner/PhotographerSports Photographer
Average salary$39,992$27,958
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $55,000Between $22,000 And $34,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between owner/photographer and sports photographer education

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

Owner/PhotographerSports Photographer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorPhotographyPhotography
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityHarvard University

Owner/photographer vs sports photographer demographics

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

Owner/PhotographerSports Photographer
Average age3939
Gender ratioMale, 37.5% Female, 62.5%Male, 62.7% Female, 37.3%
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, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 7.1% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between owner/photographer and sports 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.

Sports photographer example responsibilities.

  • Coordinate and manage providing and dressing the customers with old western costumes in preparation of taking their photos.
  • Create PowerPoint presentations and publication quality images using digital input devices, photo-editing and graphic arts software.
  • Mount cameras on tripods or stands, and load prescribe types and sizes of film in cameras.
  • Photograph children, families and pets with holiday backgrounds, on Santa's lap, with elves, etc.
  • Provide news/sports reports and play-by-play announcing for football and basketball games
  • Create and execute station's college basketball coverage including play-by-play.
  • Show more

Owner/photographer vs sports photographer skills

Common owner/photographer skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 25%
  • Portrait Photography, 13%
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Adobe Lightroom, 8%
  • Photo Shoots, 4%
  • Lifestyle, 2%
Common sports photographer skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 20%
  • Camera Equipment, 14%
  • Kids, 8%
  • School Administration, 8%
  • Digital Photography, 8%
  • Youth Sports, 6%

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