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The differences between 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 a photographer and a freelance photographer. Additionally, a freelance photographer has an average salary of $42,949, which is higher than the $33,968 average annual salary of a photographer.
The top three skills for a photographer include adobe photoshop, customer service and excellent time management. The most important skills for a freelance photographer are adobe photoshop, aperture, and adobe lightroom.
| Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Yearly salary | $33,968 | $42,949 |
| Hourly rate | $16.33 | $20.65 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 1,772 | 1,766 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.67 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A photographer is an individual who focuses on the art of taking images with the use of a digital or traditional film camera. They are knowledgeable in the proper utilization and care of high-end cameras. They generally work as a freelancer and often hired to capture memories of unique clients. Some are also in exclusive partnerships with event-related industries in such settings as weddings, graduation, corporate events, and even commercial shoots. Apart from taking pictures, they also may be required to edit and prepare photographs to submit to clients or for publication.
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.
Photographers and freelance photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average salary | $33,968 | $42,949 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $52,000 | Between $29,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Jacobs Engineering Group | - |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between a photographer and a freelance photographer in terms of educational background:
| Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Photography | Photography |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between photographers' and freelance photographers' demographics:
| Photographer | Freelance Photographer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7% | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 7.0% White, 65.6% 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% |