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Video technician vs freelance photographer

The differences between video technicians 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 video technician and a freelance photographer. Additionally, a video technician has an average salary of $45,504, which is higher than the $42,949 average annual salary of a freelance photographer.

The top three skills for a video technician include VTC, video equipment and video production. The most important skills for a freelance photographer are adobe photoshop, aperture, and adobe lightroom.

Video technician vs freelance photographer overview

Video TechnicianFreelance Photographer
Yearly salary$45,504$42,949
Hourly rate$21.88$20.65
Growth rate10%9%
Number of jobs36,2831,766
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4239
Years of experience22

What does a video technician do?

The job of a video technician is to operate, install, maintain and repair video and projection equipment, including digital video cameras, grip kits, and media servers. You will report to a video supervisor, technical director, or stage manager during the show run. You will be responsible for working closely with the projection designer and performing video and audio installations. In addition, you will be operating, configuring, and maintaining satellite communications equipment and associated devices. You will also be responsible for determining equipment capabilities and evaluate setup requirements.

What does a freelance photographer do?

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.

Video technician vs freelance photographer salary

Video technicians and freelance photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Video TechnicianFreelance Photographer
Average salary$45,504$42,949
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $68,000Between $29,000 And $61,000
Highest paying CityPlymouth, MA-
Highest paying stateConnecticut-
Best paying companyNTT Data International L.L.C.-
Best paying industryTechnology-

Differences between video technician and freelance photographer education

There are a few differences between a video technician and a freelance photographer in terms of educational background:

Video TechnicianFreelance Photographer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorPhotographyPhotography
Most common collegeStanford UniversityHarvard University

Video technician vs freelance photographer demographics

Here are the differences between video technicians' and freelance photographers' demographics:

Video TechnicianFreelance Photographer
Average age4239
Gender ratioMale, 81.5% Female, 18.5%Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%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 Percentage8%11%

Differences between video technician and freelance photographer duties and responsibilities

Video technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage and clean sculpture studio after hours and assist students.
  • Manage HD camerawork and calculating wireless mic levels.
  • Capture b-roll video footage of events and photos of event.
  • Design network architecture; develop plans and specifications for video delivery over cable and IP systems.
  • Operate robotic, manual and jib cameras for live studio broadcasts.
  • Create and maintain worship lyric slides in PowerPoint for playback on projector screen each service, including operation of projector computer.
  • Show more

Freelance photographer example responsibilities.

  • Manage HDR and PANO shots for greater Pittsburgh area.
  • Help manage a few bands Facebook pages and websites, including sharing and promoting shows and upcoming relate events.
  • Manage creative projects from concept to completion; including signs, posters, specialize logos and video documentaries for clients.
  • Provide commercial photography to assist company advertising and promotion on social platforms, including Instagram and Facebook.
  • Experience with Nikon D90 and relate equipment.
  • Experience with Nikon D50 D2100 SLR digital cameras
  • Show more

Video technician vs freelance photographer skills

Common video technician skills
  • VTC, 8%
  • Video Equipment, 7%
  • Video Production, 6%
  • Video, 6%
  • Technical Support, 6%
  • IP, 5%
Common freelance photographer skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 30%
  • Aperture, 14%
  • Adobe Lightroom, 7%
  • Photo Shoots, 5%
  • Portfolio, 4%
  • Music Videos, 4%

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