Over the years, you’ve gotten pretty good at photo editing and you think you’re ready to make it into a career! Besides, how nice would it be to fire your boss and work for yourself?
Current salary surveys show that the top-earning photo editors in the united states make upwards of $76k a year! It’s time to make a move and kick your editing career in gear.
To help you get started, we put together a quick guide to get ready for real photo editing jobs. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know before you accept your first freelance photo editor job offer!
What Does a Freelance Photo Editor Do?
Freelance photo editing is more than knowing your way around Lightroom or Photoshop. Some of the job details include hiring photographers, coordinating assignments, and approving images. You’ll also negotiate fees as well as rights agreements, arrange travel plans, book studio time, and get shooting permits. If you’re working as a freelancer, there are even more hats to wear for this job!
You’ll wear a ton of hats in this job, but if photo editing is your passion, you’ll find that you’re suited to the flurry of chaos.
Skills You Need for Photo Editing Jobs
The most important things you need are a knack for creativity and an eye for detail. Well-developed organizational skills wouldn’t hurt either!
A good photo editor will have at least a little background in art history and/or photography. You don’t need to have photography skills, but you should have basic knowledge of photography terms and techniques.
Having skills with editing software is also important because that is where you’ll work your magic! If you don’t have a favorite photo editing software yet, try out a few and find a program that has all the tools and functions you need.
Tips for Landing Your First Photo Editor Job
This might sound scary, but the most important step to landing photo editor jobs is to put yourself out there for photographers to see. If you don’t advertise your presence, no one will see you!
Look for up and coming photographers in your area and try to work out a deal where you exchange services and then you both have photos to put into your portfolio! Bartering services is a great way to get your business off the ground without dumping a ton of money into marketing.
Time to Edit the Photograph of Your Future
There’s no better feeling than working as a freelance editor and set your own schedule. Getting your business started and landing those first few clients can seem daunting.
Once you get your first few photo editing contracts, ask those clients to review your services and tell their friends. Word of mouth is the most valuable marketing you can get!
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you learned a few things about landing photo editing jobs from home. If you’re looking for more information about starting your own business, science,