How To Become A Photo Editor Guide 2024? Salary, Jobs, Skills, Requirements, Step by Step Full Guide

The job of a photo editor is to look over photos, pick the best ones, and then use software to make them better and ready for use in print or digital publications. Raw images are almost never used without at least a little bit of editing, despite the fact that photographers use powerful cameras and put a lot of thought into the images they capture.

Why Is Editing Photos Necessary?

The photos can come to life, look their best, express feelings, and tell a story thanks to editing. The editing process is what enables the photos that are used in promotional materials, magazines, and websites to serve a particular purpose.

Additionally, errors are frequently rectified and non-essential elements are remove through editing. When photographers are working with a limited amount of space or time, editing can help give the impression of ideal conditions. Last but not least, some ideas for photography necessitate creative editing in order to achieve a look that is unattainable in real life. This can be done by adding effects, getting rid of backgrounds, or combining parts from two different photos.

How much do professional photo editors make?

Keep in mind that the amount of money you can make as a freelance photo editor will be limit by your resources. Therefore, you will need to take into account the number of hours worked as well as the kind of editing you provide when calculating a salary.
For instance, high-end retouching for portrait and fashion photography is significantly more expensive than basic editing for lifestyle or wedding photography. In the second scenario, you will need to devote more time to each image and acquire advanced editing skills, particularly those related to skin retouching. Naturally, all of this additional work comes at a significant cost, so keep that in mind.

What education do you need to be a photo editor?

You don’t need to be a photographer to become a photo editor, contrary to popular belief. However, having a background in photography or graphic design is definitely an advantage.
You can start learning online if you don’t have the money for a college degree. Taking online courses or watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to edit photos is how many photo editors begin their careers.

Photo Editor Job Description

So, what do photo editors do every day?

Discussing the photos’ objectives: You might need to meet with your department head, art director, or client before you start editing to talk about the purpose of each photo and what you can do to help it succeed.

Selecting photos: It’s possible that you’ll be sent hundreds of photos and ask to pick the best few. You should be able to see a photo’s potential and predict how it will look after editing, as the editor.

Cropping, straightening, and resizing: When editing photos, cropping and straightening will probably be the first thing you do. This helps the photo fit into its frame and immediately makes it look better. The photo may also require to be resize, but this will probably be one of the last steps.

Removing or adding elements: The magic of editing takes place here. You can use software to remove mistakes, backgrounds, and people or objects in the background that distract from the main subject, although this is not necessary for every photo you edit. Creative elements like special effects or props can also be add.

Adjusting white balance: There are many different kinds of lighting, and some of them can even make your photos look a little yellow. Fortunately, you can alter the color temperature to make your whites appear white.

Adjusting lighting: You may still require to adjust things like exposure, contrast, shadows, and highlights to really make the photos stand out, even if they were taken in ideal lighting conditions.

Adjusting colors: One of the most crucial steps in photo editing is adjusting the saturation and color grading. To create a specific atmosphere and mood for your photo, you can use this tool to change certain colors, tone down others, and add new colors.

How to Become a Photo Editor?

Starting out as a photographer is one of the most common routes to becoming a professional photo editor. This is due in large part to the following:

• You’ll know how camera settings and shooting conditions affect what you can do in editing if you know basic photography.
• You’ll be able to edit your photos more effectively if you know the fundamentals of photography.
• When you don’t have much experience, starting to edit photos taken by other photographers can be difficult.
• You can practice editing and create a portfolio by taking your own pictures.
• Having experience in photography will enable you to clearly articulate precisely what you would like to see in a photograph if you have the opportunity to direct the photographers you work with as an editor.

Required Skills

These are the skills you’ll need to become a photo editor, regardless of whether you choose to work as a photographer first:

Proficiency in photo editing software: Start with Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Camera Raw, which are industry standards. There are a lot of classes on Skillshare for complete novices that will walk you through using these programs step by step. Photoshop Lightroom’s Photo Editing is a great place to start: A Guide for Beginners.

Strong knowledge of photo editing techniques: A skilled photo editor should be able to alter lighting and color to transform a raw image into a finished product. When an art director or client asks for photo editing, all they might want is that the image convey a certain mood or message. You will need to know how to get this result you want.

Organization and time management skills: You will frequently have to deal with thousands of files and numerous competing deadlines as a photo editor. You need to learn how to work effectively and effectively manage your time in order to succeed.

Desire to keep learning: Photo editing trends and best practices are constantly changing. The best photo editors continue their education and regularly expose themselves to other people’s work.

Education Requirements

Photo editors do not necessarily need to have a college degree. However, candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as photography, digital media, or visual arts, are preferred by the majority of employers. You will be able to take specialized photography and photo editing classes through these programs. You could pursue a master’s degree in photography if you want to stand out even more.

Experience in Place of Degree

Many successful photo editors are self-taught and have no formal education. If you decide to go this route, the first thing you should do is watch online classes that will teach you the basics of photo editing. Simultaneously, get your hands on a photograph altering programming like Lightroom, take your own photos, and begin working on altering. Check to see if you can edit the photos of other photographers as you get better (you can ask a friend or find free photos online).

You can also try to find a professional photo editor who will let you shadow them to see how they work. Your first paid job likely won’t be with a large company if you don’t have a formal education. Having said that, you can gradually begin to get paid work as a freelancer and eventually use your experience to land a full-time position.

Portfolio of Work

If you want to work as a full-time photo editor or as a freelancer, you will need a portfolio that shows off your experience and skills. When you want to go to college, you can put some of your favorite school projects in your portfolio. If you start from scratch. You can give your clients the first few editing projects for free in exchange for their permission to be include in your portfolio.

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