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Check out a sample of the 2,309 Photo Editor jobs posted on Upwork

Creative Designer for dropshipping products Hourly ‐ Posted 1 day ago

30+ hrs/week
Hours needed

More than 6 months
Duration

Expert
Experience level

Dear, For our Dutch dropshipping business we are looking forward to hit 8 figures this year. Therefore we are looking for a highly dev…

Photo Editor Photo Editing Jobs Shopify Adobe Photoshop
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Engagement Photographer in Vienna
New
Hourly ‐ Posted 22 hours ago

Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed

Less than 1 month
Duration

Intermediate
Experience level

Hey there! My girlfriend and I are coming to Vienna just before Christmas and I'm looking to hire a photographer to be placed at my fa…

Photo Editor Street Photography Photo Editing Jobs Digital Photography Photography People
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Professional Vacation Rental Photographer Needed
New
Fixed-price ‐ Posted 22 hours ago

$250
Fixed-price

Intermediate
Experience level

We are looking for a skilled and experienced photographer to capture high-quality photos of our vacation rental property. As a vacation…

Photo Editor Adobe Photoshop Photo Retouching Photo Editing Jobs People Photography
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Professional Headshots for Sales Kick Off
New
Hourly ‐ Posted 20 hours ago

Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed

Less than 1 month
Duration

Intermediate
Experience level

Looking for someone to take professional headshots at our business event in January. Dates are 23rd-24th January with a requirement fo…

Photo Editor Portrait Art Photography Photo Color Correction Photo Retouching Photo Editing Jobs
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Photographer for Couple Photoshoot
New
Hourly ‐ Posted 18 hours ago

Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed

Less than 1 month
Duration

Intermediate
Experience level

We are looking for a photographer to capture some beautiful moments of me and my partner. The job will involve taking photos using our…

Photo Editor Fashion & Beauty Photo Editing Jobs Portrait Art Photography People
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Svg files creator / editor
New
Hourly ‐ Posted 23 hours ago

30+ hrs/week
Hours needed

1 to 3 months
Duration

Intermediate
Experience level

Hello We are looking for something to find online / collect and create SVG file bundles for sale online. Please only apply if you h…

Photo Editor Animation Photo Editing Jobs Adobe Photoshop SVG Adobe Illustrator Canva Logo Design
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Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed

Less than 1 month
Duration

Expert
Experience level

We are actively seeking a highly skilled and innovative Image Scanning and 2D Rendering Process Developer. In this role, you will be in…

Photo Editor 3D Modeling 3D Rendering Image Processing Photo Editing Jobs Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop Elements Adobe Lightroom
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Photo Editor needed for a marketing campaign
New
Hourly ‐ Posted 22 hours ago

not_sure
Hours needed

1 to 3 months
Duration

Intermediate
Experience level

We have an exciting new project for a student accommodation brand client. We are launching a marketing campaign which takes inspirati…

Photo Editor Photo Manipulation Photo Retouching Photo Editing Jobs Travel & Hospitality
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Photographer and videographer in singapore
New
Hourly ‐ Posted 19 hours ago

Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed

Less than 1 month
Duration

Intermediate
Experience level

Looking for a photographer and a videographer in Singapore or someone close to Singapore. The requirements are as follows: December 7…

Photo Editor Photo Editing Jobs Adobe Photoshop Photography
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Less than 30 hrs/week
Hours needed

1 to 3 months
Duration

Intermediate
Experience level

We are looking for a skilled photographer to capture a high-resolution shot of a repair shop in Muscatine, Iowa for our industrial/manu…

Photo Editor Product Photography 3D Design Photo Editing Jobs Adobe Photoshop
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Photo Editors on Upwork
can earn $10–$25/hr.
Learn more below about how you can earn a career on the world’s work marketplace.
Photo Editor average prices bell curve

$10 $25

Median hourly rates (USD)

How to Become a Freelance Photo Editor

Magazines, newspapers and many websites incorporate imagery to help tell their stories. The responsibility of overseeing the review and selection of photos used for these mediums falls to a photo editor. If you love photography, have a creative spirit, and have an eye for marrying the right imagery to any story, you might have what it takes to be a freelance photo editor on Upwork.

What does a freelance photo editor do?

Photo editors are a valuable asset to any organization that uses imagery to tell stories. Entities such as newspapers, magazines, and websites use a photo editor’s services to find just the right image to communicate their message. Photo editors are responsible for reviewing, editing, manipulating, formatting, and positioning photos for online and offline publishing opportunities.

As a freelance photo editor, you’ll oversee the use of photos that not only convey a particular message but also adhere to the brand standards of whatever medium you work for. It’s not uncommon for talented photo editors to review hundreds of photographs in order to select the right one or two for a particular article, story, or project.

Finally, photo editors may be tasked with overseeing photoshoots, using photographers, studios, products, and models to capture just the right image for an upcoming story or promotional opportunity. You might use digital technology to edit the photos resulting from the shoot, or you might edit and enhance photos provided by a third-party photography or stock photography site.

What skills do I need to become a freelance photo editor?

Freelance photo editors need certain essential skills to be successful and competitive. While an education in art or photography could be very helpful, the desirable skills of seasoned photo editors usually result from years of experience reviewing and selecting imagery as a freelance resource or an in-house employee.

Freelance photo editors benefit from many specific skills:

  • Ability to recognize certain elements in imagery. A freelance photo editor should be able to recognize elements within photographs and other imagery that help tell a compelling story or convey a certain message. Successful photo editors are adept at seeing nuances within images that others may not readily recognize. With this skill, they help magazines, book publishers, and website developers deliver more compelling and powerful creations.
  • Ability to review dozens of photographs a day. As a freelance photo editor, you’ll be tasked with reviewing dozens or hundreds of photographs each day from a variety of photographers. Ultimately, the job of a photo editor is to select from a large variety of images in order to find the right one to convey a particular story or message. Having great time management skills and being able to quickly work through large amounts of material can help with this responsibility
  • Photo editing software talents. Photo editors often use tools such as Adobe, Lightroom, InDesign, or Photoshop to edit and manipulate photographs and other imagery in order to touch up and correct them for publication.
  • Knowledge of the photographer commission process. Seasoned freelance photo editors are often tasked with hiring and deploying professional photographers for studio and on-site photo shoots. Because the photo editor knows exactly what’s needed for the project, they’re able to collaborate with photographers to get the best photos for the job.
  • Collaboration skills. Photo editors often work closely with magazine publishers, marketers, social media teams, advertising agencies, video editors, illustrators, copy editors, and communications specialists to deliver imagery for specific projects. The ability to collaborate with other key players and the possession of excellent communication skills are key capabilities of any photo editor.

What are the core freelance photo editor job responsibilities?

While freelance photo editors may be asked to handle many responsibilities as part of their job, there are key photo editor responsibilities common with most jobs:

  • Review, edit, and select photographs and other imagery designed to capture readers’ attention
  • Work with magazine editors to create compelling visual communications
  • Work closely with other team members in a cross-functional capacity, including marketing, communications, and web development teams
  • Write, edit and review captions for all photos being used for publication online and offline
  • Pitch creative ideas to editors and photographers
  • Edit, color correct, manipulate and refine all photos and imagery prior to publication
  • Oversee photo editing staff and provide editorial leadership within the department
  • Work closely with the rights and clearances team to ensure all third-party imagery is licensed

Should I get a photo editing degree or certification?

Education can be extremely helpful for photo editors looking to embark on a freelance career. While there are many freelance photo editors who don’t have four-year degrees, they often have some form of formal education and several years of experience.

Freelance photo editors can benefit from several types of education or certifications to help position themselves more prominently on Upwork:

  • Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree from an accredited university in photography, digital media, graphic design, journalism, or visual arts
  • Adobe Certified Expert
  • Online courses such as The Photo Editor’s Guide

Jumpstart your freelance photo editing career on Upwork and start looking for your first job. Eager to learn more about freelance photo editor jobs on Upwork? Check out these additional resources:

Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this section. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyse and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.

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