Looking out for a photoshop expert? Need to know how and where to find the best candidates? Here is a comprehensive guide to finding the best photoshop experts. Read on!
How to hire a photoshop expert?
Adobe Photoshop is a prominent graphics editor intended to edit photos and videos with its in-built user-friendly sophisticated features and tools. A photoshop expert utilizes the tool to bring in innovativeness and sharpness in the images and videos for alluring the target audience.
Multi-media companies, publishing houses, media and news channels, animation and video making firms hire a photoshop expert to enhance their media content to boost up their products and services in the market.
Question is, “How to hire photoshop experts?” In this article, we will extensively discuss the skills, qualities, educational qualifications, and interview questions for hiring photoshop professionals.
Also Read: Hire Data Analyst | A comprehensive guide for beginners
Hiring market for photoshop expert
The job opportunities of a photoshop expert are expected to witness a slow growth rate, about approximately 4% through the year 2026. This is as per the study and analysis conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Yet the salaries offered by firms, who rent photoshop services or hire professional photoshop experts, offer lucrative salaries. A photoshop expert with an experience level of 1 to 4 years, earns approximately USD 42K per annum.
With an experience level of between 5 to 9 years, the annual salary is almost USD 59K. The compensation further increases at an experience of 10 to 19 years, being USD 64K in a year. Though digital innovations and software are capturing the market, the creativity and artistic skillset are a necessity in Adobe photoshop services.
Tools and technologies cannot replace the human brain, vital while designing or photoshopping images and videos to bring in innovative ideas and thoughts. Hence the hiring market for a photoshop expert will never experience a dearth of job opportunities.
The approximate average salaries of photoshop professionals, based on the services offered, vary as follows,
- Editing USD 52K per annum
- Product photography USD 49K per annum
- Online research USD 55K per annum
- Image processing USD 59K per annum
- Adobe InDesign USD 51K per annum
Also Read: Hire Data Scientist | Everything you must know
Top 15 recent job titles for photoshop experts
An adobe photoshop creator or photoshop specialist can be hired under various job roles. Here are some of the key job titles where the photoshop experts can contribute,
1. Graphic Designer
Entrusted in printing and publishing in electronic media through proper usage of adobe photoshop editor and other technologies. The salary ranges between USD 65K to USD 59K per annum for an experience level of 9 to 12 years.
2. Graphic Artist
Works on the specifications provided by a graphic designer or architect to create layouts and images for brochures, advertisements, magazines, etc. Adobe photoshop editor is widely used by graphic artists. The yearly salary of a graphic artist varies between USD 50K and USD 55K.
3. Interior Designer
Curate artistic principles and strategies to design an office space, houses, buildings through controlling the lights, furniture, colors, décor, and other aspects. The person creates sketches digitally to create a quality and innovative design using tools like Adobe photoshop editor etc. The salary of an interior designer with 5 to 9 years of experience is almost 57K per year.
4. Illustrator
Responsible for creating paintings and images for posters, animations, greeting cards, magazines, books, clothes, etc. When you hire a photoshop expert for this particular job title, ensure to check the passion for art; since it demands creative skills and experience. The yearly salary ranges from USD 48K to USD 55K increasing with the years of experience
5. Photographer
Takes still photographs and videos as per the niche product or service of a company. He or she needs to be proficient in adobe photoshop features and functions for high-quality pictures and videos. The salary is almost USD 60K per annum, rising considerably year after year due to the high demand.
6. Photo Editor
Hired for photoshop freelancing to enhance images and videos for a better appeal to the target customers and earning visibility. They are proficient in photoshopping utilizing advanced features and techniques. The yearly salary varies between 55K to 64K for an experience level of beyond 5 years.
7. UI Designer
The job of a UI designer is to be smart and skillful in research and think of the best possible UI design leveraging tools like Adobe Photoshop editor. Besides they must be conversant with the business domain and the key performance metrics. The yearly salary is impressive ranging from USD 105K to 114K for an experience beyond 7 years.
8. Web Designer
Entrusted with the responsibility of designing websites that include graphics design, UI design leveraging tools like Adobe photoshop editor, etc. The salary varies between USD 50K to USD 60K in a year.
9. Web Developer
The main duty involves creating and maintaining websites with a special focus on speed and performance to handle the traffic. They coordinate with web designers and even curate the look and feel themselves utilizing both technical and photoshop skills. The per annum salary is almost USD 60K.
10. WebMaster
End to end control of the design, development, maintenance, speed, SEO performance of a website, including event promotion and marketing. Both web designer and web developer work under the guidance of a webmaster. The annual salary varies between 55K to 70K for individuals with experience above 7 years.
11. Production Artist
A creative person expert is producing innovative graphic designs and images for advertisement, banners, artworks utilized for commercial purposes. They use digital technologies and photoshopping knowledge to accomplish their work. The average annual salary is usually USD 75K at an experience level of 6 to 10 years.
12. Art Director
A role at an executive level, guiding and monitoring teams in creating visual products for most media houses or advertising companies. The salary is high as 95K per annum for an experience level of more than 5 years.
13. Creative Director
You can hire a freelance photoshop artist with 10 years of experience in managing and coordinating teams as a creative director. The person needs to handle the layout, design, and multi-media functions of the company’s advertising and marketing division. The salary offered is quite high about USD 110K per year.
14. Marketing Manager
Capable of overseeing a team entrusted in brand design, promotion, and marketing. They are expected to be proficient in creative design, SEO optimization skills, sales mindset, and audiovisual media management. Salary is usually USD 80K to 85K per annum
15. Public Relations Manager
Responsible for reaching the target audience of the company through interviews, surveys, media releases, social media engagement, etc. They design various promotional themes and images and Adobe Photoshop editor is one of the most used tools. The yearly salary is quite high about USD 110K to USD 120K.
Also Read: Hire Technical Writer | A complete guide
Qualifications to look for in photoshop expert
Verifying and validating the educational qualifications an adobe photoshop professional before hiring them in your company is vital and crucial. The list of valid degrees to check when you hire someone to photoshop are,
- Diploma in Arts (Commercial or Fine Arts) or graphic design
- Bachelor’s Degree in Arts (Commercial or Fine Arts) or graphic design
- Master’s Degree in Arts (Commercial or Fine Arts) or graphic design
Here are the top US schools and universities which provides degrees and learning courses for adobe photoshop services,
- The University of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, has a Fine Arts and graphic design department
- The University of Florida has a department for School of art and art history
- Boston University has a department for fine arts offering both bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Arts or graphic design
- Carnegie Mellon University offers 8 courses for fine arts and commercial arts
- The University of Miami in Florida has a department for art and graphic design
- Rhode Island School of design and art provides degrees and extensive learning courses
- Rochester Institute of Technology has a department for Imaging arts and sciences.
- Maryland Institute College of Art has a department for Fine Arts and graphic design offering degree programs
- The University of Minnesota providing undergraduate and graduate courses for fine arts
- Yale University provides a program for Fine arts that includes designing courses.
Also Read: Hire Graphic Designer | Know before you start
Skills to look for in photoshop expert
While recruiting a photoshop expert and avail professional photoshop services, you must verify both the photoshoper skills and interpersonal skills. Here are the enlisted skills that every adobe photoshop professional must possess for you to consider for recruitment,
- Photo and video editing in Adobe Photoshop software utilizing the right blend of texture and color
- Must be conversant in including professional layouts while designing banners, advertisements, magazine covers and interiors etc. as per the theme and genre.
- Proficient in freehand drawing and sketches with distinct and clear resolution and clarity
- A professional photoshopper must be efficient in UI and UX designing
- Past experience of executing similar projects as a photoshop freelancer
- An expert photoshop specialist must possess the knowledge of designing posters, brochures, flyers, magazines, website etc.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Planning and organizing skills for timely delivery of the freelance photoshop work
- A freelance photoshop professional mainly work in remote locations at their homes or co-working space. They must be capable to handle majority of their work independently.
- Check whether the photoshop expert for hire is able to interact comfortably and easily leveraging the audio and video conferencing tools.
- A professional photoshop personnel must be aware of the latest trends and developments in photoshopping
Also Read: Hire iOS Developer | A how-to guide for beginners
Certifications to look for in photoshop expert
To check the credibility of a photoshop expert needed for your company, it is always recommended to validate additional certifications over and above the educational qualifications. Enlisted below are the certifications that you can look for while hiring a photoshop expert,
- Adobe Certified Professional in Visual Design
- Adobe Certified Professional in Web Design
- Adobe Certified Professional in Video Design
- Adobe Certified Associate in visual effects and motion graphics using Adobe after effects
- Adobe Certified Associate in multiplatform animation using Adobe Animate CC
- Adobe Certified Associate in web authoring using Adobe Dreamweaver
- Adobe Certified Associate in graphic design and illustration using Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Certified Associate in print and digital media publication using Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Certified Associate in visual design using Photoshop
- Adobe Certified Associate in digital video using Adobe Premiere Pro
The exams for the above certifications are held once a year and the dates are announced on the official page of PearsonVue of Adobe for reference.
Also Read: Hire Javascript Developer | An ultimate read for best results
Rate per hour of photoshop expert
As per the latest data collected in January 2021 by prominent job boards like Upwork, Ziprecruiter, etc. the hourly rate of an intermediate level photoshop expert is about USD 30 in the US. The rate increases to almost USD 50 to USD 55 for advanced or senior level photoshop experts.
The salaries are comparatively higher in San Francisco, followed by Los Angeles and New York. The lowest salaries offered to a photoshop expert in the US are in the cities of Seattle, Chicago, Illinois, and Atlanta.
In the UK, a junior-level photoshop expert earns approximately between USD 22 and USD 25 per hour. The hourly rates for a middle-level photoshop expert are between USD 28 and USD 30. Whereas the seniors are provided hourly rates of about USD 52 per hour.
India and the other Asian countries are better if you want to hire a photoshop expert at a cheaper price than the US and UK. The hourly rate for a photoshop expert at a junior level varies between as low as USD 6 and USD 10. The rates increase with the years of experience, skillset, and educational qualifications.
Also Read: Hire Java Developer | A priceless list of tips to succeed
Top 10 job boards to find best photoshop expert
The next important question of recruiting companies and firms is, “Where do I search for photoshop services near me?” or “Which is the best place to look for when I need someone to photoshop for me?”. This section will help you with the top 10 job boards for hiring a photoshop expert,
- Upwork, a popular job board in the world, which has 30,000 profiles listed to search for people to photoshop.
- unremot.com, a comprehensive website to search when you need professional photoshop editors
- Fiverr to find photoshop experts for hire. You can check for the individual hourly photoshop freelance rates from the profiles
- Toptal, assists in selecting profiles for photoshop freelance works
- PeoplePerHour, a website where you need to submit the project details. You can hire photoshop artist whose quote is acceptable.
- We Work Remotely, the job board is prominent and well known to hire photoshop editor for remote mode of employment
- Working Nomads, another popular job website for searching their profile list and hire a photoshop expert, preferably interested to work remotely or as a freelancer.
- LinkedIn, an ideal place to search for best photoshops specialists with convincing profiles and past experiences.
- Glassdoor, a popular job website for searching photoshop artists for hire and then shortlisting for interview.
- AngelList, a recommended job board to search for profiles when you desire to pay someone to photoshop.
Also Read: Hire Customer Service Representative | A comprehensive guide for beginners
Top 10 companies hiring photoshop expert and salaries offered
The prominent companies hiring professional photoshop personnel frequently in their marketing, advertisement, or design units are mentioned below.
- Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine, an award-winning magazine business.
- Avanti Press, makers, and creators of greeting cards.
- The Sun Magazine, a prominent magazine of art and photoshop for hire.
- The Bradford Group, manufacturer of designer plates, ornaments, figures, boxes, dolls etc.
- Café Press, recruits photoshop freelance professionals for designing hats, t-shirts, bags, mugs and many more
- Cricket Magazine, a popular children’s magazine that hire freelance photoshop experts for digital designs and illustrations.
- Crowdspring, famous for creating brand logos, tattoos, web pages, etc. recruit experts for their photoshop freelancing work
- Wild Apple, home décor and fashion company
- Papyrus, a stationery and greeting card company.
- Trafilea, an advertising and marketing organization that helps in curating e-commerce strategies for customers to promote their products and brands.
The salaries offered for an entry level photoshop expert or with 1 to 4 years of experience usually ranges from USD 40K to USD 45K per annum. The compensation is dependent on the educational qualifications and skill set of the photoshop expert considered for hire.
Also Read: Hire Social Media Manager | Everything you must know
Top 10 interview questions for photoshop expert
Listing down the interview questions is one of the crucial steps in the hiring process of adobe photoshop experts. You can select from the top 10 interview questions as mentioned below,
1. What are the different work areas in Photoshop?
Rationale: To check the familiarity of the candidate on the entire photoshop editor and its various functions.
Expected Answer: The candidate must specify the Application bar, Panel dock, options bar, and tools panel for you to consider as the correct response to the question.
2. Mention what you understand by resizing images and which are the parameters you can change in a picture?
Rationale: To verify the expertise of the candidate in handling the software with ease and confidence.
Expected Answer: Pixel size, type of image, and background resolution are the parameters that can be changed in a picture.
3. What is a smart object in Adobe Photoshop?
Rationale: To verify the experience of the candidate in utilizing both basic and advanced features of the software
Expected Answer: If the candidate mentions the simultaneous update of multiple copies while changing a single object, you can consider it for recruitment.
4. Do you know to organize layers in Photoshop?
Rationale: To judge the credibility of the candidate in leveraging the various features of the software in design, editing, and development
Expected Answer: The candidate must speak about placing images in separate layers, lock unused layers, and unlock layers to be used.
5. What is a healing tool?
Rationale: Helps to check the knowledge level of the candidate in handling complex features of Adobe Photoshop editor
Expected Answer: If the candidate specifies about hiding unwanted pictures or marks on the image through the healing tool, you can tick mark the candidate for hire.
6. Define Gaussian blur?
Rationale: Assists in judging the expertise of the candidate in creating appealing images or videos.
Expected Answer: Tool for blurring edges in an image for enhancing the appearance and clarity of the subject.
7. What are the different types of Lasso tools?
Rationale: Checks the knowledge of the photoshop expert in image selection methods and techniques
Expected Answer: The expected answer is a simple lasso tool, polygonal lasso tool, and magnetic lasso tool.
8. What is a clone tool?
Rationale: To validate the editing and precision qualities of the candidate
Expected Answer: The candidate must speak about repairing photos, and images through the usage of paintbrush and pixel data from different areas.
9. Describe photoshop Lightroom
Rationale: To understand the candidate’s end to end knowledge of photoshop processing activities
Expected Answer: Essentially a software to handle post processing activities and key features include full-screen mode, PNG support, Windows HiDPI support, and user-configurable grid overlays.
10. Explain the process of creating HDR effects in Lightroom
Rationale: Guides in verifying the candidate’s exposure in creating high-quality images.
Expected Answer: The candidate must focus on the steps to be followed for creating the HDR effect. The first step is selecting the tone base. The next steps are to opt for the various tone base settings like shadow, color, clarity, contrast, saturation level, etc.
Leave a Reply