1967 - National Film Board of Canada - Gold Medal for Photographic Excellence (Freeman was one of the first two photographers to receive this award.)

1971 - Photographic Society of America, Associate of the Photographic Society of America (APSA) - For contribution to amateur photography at the individual, national, and international levels

1975 - Federation Internationale de l'Art Photographique, (Berne, Switzerland), Hon. EFIAP - Highest award of the federation; limited to 200 living persons

1975 - elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Art

1976 - Photographic Society of Southern Africa, Honourary Fellowship (Hon. F.P.S.S.A.),

1980 - University of New Brunswick, Doctorate of Letters (D.Litt.)
Photographic Society of America - Fellow of the Photographic Society of America (FPSA) for writing and lecturing about photography

1984 - National Association for Photographic Art - Gold Medal for Distinction in Photography

1985 - The Order of Canada (C.M.)

1989 - Acadia University - Doctorate of Civil Law (D.C.L.)

1990 - Photography Society of America - Progress Medal (This is the society's highest award. Previous recipients include Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter, Jacques Cousteau, and the Eastman Kodak company.)

1991 - New Brunswick Conservation Council - Milton Gregg Award for environmental stewardship

1994 - New Brunswick School Trustee's Association - Honourary Life Member

1995 - Photographic Society of Southern Africa - Fellowship (F.P.S.S.A.); awarded on the basis of results from a widely-juried selection of 36 colour images

1996 - Acadia University Associated Alumni/ae - Tenth recipient of the association's Distinguished Service Award

1997 - New Brunswick College of Craft and Design - Fellow

1997 - Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation - 7th annual $10,000.00 Strathbutler Award - (This award is given annually to recognize excellence in the craft and/or visual arts in New Brunswick as well as an artist's substantial contribution to the respective fields over a significant period of time.)

1998 - North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) - Fellow

2001 - North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) - Lifetime Achievement Award

2003 - New Brunswick Arts Board - Miller Brittain Award of Excellence for Visual Arts

2004 - Nature Photography Society of New Zealand - Honourary Fellowship

2013 - The Order of New Brunswick (O.N.B.)

2014 – Sunbury Shores, first Eidlitz Award of Excellence for “integrating natural science and art as interdependent sources of inspiration”.

2023 – Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal