Photographer Resume: Samples and Ultimate Writing Guide [25+ Examples]

In this article, you will find tips, and suggestions to write a powerful photographer resume that will get you more interviews and land that job.

As you noticed, most articles on the web do emphasis on photography portfolio and website, but you can hardly hear about photographer resume. So, do you need a resume as a photographer? The answer depends on the type of photography you do.

Rarely, your commercial client may ask you for a resume. As a rule, your website and portfolio are enough to find a client as a freelance photographer. You might need a resume in case you are aimed to apply for a part-time or full-time position of a photographer. Some companies and creative agencies need photographers for fashion, corporate, wedding, food, product, and other photography types. We wrote this guide for photographers who are looking for a job in a company or creative agency.

See also: Copywriter Resume: Ultimate Writing Guide [+25 Examples]

This article covers:

• How to write a photographer resume
• How to add a photographer duties in a resume that gets more interviews.
• Examples and tips on how to put skills and accomplishments
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a photographer to get any job you want

1. Photographer Resume Job Description

Your photography duties and the job you should do depends on your type of photo, experience, skills, and company you work for. Photography is a creative profession which requires to have the proper equipment and skills and knowledge to use it to get stunning photos and videos.

Along with knowing how to use a camera and lens, you also need to know how to post-process photography using different software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, iMovie, and others. As a wedding photographer you are going to work with couples and shoot their special day, or as a food photographer, you need to find restaurants and stores to take photos of food for them following the requirements.

However, there are some responsibilities which can be applied to almost any kind of photographer:

• – Working in different locations and conditions to get images required;
• – Interact with other professionals, including managers, models, designers, writers, and clients;
• – Post-process images using different software, cropping them, color correcting, moving objects, and other;
• – Handling schedules; management, basic accounting, and invoicing;
• – Employ a significant number of different software for work, such as cameras, lenses, lighting, and more;
• – Stay up-to-date about the latest trends in the industry;
• – Arrange a necessary photo shoot, find models, makeup artists, location, and decorations;
• – Expand a good portfolio and have a list of proper contacts;
• – Guide models on posing and lighting;

There are much more duties and responsibilities of a photographer. All of them are determined by your type of photo, company, and needs.

2. What’s the Best Format for a Photographer Resume?

Its necessary to choose a proper format of your resume so that a hiring manager see all your achievements and skills, and was able to open a file with your resume. Below we are going to discuss the order of sections and file format of your resume.

If you hesitate about the order of sections in your CV, usually, people add name and contact info in a header, then goes resume summary (or resume objective), experience, education, certifications, skills, and additional information.

Use reverse chronological order when you tell about your work experience. This way you will place your most recent achievements first and show off your expertise. In the additional section, you can list your personal qualities, hobbies, foreign languages you know, and other.

Talking about file format of your resume, for a photographer it’s better to use PDF. This format file can be opened on any computer, whether it’s Macbook or Windows. Since photography is a creative profession, you can go beyond simple fonts and white background with your CV.

For example, you can use Canva, a cool online editor allowing you to create a resume with templates in just a few clicks. You can also add some photos from your portfolio or place an image of yourself on top.

3. What to Include in Contact Information for a Photographer Resume?

The header of your CV is a place to add your contact information. Ensure to add the following info:

1. Your full name.
2. Phone number.
3. Mailing address.
4. Email address.
5. Website or portfolio URL.

It’s necessary to check all the provided info double because in a case a hiring manager would want to reach you, there should be a correct phone number and email. For any other profession, it’s not that important to add a website link, but for a photographer it does.

A reader should be able to open the URL and see your latest photography, see your style and experience level. For entry-level photographers who do not have a website, you need to consider creating it. These days you can create a website for free using numerous editors or upload your images on Flickr or 500px.

4. How to Write a Photographer Resume Objectives or Resume Summary?

A resume objective or resume summary is written to convince an employer that you are a skilled, experienced photographer with your style and vision. As a rule, resume summary is 4-5 sentences telling about your skills, achievements, goals, and benefits you may bring to a company.

Quantify when you can, because numbers show your success and can impress a reader. Mention your awards and achievements which will tell you about your work. Here are a few great examples of resume summary for a photographer:

1. A skilled, talented landscape photographer with over ten years of experience looking for a job in a geographic magazine where I can use my exceptional photography skills and my knowledge working on many projects in a way that benefits a company. And besides, helps me to achieve my goal of becoming a successful photographer.
2. Have worked with lots of photographers over the last several years in all photography genres. A passionate photographer with personal style and skills to capture unique images that draw the viewer’s attention. Grown my Instagram account for 50k followers in three months with my beautiful, eye-catching images.

5. How to Describe Your Work Photographer Experience?

Making a strong impression is quite challenging when you are applying for a job. And the experience section is one of the most influential and vital paragraphs of your resume. As we previously mentioned, use reverse chronological order placing the most recent jobs on top.

Using bullet points will help you to separate different duties and responsibilities, and also make the experience section more attractive. Tailor each resume to a position you are going to apply. Read their requirements correctly and try to highlight those duties which display necessary skills.

Since a resume pace is short, try to focus on most important and essential responsibilities. Here is an example of impressive photography experience section which you can use as inspiration:

Lead photographer,

Johnson Photography Studio,

2014 – to current

• Complete studio photography assignments, from woman portraits to weddings, corporate headshots, engagements, holiday themes and family photo sessions.

• Use interpersonal skills to build rapport with clients fast.

• Credited by company owner for helping drive an average 10% revenue increase in a year.

Assistant to a photographer,

GRD Creative Studio,

2012 – 2014

• Took photos required for clients’ promotional materials created for marketing purposes;
• Collaborates closely with the designer, lead photographer, and marketing team;
• Post-processed images as needed or upon request
• Negotiated with suppliers, contractors, and associates directly involved with the production shoot.

6. What to Include in Education for Photographer Resume?

Having a degree is not that important for a photographer if you have experience and your own vision.

It would be better to include your certifications or courses you completed. It will show a hiring manager that you are willing to learn and passionate about your work.

For those of you who have some proper diploma or degree, You can list your degrees and diplomas, years, and location where you got them. For example:

Bachelor of Arts, ABC College of Fine Arts, Worcester, MA, May 2012

Major: Visual Art

GPA 3.8

7. How to Put Skills on a Photographer Resume?

Beyond photography, clients also want to know what technical and digital skills you possess as a professional. They want to know what computer programs you use to edit images, what classes you have taken, what equipment you use, and what projects you worked in.

They want to ensure that you don’t just take good pictures, but also you are an expert in your industry. Feel free to include information about different lenses you use and why.

Tell about your photography genre, why you choose it, and what are the specific qualifications you have to work this photographer type. For example, fashion photographer should know about posing and latest makeup, clothing, and fashion trends.

8. List of Skills to Put on a Photographer Resume

Rather than thinking about the number of skills you need to add to your resume, it’s better to focus on skills that fit the requirements of a particular position. Share your skills and prove them with work experience if possible. Describe your skills that will make you an asset for this firm.

A good photographer should be a team player, have a creative vision, be passionate about the job, stay calm in stressful situations, solve problems quickly, and be able to learn something new regularly.

To be a successful photographer you need to be on top of the latest trends, use social media sites and apps, and also use technologies. You need to be good at basic accounting, networking, communication, marketing, and sales.

9. How to Add Certifications to Your Photographer Resume

For a photographer to have a certificate is way more important than to have a degree. If you already choose a genre you like, you can dig deeper and get a certificate. Certificate programs vary regarding content, cost, and results.

Those who have certificates discovered that it gives more credibility for clients and a hiring manager when you mention your document in a resume.

Here is a sample of how to add a certificate to your photography resume:

Certificate in Professional Photography,

Butte College,

2015-2016

10. Closing words

At the end of your resume, you can place an additional section and describe there tools and equipment you have as a photographer. You may be when it comes to taking a beautiful picture, but when it comes to crafting a resume, the thing may go out of focus. We hope this guide will help you to build an outstanding photography resume and get a job of your dream.