Photographer Resume: What You Need to Include and How to Write One
Check out this article to learn more about how to create a beautiful resume for your future career as a professional photographer.
Updated 4 min read
A photographer is someone who takes pictures. They do this in order to tell stories, to create memories, or to document the world. A photographer’s job is not for everyone. It requires a lot of creativity and knowledge, patience and persistence, and an eye for beauty. As you’re preparing to start your career in photography, it’s important that you put together a resume that will help you land your dream gig. Here are some tips on what you need to include and how to write one.
Choose the Right Format for your Photographer Resume
There are a few different formats photographers choose to use for their resumes. They may choose to go the traditional route and write a text-heavy resume using bullet points or they might want to make it more visually interesting by creating an infographic resume. This infographic resume is a lot more visual, but may take more time to create.
Another option is a hybrid resume that includes both text and visuals, such as a photo of your portfolio or one of your best shots. Essentially, it’s up to you which format you want to go with, but it’s important that you choose what works best for you!
How to Write Resume Summary or Resume Objective for Photographer
The objective of the resume summary for a photographer is to entice potential clients with your photography skills and highlight what you can offer their business.
Your photo resume should be tailored to the job you’re applying for and should mention any experience, skills, and education that would make you a viable candidate.
Keep in mind that you only have a few seconds to capture the attention of your potential employer. Think about it this way: when someone skims over your photo resume, they’ll usually decide in less than ten seconds if they want to read more or not.
Job Description for Photographer Resume
Photography is a job for someone who has a background in art and enjoys taking pictures. Being a photographer calls for creativity and patience, so it’s best to start off by listing your experience and the colleges you attended.
Education Section
It's always a good idea to include your education in the resume, but what should you do if you haven't graduated yet? You can list information about the school you're currently attending, or just include your grades.
Write a Skills Section
The first thing you want to do is create a skills section. This will allow you to list your photography-specific qualifications, such as the types of equipment you are able to work with or whether you can edit photos using Photoshop
It’s also important that you include any specific skills that might only apply to certain types of photography. For example, if you are a portrait photographer, it would be important to mention which poses and expressions you are skilled at capturing.
Specialized Fields or Expertise
Regardless of which area of photography you’re interested in, you want to be sure that your resume showcases your expertise. Whether it’s a particular genre or a specific type of equipment, you want to ensure that it is specified on your resume.
For example, if you specialize in weddings, make sure to specify this on your resume. If you specialize in portraits, make sure to mention this as well.
This will help show prospective employers that you have a certain set of skills and knowledge for their company as well as the ability to create the best work for them.
Write a Cover Letter for your Photographer Resume
Your cover letter should be a brief summary of who you are and what you have to offer. Your letter should include three things:
- Who you are
- What your experience is
- Why you’re the best choice for the job
Key Takeaways
- Your resume is the first thing that’s going to be seen by an employer, so make sure it’s professional.
- Include your name, contact information, educational background, work experience, and skills.
- Keep your resume to one page with one font size and one font style.
- You want to highlight your accomplishments in order for it to stand out from the rest.