My account

You control your data

We use cookies to tailor the experience of creating resumes and cover letters. For these reasons, we may share your usage data with third parties. You can find more information about how we use cookies on our Cookies Policy. If you would like to set your cookies preferences, click the Settings button below. To accept all cookies, click Accept.

Settings Accept

Cookie settings

Click on the types of cookies below to learn more about them and customize your experience on our Site. You may freely give, refuse or withdraw your consent. Keep in mind that disabling cookies may affect your experience on the Site. For more information, please visit our Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

Choose type of cookies to accept

Analytics

These cookies allow us to analyze our performance to offer you a better experience of creating resumes and cover letters. Analytics related cookies used on our Site are not used by Us for the purpose of identifying who you are or to send you targeted advertising. For example, we may use cookies/tracking technologies for analytics related purposes to determine the number of visitors to our Site, identify how visitors move around the Site and, in particular, which pages they visit. This allows us to improve our Site and our services.

Performance and Personalisation

These cookies give you access to a customized experience of our products. Personalization cookies are also used to deliver content, including ads, relevant to your interests on our Site and third-party sites based on how you interact with our advertisements or content as well as track the content you access (including video viewing). We may also collect password information from you when you log in, as well as computer and/or connection information. During some visits, we may use software tools to measure and collect session information, including page response times, download errors, time spent on certain pages and page interaction information.

Advertising

These cookies are placed by third-party companies to deliver targeted content based on relevant topics that are of interest to you. And allow you to better interact with social media platforms such as Facebook.

Necessary

These cookies are essential for the Site’s performance and for you to be able to use its features. For example, essential cookies include: cookies dropped to provide the service, maintain your account, provide builder access, payment pages, create IDs for your documents and store your consents.

To see a detailed list of cookies, click here.

Save preferences

Professional Photographer Resume—Examples for 2024

You’re a sniper, and you leave the “spray and pray” for the amateurs. Like a darkroom, it’s time to develop your photographer resume so it’s ready for employers to gush over.

Christian Eilers, CPRW
Career Expert
Professional Photographer Resume—Examples for 2024

Whether they’re cityscapes, composites, photojournalism, or abstract shots, you’re no average shutterbug. You’re a professional photographer with the skills to back it up.

But, unlike bokeh effects, you don’t want to be twinkling in the background. You need to be the image they focus on, upfront and center, with the perfect photographer resume they’ll see.

In this guide:

  • The best professional photographer resume examples to get photography jobs.
  • How to customize a resume to the photographer job description.
  • How to write resumes for photography that score creative job interviews.
  • Expert tips and examples to better your chances of landing photography jobs.

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.

Create your resume now

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWphotographer resume example

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.”
Patrick

I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan 

My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George

Create your resume now

Seeking other creative resume examples for professions related to photography? Try these:

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Examples for Any Job.

Now— 

Photographer Resume Example

Harold J. Rosenblatt

Certified Professional Photographer (CPP)

harold.rosenblatt@gmail.com

757-988-2269

linkedin.com/in/harold.rosenblatt

rosenblattllcportfolio.com

Summary of Qualifications

Passionate professional photographer with over 10 years of experience with editorial, landscape and event photography. Skilled at wedding photography, photojournalism, and portraits. Photos published online and in print in major publications, including within the Daily Press. Won the 2018 Virginia State Photograthon for Editorial Photographer Of the Year. Seeking to leverage eye for detail and knowledge of editorial concepts to be the staff photographer at Davie Price Media Group.

Equipment & Camera Models Owned

  • Nikon D850
  • Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
  • Fovitec StudioPRO Lighting Kit
  • Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.4G
  • Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L USM

Work Experience

Editorial Photographer
August 2015–September 2019
Daily Press Newspaper, Newport News, VA

  • Took photos and videos to support and frame written news articles, including events, features, and architecture.
  • Attended various events, from public appearances to political conferences, in order to obtain photographs for future publication.
  • Organized photos into newspaper archives, and sorted through shots to find the best possible photograph to use for a given story.
  • Managed creative suite of software and tools to edit images for color correction and a variety of factors, according to editorial guidelines.

Key Achievements

  • 2018 “Editorial Photographer Of the Year” winner at the Virginia State Photograthon.

Wedding Photographer

May 2011–August 2015
Mid-Atlantic Photography Studio, Newport News, VA

  • Worked with wedding clients to understand marriage ceremony ins and outs for delivery of best photography and videography.
  • Ensured all photographic equipment was functional and cared for, including DSLRs, lenses, tripods, lighting, and more.
  • Composed images and video after wedding events, processed best images, and delivered photos to clients for review and approval.

Key Achievements

  • Maintained a customer satisfaction rating of 4.95 out of 5 during 4 years of wedding photography.

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Photography

Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Graduation: 2013

Relevant Coursework: Black-and-White Darkroom, Photojournalism and Art, Documentary Videography, Light and Shadow, Visual Journalism, Digital Photography, Chemistry of Artist's Materials, Chemistry of Pigments, Biological Significance of Art and Technology.

Key Skills

  • Editorial Photography
  • Visual Journalism
  • Adobe Photoshop & Lightroom
  • Finding Light for Portraiture
  • Environmental Portraiture
  • Action Photography

Certifications

  • Certified Professional Photographer, New York Institute of Photography (NYIP)
  • Certified Professional Photographer (CPP), Professional Photographers of America (PPA)

Memberships

  • American Photographic Artists (APA)
  • American Photography Association (also APA)

Languages

  • Oromo: Native Proficiency

Photographers are visual artists who captures images using a camera. They use their creative and technical skills to create and edit high-quality images that meet the expectations of their clients. Photographers can specialize in many fields of photography, like portraits, landscapes, or wildlife.

Here’s how to write a photographer resume that’s picture perfect:

1. Format the Photographer Resume Template 

Some shots capture a tense moment, like a photojournalist framing a Molotov cocktail midair over a crowds’ political protest. Other times (think modeling photo shoots), it takes time to set up for the perfect picture.

Treat your resume like a photoshoot— 

If you don’t format a resume right, your interview chances are as dead as the subjects of memento mori photography. So—

Here’s how to format a photographer resume template perfectly:

  • List your most recent or current employment and education first, then go backward from there—this is called the reverse-chronological resume layout
  • Pick a stylish resume font which is still easy for any reader to view.
  • Leave a 1-inch margin on your resume for photography jobs.
  • Include must-have resume sections (profile, work experience, education, skills), and a couple of bonus ones (certifications, volunteering, etc.) to beautify your photography resume.
Use a strong and clean visual format. Avoid dense blocks of text. Triple check spelling and grammar. Doing these things will make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read your resume and remember you when it counts.

Expert Hint: In the address on a resume, within your contact details, be sure to provide a link to your photography portfolio. Oh, and fix it up. Interviewers and agency directors will want to see your best work, and any unfinished website or photo albums will turn them off.

2. Start with a Photographer Resume Objective or Summary

Like Lightroom’s loupe function, employers peer closely at photography resumes’ opening statements (also known as resume summary). These brief paragraphs, known as either a summary or objective, give them a quick introduction to you as a candidate. 

It needs to catch their attention— 

If you don’t interest them here, they’ll discard your resume as if it were an image my father took (every photo he shot had his finger in the frame; it became a sort of extended family member). But which intro paragraph to pick?

If you have years of pro photography expertise, go with the summary paragraph

The resume summary intrigues them to consider you further by introducing you to them and talking up your photography experience and shot-taking skills. To add the cherry on top, it gives a numbered accomplishment for verification of your photography talents.

Here’s how to write a creative photographer resume summary:

Photographer Resume Example—Summary Statement 

Good Example
Passionate professional photographer with over 10 years of experience with editorial, landscape and event photography. Skilled at wedding photography, photojournalism, and portraits. Photos have been published online and in print in major publications, including within the Daily Press. Won the 2018 Virginia State Photograthon for Editorial Photographer Of the Year.
Bad Example
I’m a freelance photographer currently seeking a full-time, on-staff position at a photography studio, design team, or marketing department. I have my own camera, a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, which I could bring to work with me, as well as a lot of professional gear (e.g., lenses, stands) to contribute.

Can you notice what separates the good example from the bad one?

First, the “bad” freelance photographer resume sample is generic, while the “good” one is a targeted resume tailored specifically for one job and company. 

Going further, the “good” example gives numbers (in this case, the year of their photography award). In the “bad” example, there’s no way for the studio director to determine just how skilled the candidate is as a photographer. But— 

What about when writing a photography resume with no experience?

When you’ve no experience as a professional photographer, such as on a freelance photography resume, go with the objective paragraph

The photography resume objective statement impresses them with your freelance work, or it shows them you have the skills to be a great photographer from other work you’ve done. It also talks up your career plans and goals as a professional photographer. Finally, it gives them a quantifiable achievement to prove your value, as well.

Here’s how to write an objective statement on a resume for photographer jobs:

Entry-Level Photography Resume Objective Example

Good Example
Recent college graduate with a degree in photography and 2+ years of experience working as a freelance photographer. Skilled at snapping landscapes, architecture, weddings, concerts, and using photo editing software, such as Phase One Capture One Pro and DxO PhotoLab. Won 2nd place in the Tri-County Countryscape Photography Tournament. Seeking to use knowledge of modern photography principles and creative instinct to become the next staff photographer at Tanimatrix Media Lab.
Bad Example
I’ve recently graduated from university with a photography degree, and I would like to put that creative degree to work as a staff photographer at a newspaper, online blog, or at a photography studio. Aside from the knowledge I gained in college, I also have done several freelance gigs over the years via Upwork.

Just like with our last resume examples, this second one is as outdated as the daguerreotype process—

No employer wants a generic resume heading, but all want some form of numbers attached to a particular photography win. 

The first example, however, is fully developed and ready for them to view.

Expert Hint: Do you send a photography resume with a photograph? In the United States, it is not suggested for you to add a photo onto a resume unless you’re a model or actor. There’s really no reason the employer needs to see you with a resume photograph, and they probably can find you online anyway.

3. Write a Great Photographer Job Description and Photography Skills Sections

The work history section is where you influence the employer to hire you based on your past employment. Don’t drone on with a list of photographer duties you performed. Instead— 

Here’s how to describe past experience on a resume for photographers:

  • Use reverse-chronological ordering, listing your most recent or current job at the top. 
  • Include your job title, the time you worked there, the company’s name, and their location.
  • Be descriptive in your photography job description, referring to the responsibilities from the job ad to ensure they’re a match (these are resume keywords).
  • Include numbers where appropriate to quantify past responsibilities and convince them how skilled you are as a photographer.

Here are two photography resume examples of job descriptions:

Photography Job Description for Resume Examples

Good Example

Editorial Photographer
August 2015–September 2019
Daily Press Newspaper, Newport News, VA

  • Took photos and videos to support and frame written news articles, including events, features, and architecture.
  • Attended various events, from public appearances to political conferences, in order to obtain photographs for future publication.
  • Organized photos into newspaper archives, and sorted through shots to find the best possible photograph to use for a given story.
  • Managed creative suite of software and tools to edit images for color correction and a variety of factors, according to editorial guidelines.

Key Achievements

  • 2018 “Editorial Photographer Of the Year” winner at the Virginia State Photograthon.
Bad Example

Freelance Photographer

May 2013–July 2019
Self-Employed, Virginia Beach, VA

Job Responsibilities:

  • Attended events to look for photo ops.
  • Took dozens of photos each day.
  • Searched through reel for perfect shots.
  • Edited and tweaked photographs.

See these?

In the second photographer job description resume section, it’s just a dull list of past duties.  The first photographer resume sample, though, gives plenty of details, uses keywords based on the job description, and adds quantifiable accomplishments.

High contrast, indeed.

After that—a section with resume skills. Think about photography job openings as the smallest aperture you can find—f/2000. And, like any narrow aperture, it means it captures a wide field. 

According to the report by the US Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projection, between 2020 and 2030, there will be a 17% grow. It means more comptetion for you. So, prove to them you’re the best cameraperson they can possibly find with a curated list of the most in-demand skills for photographers.

Here is a list of sample photography skills resume section inclusions:

25+ Top Photographer Skills for a Resume

  • Photography Organizational Tools (e.g., Adobe Lightroom)
  • Photography Nondestructive Editing Tools (e.g., Adobe Photoshop)
  • Photo Editing & Touch Ups
  • Digital Photography
  • Analog Photography
  • File Types (e.g., RAW, JPEG, PNG, TIFF)
  • Wedding Photography
  • Communication Skills 
  • Photojournalism
  • Action & Sports Photography
  • Drone Operation
  • Abstract Photography
  • Nighttime / Low Light Photography
  • Black and White Photography
  • Composite Photography
  • Food Photography
  • Portrait Photography
  • Time-Lapse Photography
  • Creativity Skills
  • Attention to Detail
  • Nature Photography
  • Gimp
  • Canva
  • Fashion Photography
  • Topaz Studio
  • Long Exposure Photography

But hold up a sec.

Don’t put a list of 25 photographer skills on a resume (never go above 10). Don’t even put these particular skills we’ve listed above.

Instead, refer back to the photographer job description. Find the skills this photography studio or marketing department wants from their job responsibilities.

If you have a skill that matches something from the ad, that’s what you should list in a photographer resume skills section.

Expert Hint: You know how important the right file format is. As such, save photographer resumes you send out in the PDF format. The employer may have a hard time reading a Microsoft Word resume, depending on their device and browser, but a PDF resume looks right anywhere.

The name of your resume file matters! If you use a file name such as “resume” or “new_resume” you won’t stand out and your file can be difficult to sort. It can also give the impression that you don’t really care about the job enough to pay attention to details. Instead of a generic file name, use a format such as: “firstname_lastname_resume.PDF” to make it easier for an employer to find your documents.
Erin LewisAssistant Director, Clarion University Center for Career and Professional Development

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWcreate your resume now

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.

4. Turn the Photographer’s Education Section Into the Reason You’re Hired

There’s no trade requirement which says a photographer needs a minimum education to get hired. However, employers still want to see education on a resume with your academic accomplishments in focus and its format cropped to perfection.

Here’s a photography resume sample of a top education section:

Photographer Resume Example of Education Section

Good Example

B.F.A. in Photography

New York Film Academy, New York, NY

Completion: 2019

Relevant Coursework: Space, Form, and Process, Black and White Photography, Light Color Design Studio, Themes in Art and Culture, Digital Cinema, Large Format Photography, Science of Light, History of Art and Design, Professional Practices in Photography.

Here’s how to make your own just like it:

  • Start with listing your degree or certificate title at the top.
  • Add the design school or university’s name, its city and state, and the year in which you completed the course.
  • Include a list of relevant classes to show the photography studio or digital marketing team you’re well rounded.
  • Next, add any academic extras you may have, such as awards or extracurricular activities.

Expert Hint: If you’ve completed a degree at a college, whether it’s a photography degree or otherwise, leave high school off. 

5. Add Some Special Effects to a Photography Resume

Employers have a large depth of field when it comes to the amount of photography resumes to go through. Want to gain the longest exposure when it comes to considering you for an interview?

Include more than just the core sections we’ve talked about.

Below are some of the best additional sections to add to any photography resume template for it to sparkle and shine:

Certifications & Licenses

  • Certified Professional Photographer (CPP)
  • CPD iPhotography Course Certification
  • Certificate in Digital Photography

Photography Organizations & Associations

  • National Press Photographers Association (NPPA)
  • American Society of Media Professionals (ASMP)
  • Professional Photographers of America (PPA)

Related Hobbies & Interests

  • Fashion Blogging
  • Instagramming
  • Interior Design

Equipment & Professional Camera Makes & Models

  • Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
  • Nikon D750
  • Panasonic S1R
  • Sony A9 Mirrorless Camera
  • Fujifilm X-A5
  • Olympus E-M10 III
  • Fancierstudio Chromakey Lighting Kit
  • LimoStudio Continuous Lighting Kit
  • Canon 70 - 200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
  • Nikon 85mm f/1.4G

Knowledge of a Second Language

  • Oromo: Native Proficiency
  • Thai: Professional Working Proficiency
  • Icelandic: Intermediate Proficiency
  • Spanish: Basic Conversational Proficiency

Expert Hint: Know what pairs well with a photographer resume? A great photography cover letter. Always include a cover letter, because most creative heads and photography studio employers prefer it. 

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOWcreate your cover letter now

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Key Points

Let’s recap— 

Here’s how to create a photography resume that steals the show:

  • Get the formatting sorted before you put pen to paper on your photography resume.
  • Open the document with a powerful and compelling summary or objective statement.
  • List your past work responsibilities in high-resolution detail.
  • Include achievements with numbers to quantify your know-how.
  • Add a short list of the most potent photography skills this employer’s looking for.
  • Throw in an extra section or two, such as photography certifications or foreign languages.
  • Don’t forget a cover letter for photographer jobs alongside your resume.

Have any questions on how to write a photographer assistant resume or a photography resume for beginners? Need help documenting your professional photographer resume achievements? Let’s talk below in the comment area, and thanks for reading!

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Rate my article: photographer
Thank you for voting
Average: 5 (7 votes)
Christian Eilers, CPRW
Career expert who has been sharing his expert knowledge since 2017. His advice will guide you smoothly through all recruitment processes: from job hunting to getting a promotion. Christian offers comprehensive advice on career development and each step of the job search, from start to finish and beyond. His guides cover looking for new jobs, sending application documents such as resumes and cover letters, acing interview questions, and settling into the new position. Since 2017, he has written over 200 in-depth, meticulously-researched career advice articles in collaboration with the most renowned career experts in the world. Hundreds of thousands of readers visit Christian’s articles each month. Christian majored in Communication & Culture, Anthropology at the City University of New York. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling and learning about cultures and traditions from around the world.

Was it interesting? Here are similar articles

56 Resume Writing Tips and Tricks for 2024

56 Resume Writing Tips and Tricks for 2024

You can stop searching—this is the ultimate collection of best resume tips that can help you succeed in 2024. These resume writing tips will help to impress hiring managers.

Roma Kończak, CPRW
Roma Kończak, CPRW
Career Expert