If you love the camera and have always aspired to make your passion a profession, then freelance photography is the perfect career choice for you. In this digital age, where every business and individual needs their photographs online, this has turned into one of the most sought after professions of our time. In this competitive field, you will need a resume that can capture your skills, qualifications and showcase your prior experience in the best way possible. In this guide we will focus on the finer details that make a resume the perfect vessel to showcase your qualities and expertise as a photographer.
How to Write an Effective Resume for a Freelance Photographer?
Freelance photographer resumes need to showcase your technical skills, photography skills and help build a credible image in the eyes of a hiring manager. A great freelance photographer resume reflects your individuality and emphasizes your professionalism in giving sound creative direction. A professional resume is your gateway to landing amazing opportunities which can propel your career. Let's take a look at the important pointers to keep in mind while writing a freelance photographer resume.
- Choose an apt resume format to present the best version of your professional self.
- Maintain consistent formatting throughout your freelance photographer resume.
- Begin your photographer resume with a prominent header which contains your full name and your professional contact information.
- Write an articulate resume summary that effectively captures your key skills, experience and strengths as a photographer.
- Detail your prior work history in a structured manner mentioning your job title, name of the company and exact dates of employment.
- Organize all your hard and soft skills in order of relevance to the requirements of a specific job.
- Mention your academic credentials and highlight the relevant education and degrees you have received.
- Ensure your freelance photographer resume is well-formatted and aesthetically pleasing.
- Customize your resume to meet the expectations of the client and present a relevant portfolio to convey you are the right person for the job.
Choose the Right Resume Format
Choosing the right resume format makes sure your career and professional attributes are presented in a visually impressive manner. Each resume format comes with its own unique offering. There are primarily three resume formats commonly used by job seekers. Let's take a look at each of them in more detail.
Chronological Format
The chronological format structures your work history in a reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent project. Its aim is to emphasize your career progression and professional growth. This format will work best for candidates who have a steady freelance photography career with an extensive portfolio. The chronological format is highly favoured by hiring managers during the recruitment process. In a chronological format, the key sections of your freelance photographer resume are organized in the following manner.
- Header
- Resume Summary
- Work experience
- Skills
- Education
- Additional sections (optional)- Certifications, personal projects, languages
Functional Format
The functional format focusses on your skills and qualifications rather than your professional experience. The main objective of this format is to showcase your suitability through your capabilities rather than your prior experience. This format is highly suggested for candidates who want to take the attention away from the huge gaps in their employment history and inconsistent career progression. The functional format structures your resume sections in the following order.
- Header
- Professional summary
- Skills
- Achievement
- Work experience
- Education
- Additional sections (optional)
Hybrid Format
The hybrid format combines the main features of the functional and chronological resume styles. It allows a candidate to highlight their skills and experience equally. This format is made for candidates who want to showcase a balanced and comprehensive overview of their capabilities and relevant experience. In the hybrid format, the resume sections are placed in the following order.
- Header
- Professional summary
- Skills
- Work experience
- Education
- Additional sections (optional)
Make a Professional Header
Begin your resume by creating a prominent header section. This section should include your name and contact details. You can also include a link to your professional website to provide easy access to your portfolio. In this section include your full name, job title, phone number, email address and links to your LinkedIn profile and website. Let's take a look at an example for a header section of a freelance photographer resume.
Example
Write an Impactful Resume Summary
A resume summary is essentially a short paragraph detailing the main highlights of your career along with your strongest professional skills. A resume summary plays a significant role in communicating the qualities that make you a perfect fit for a particular project. It is best to keep it brief and not use more than 2-4 sentences to showcase your expertise and qualifications.
Begin your summary with an adjective like hard-working, motivated, experienced followed by your job title. Mention the number of years of experience you have being a photographer. Highlight notable skills and areas of expertise to reel in the attention of a hiring manager. We highly recommend emphasizing the creative value you bring to any project and display a strong alignment with the client's vision. This section is the most effective when it is tailored to fit the requirements of the position. Let's take a look at an example of an impactful professional summary for a photographer's resume.
Example
Detail Your Prior Work Experience
Self employed photographers need to showcase their professional experience and achievements efficiently in their resumes. If you want to get a photography job, then your work needs to speak volumes of your capabilities to handle a project professionally from start to finish. As a photographer, it is an absolute must to have a link to your portfolio where a client can easily browse through your body of work.
While structuring your experience section, keep in mind to highlight the most relevant projects that you have undertaken as a photographer. List your employment history in a reverse chronological order to showcase your career graph. Avoid detailing your responsibilities in your previous jobs through long paragraphs; opt for bullet points instead. Start every sentence with a strong action verb like organized, maintained, collaborated etc. You can use this space to mention notable highlights and achievements of your career with tangible examples. Let's take a look at an example of a coherent and well-structured work experience section.
Example
Highlight Your Photography Skills
Your resume should clearly reflect your technical expertise as a photographer. The most efficient way to do that is by listing your relevant skills in order of priority and relevance. Since freelance photographers are required to work with clients and other vendors it is necessary to showcase soft skills as well. For more clarity, you can separate your technical skills and soft skills. Here is an example of a skills section for a photographer resume.
Example
Mention Your Academic Background
There is no mandatory educational requirement to pursue photography. A lot of freelance photographers are self-taught. However, having a relevant degree on your resume gives you a lot of credibility and improves your chances of getting the job. Begin listing your academic background starting with the highest level of education you have received. Mention the name of the institution you received your degree and the graduation date as well. If you have additional certifications and degrees which are relevant to your field, then make sure to highlight them as well. Let's take a look at an example for an education section of a photographer resume.
Example
Make Your Photographer Resume Visually Appealing
Being a good photographer entails expressing your art through a visual medium. This quality should resonate in your resume as well. Your artistic flair should be represented from the get go in your photographer resume. We have compiled a list of pro tips to help you elevate the design and aesthetic appeal of your resume. Let's dive in.
- Opt for a clean and attractive resume layout that offers a minimalistic and stylish design that complements the aesthetics of your photography.
- Consider adding a visual header with a professional photograph of yourself. It adds a personal touch to your job application and puts a face to the name for clients.
- You can choose to stylize the section headings with bold fonts and subtle design elements of your choice.
- Choose a pleasing colour palette and introduce a pop of colour to help certain key sections and details stand out.
- Showcase the best images of your portfolio in the form of thumbnails to offer the clients a clear representation of your style.
- Choose an easy to read and professional font for your freelance photographer resume. Maintain consistent formatting in font size and style in your entire resume.
- Integrating your personal brand identity can help personalize and strengthen your professional image.
- Try adding a visual timeline to highlight the key milestones you have achieved in your career.
- Leave sufficient white space between sections and be mindful of not cluttering your resume with too much information.
Tailor Your Resume to Meet the Job Description
Customizing your resume before every job application is one of the most crucial steps to ensure success in your job search. This step ensures that each section of your resume is relevant to the job that you are applying for. Here are some key pointers to keep in mind while you customize your photographer resume.
- Read the job description carefully and identify the skills, qualifications and experience that the client is seeking.
- Highlight the most common keywords and phrases used by the client in the job posting.
- Tailor your summary to highlight the specific skill set and expertise that the employer is on the lookout for.
- Adjust your experience section and only highlight your relevant work which aligns with the requirements of the position.
- Update your skills section and include the specific ones which have been detailed in the job description. Prioritize this section to showcase the most relevant skills that the client is seeking.
- Customize your portfolio to showcase work similar in the style and feel of what the client is looking for.
- Make sure to always proofread your resume and eliminate any grammatical or formatting errors. This also helps maintain a professional and uniform tone in your entire resume.
More Information on the Freelance Photographer Job
High quality images hold a lot of value in the real and the digital world. A profession in photography has potential for immense career growth with multiple opportunities available in the job market. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate for photographers is projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032. The demand for commercial photography is only going to grow in the coming times resulting in a steady demand for professionals in this field.
Key Takeaways
- Choose the right format to highlight your skills and qualifications in your resume.
- Divide your resume into clear sections for a structured and organized look.
- Create a professional header containing your name, contact information as well as a link to your website.
- Write a concise and impactful summary that shows your skills and experience as a photographer.
- Detail your work experience in a reverse chronological order using bullet points.
- Highlight your relevant skills that showcase your technical expertise and efficient client relationship management.
- Mention any relevant education you have received by listing the name of the degree, institution and specifying the graduation date.
- Maintain consistent formatting through the entirety of your freelance photographer resume.
- Make sure the resume is design-forward with a clean, professional and stylish layout.
- Customize your resume before every job application to align your resume to meet the professional criterias for the position.
- The job prospects for a photographer are bright and offer the chance for constant learning and professional development.
We hope through this guide you will be able to construct an awe-inspiring resume in no time. If you would like more assistance in understanding the finer details of writing a resume, then you can check out our vast collection of resume examples and templates to help guide you through the process. We wish you all the luck with your job hunt!
