Arts and media

Photographer CV: sample CV and example

This example is for product, advertising, event and wedding photographers, photojournalists and photographers working for agencies, online stores and newsrooms, both on staff and freelance.

In this profession the portfolio matters most, but the CV still decides whether anyone looks at it. We show how to combine the two.

Create your CV in the builder See the example

Example CV: photographer

All the details in this example are fictional. Treat it as a model of layout and wording, and replace the content with your own experience.

Bartosz Grabowski

Product and advertising photographer

Wroclaw +48 123 456 789 bartosz.grabowski@example.com Portfolio: przyklad-fotograf.pl

Professional profile

Product and advertising photographer with 7 years of experience in the studio and on commissions for online stores and agencies. I shoot packshots, lifestyle images and social media campaigns, from the set to editing. I work quickly, in a consistent brand style and to campaign deadlines.

Work experience

Photographer

04.2020 – present

E-commerce photography studio, Wroclaw

Packshot and lifestyle shoots for around 30 online stores, up to 400 products a week.
Setting up studio lighting and photo standards for new clients.
Editing and retouching in Lightroom and Photoshop, preparing files for online stores and ads.
Cutting the time from shoot to publication from 5 to 2 days with editing presets.
Working with stylists and designers on seasonal campaigns.

Photographer (self-employed)

2017 – 2020

Event and portrait commissions, Wroclaw

Covering conferences and corporate events.
Portrait and branding shoots for companies.
Handling clients from the quote to delivering the photos.

Education

Photography and multimedia technician

2015 – 2017

Post-secondary school of photography

Skills

Product and packshot photography
Studio and outdoor lighting
Lightroom, Photoshop
Retouching and post-production
Basic filming and video editing
Working with a brand and a brief

Courses and certificates

Product retouching course, 2021
Studio lighting workshop, 2019

Languages

English: B2

Additional information

Own equipment: full-frame camera, prime lenses, studio strobes
Category B driving licence

I hereby consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes necessary to carry out the recruitment process, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (GDPR).

How to write a photographer CV

Professional summary

Say what you specialize in (products, fashion, interiors, weddings, reportage, portraits), who you work for and what you give the client: speed, a consistent style, full service from the shoot to editing. Put the link to your portfolio next to your contact details.

Interior and architectural photographer with 4 years of experience working with real estate agencies and architects. I shoot apartments, hotels and offices, do HDR editing and drone photography. I work independently and meet listing publication deadlines.

Experience: duties and achievements

Describe the types of commissions, the scale (number of shoots, products, events) and the results for the client. Treat self-employment like a staff job: role title, period, types of clients and commissions.

Weaker: Taking product photos.

Better: Packshot and lifestyle shoots for around 30 online stores, up to 400 products a week.

Weaker: Photo editing.

Better: Lightroom editing presets that cut the time from shoot to publication from 5 to 2 days.

Weaker: Event photography.

Better: Covering more than 50 corporate conferences, delivering selected photos on the day of the event.

Skills worth listing

Separate your photography skills, software and equipment. Describe equipment in general terms (type of camera, lenses, lighting), without a long list of models.

Professional skills

Studio and outdoor photography
Setting up lighting
Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One
Retouching and post-production
Basic video and editing
Drone photography (if you are licensed)

Personal skills

A sense of aesthetics and a consistent style
Working with people in front of the camera
Independence and organizing shoots
Meeting deadlines
Understanding the client's needs and the brief

Photographer CV for beginners

Without commercial commissions, your portfolio matters most: choose the 15–25 best photos from one or two specializations. Describe your own projects, shoots for friends, volunteering at events and courses.

Many people start as a photographer's assistant or in an e-commerce studio. Say that you want to learn studio work and list the software you know.

Tailoring your CV to the job offer

An online store wants fast and consistent product photography, a newsroom wants reportage and working under time pressure, an agency wants creativity and working to a brief. For each application, choose matching photos from your portfolio and move similar commissions to the top.

Photographer portfolio: what to show

Your best work, not everything: 20 strong photos are better than 200 average ones.
Work in the specialization you are looking for, for example products or portraits.
A few before-and-after photos if retouching is an important part of the job.
A short description of projects: the client or type of client, the task and your role.
Only photos you have the right to publish, and images of people who have agreed to it.

The most common mistakes on a photographer CV

No link to the portfolio, or a link that does not work.
A portfolio with many random specializations.
A long list of equipment models instead of a description of your skills.
Leaving out self-employment and commissions.
Publishing clients' photos without permission to show them.

Questions and answers

What should a photographer put on a CV?

Your specialization, experience and commissions with their scale, editing software, equipment described in general terms, courses and a link to your portfolio next to your contact details.

Does a photographer need a CV if they have a portfolio?

Yes, especially for staff jobs in a studio, agency or newsroom. The CV shows your experience and reliability, the portfolio your style and quality.

How do you put self-employment on a CV?

Like a regular position: role title, period, types of clients, kinds of commissions and their scale. You can name a few clients if they have agreed to it.

Create a photographer CV in the builder

In the CV Majster builder you enter your details step by step and see right away what the document looks like. You can copy the wording from this page and adapt it to yourself. The finished CV as a PDF costs a one-off PLN 5, with no subscription, and you see the preview before you pay.

Go to the CV builder