Ensure your CV format is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.

Photographer CV template (text format)

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Dedicated sales associate with 5+ years of experience in retail environments. Recognised for ability to communicate with customers, provide exceptional service, and upsell products. Received Employee of the Year award in 2 consecutive years. Seeking retail sales position with opportunities for advancement into a managerial position.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Harbour Creative, Bristol
Lead Photographer, Dec 20XX–Present

  • Assist 50 customers daily in finding merchandise, while providing recommendations that have led to a 12% annual increase in sales
  • Helped implement a new inventory tracking system, improving organisational efficiency
  • Exceeded sales goals by 150%+ in 2 consecutive months
  • Manage merchandise displays, highlighting new inventory with the goal of increasing sales
  • Regularly maintain a 90%+ customer service feedback rating
  • Encouraged 80 new patrons to sign up for Burberry’s newsletter

Western Models, Bristol
Assistant Photographer, September 20XX­–August 20XX

  • Coordinated with clients, scheduled photoshoots, and processed payments
  • Supported senior photographers with setting up equipment in preparation for photoshoots
  • Increased the number of clients by 30% by promoting the business on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
  • Kept photographic equipment worth £250K in excellent working condition through regular maintenance
  • Introduced process efficiencies and reduced resource wastage, saving the company £1.5K

EDUCATION

University of Leeds (20XX–20XX)
BA (Hons) Photography

  • Upper second-class honours (2:1)

SKILLS

  • Customer Service
  • Client Relationship Management
  • Photoshop
  • Lightroom
  • Portrait Photography
  • Event Photography
  • Lifestyle Photography
  • Digital Photography

HOBBIES & INTERESTS

  • Blogging
  • Meditation
  • Gardening
  • Cycling

How to write a photography CV

If you’re a creative person with attention to detail and an eye for composition, photography is a great career choice.

However, you’ll need to make a CV that showcases both your creativity and your technical skills to land a job as a professional photographer.

Here are three tips to help you learn how to write a standout CV:

1. Put your photography skills in focus

Having a diverse range of relevant skills on your CV will reassure employers of your ability to handle assignments and deliver excellent results.

Here’s a list of skills that stand out on a phographer CV:

  • Photo editing
  • Composition
  • Equipment operation and setup
  • Colour theory
  • Studio and natural lighting
  • Advanced camera operation
  • Film development
  • Equipment maintenance
  • Communication skills
  • Creativity
  • Time management

Mention your most relevant skills at the top of your photography CV in your personal statement and include the rest in your CV’s skills section. Remember to provide employers with context by giving examples of how you put your skills to use in past roles in the experience section of your CV.

Consider making a video CV that showcases your photography to send along with your traditional CV to give employers a quick look at your best work.

2. Link to your portfolio in your photography CV

Including a link to your professional portfolio website allows you to showcase your best work and gives potential employers the chance to assess if your photography style matches their needs. Here’s how a link to your portfolio should look on your photography CV:

An example of a photography cv contact information section featuring the candidate
Link to your portfolio in the CV header so employers notice it.

3. Measure your work experience in hard numbers

Employers will look to your portfolio for evidence of your style and creativity. Therefore, the the best thing you to do with your work experience seciton is highlight the breadth of your experience.

Here are just a few details you can measure with hard numbers on your photographer CV:

  • Completed photoshoots
  • Client satisfaction rate (%)
  • Revenue earned
  • Published works
  • Engagement rates (social media)
  • Followers (social media)

Here’s a great example of a photographer work experience bullet point that uses numbers highly effectively:

  • Increased the number of clients by 30% in 6 months by promoting the studio on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Need more ideas?

Our library of CV examples has hundreds of tailored CVs you can use to fine-tune your job application and stand out from other applicants.

Photography job outlook in 2025 — things to know

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), photographers in the UK earn an average annual salary of £28,122.

You can find information about the gender pay gap for photographers on the ONS’ website.

Data source: The Office for National Statistics, an agency of His Majesty’s Government. The information contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 and reflects the ONS’s most recent salary (1/11/2023), gender pay gap (4/2023), and skills shortage data (6/2022).

A good example of a CV.
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Ida Pettersson
Written by

Ida Pettersson

After graduating from New College of Florida with a BA in Philosophy and Chinese Language and Culture, Ida moved to Hong Kong to begin her own career journey and finally settled in Taiwan. Her insights on CV writing, interview strategies, and career development have been featured on websites such as LawCareers.net, Digital Marketer, and SheCanCode.