photographer cover letter sample

10 Photographer Cover Letter Examples

Photographers excel at capturing moments, telling stories through images, and bringing out the unseen beauty in their subjects. Similarly, your cover letter is your chance to capture the attention of recruiters, tell your professional story, and highlight the unique qualities that make you the perfect candidate. In this guide, we'll delve into the best cover letter examples for Photographers, helping you to frame your skills and experiences in the most captivating way.

Cover Letter Examples

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The best way to start a Photographer cover letter is by grabbing the reader's attention with a strong opening line. This could be a brief statement about your passion for photography, a notable achievement, or a unique skill you possess. For example, "As a photographer who has captured award-winning images for renowned magazines, I am excited about the opportunity to bring my creative vision to your team." This not only shows your enthusiasm for the role but also gives a glimpse of your experience. Remember to address the hiring manager by name if possible, to make your letter more personal and engaging.

Photographers should end a cover letter by summarizing their skills, experience, and passion for photography. They should reiterate their interest in the position and express enthusiasm about the possibility of contributing to the company or client's visual storytelling. It's also important to thank the reader for their time and consideration. For example: "I am excited about the opportunity to bring my unique vision, technical skills, and passion for storytelling to your team. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing how my background and skills would be a good fit for your photography needs." Remember to end with a professional closing like "Sincerely" or "Best regards," followed by your name and contact information. This leaves a positive, professional impression and makes it easy for them to reach out to you.

A photographer's cover letter should ideally be about one page long. This length is enough to succinctly introduce yourself, explain your interest in the position, highlight your relevant skills and experiences, and conclude with a call to action. As a photographer, your cover letter should be concise and impactful, allowing your portfolio to showcase your talent and skills. Remember, hiring managers often have many applications to go through, so a shorter, well-crafted cover letter is more likely to hold their attention.

Writing a cover letter with no experience as a photographer can seem daunting, but it's absolutely possible. Here's how you can approach it: 1. Start with a Strong Introduction: Begin by introducing yourself and stating the position you're applying for. Mention where you found the job posting to show you're actively seeking opportunities in photography. 2. Highlight Relevant Skills: Even if you don't have professional experience, you likely have skills that are relevant to photography. These could be technical skills like understanding of lighting, composition, and editing software, or soft skills like creativity, attention to detail, and patience. Make sure to explain how these skills can benefit the employer. 3. Showcase Your Passion: Employers want to hire people who are passionate about their work. Talk about why you love photography, what inspired you to pursue it, and how you've been developing your skills. This could include self-taught practice, online courses, or even just a keen interest in visual arts. 4. Include Any Related Experience: If you've done any unpaid work, like shooting for a friend's wedding or a local event, don't hesitate to include it. You can also mention any relevant coursework or school projects. 5. Mention Your Willingness to Learn: Employers understand that everyone has to start somewhere. Express your eagerness to learn and grow in the field of photography. 6. Close with a Strong Conclusion: Reiterate your interest in the position and your eagerness to contribute your skills and passion to their team. Thank them for considering your application and express hope for further discussion. 7. Attach a Portfolio: If possible, attach a portfolio of your work or provide a link to an online portfolio. This gives potential employers a chance to see your skills firsthand. Remember, everyone starts somewhere. Your passion and dedication can often be just as valuable as direct experience. Good luck!

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Photographer Cover Letter Examples and Templates for 2024

• Cover Letter Examples
• Cover Letter Text Examples

How To Write a Photographer Cover Letter

To write a good photographer cover letter, focus on how you can take clear, striking images for the client or organization that posted the job. Link to your online portfolio and emphasize your related skills, such as subject lighting or equipment troubleshooting.

This guide will help you write a cover letter that gets you interviews for your next job as a photographer.

Photographer Cover Letter Templates and Examples

• Entry-Level
• Senior-Level

Photographer Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples

Derek Smith Photographer | [email protected] | (876) 429-7462 | Virginia Beach, VA 18573 | Portfolio

May 7, 2024

Jaime Nguyen Senior Hiring Manager Classic Photographers (746) 7593-1836 [email protected]

Dear Ms. Nguyen,

Last year, I created a client referral scheme that boosted my bookings by 43% in a single fiscal quarter. My high-quality portfolio and talent for building a quick rapport with clients helped me achieve this result. I look forward to generating impressive revenues as a freelancer at Classic Photographers.

As a creative professional with over two years of experience shooting weddings, I am drawn to Classic Photographers’s reputation for superb customer service. My passion for combining cutting-edge techniques with diligent client care makes me the ideal fit for your company. My recent accomplishments include:

• Leading a team of three newly-graduated photographers to shoot a week-long wedding celebration in Bali
• Receiving a 100% client satisfaction rating in 2023
• Consistently scoring in the top 2% of photographers at my agency for image quality and efficiency

Please get in touch to arrange a suitable interview appointment. I look forward to exploring how I can leverage my skills to create unforgettable memories for your wedding clients.

Derek Smith

Maria Mongaraz Photographer | [email protected]  | (123) 456-7890  | Nashville, TN 12345 | Portfolio

August 8, 2024

Melissa Oppenheimer Director of Human Resources XYZ Creatives 765-432-1987 [email protected]

Dear Ms. Oppenheimer,

In 2018, my portfolio project “Scenes of Hope” won first prize in the portrait photography category at the Savannah Arts Festival.  The judges described my work as unique, creative, and insightful. They also praised my talent in using focus and lighting to create attention-grabbing portraits. Those are skills I want to bring to XYZ Creatives as a staff photographer.

The mission at XYZ Creatives is to use photography to tell a story. My portrait techniques can help your business achieve this mission. Since graduating from the photography program at Savannah College of Art and Design, I have spent the past two years taking headshots, graduation photos, and other portraits as a freelance photographer. In my free time, I volunteered my photography skills to take professional headshots for women fleeing domestic violence who needed to find employment.

These projects helped me develop key skills, including:

• Connecting with photographic subjects
• Using color to create atmosphere
• Adjusting light and shadow to draw the eye

Portrait photography is my passion. I look forward to discussing how my work can benefit XYZ Studios with you.

Maria Mongaraz

Jermaine Burnett Photographer | [email protected] | (874) 395-2948 | Montgomery, AL 43019 | Portfolio

May 11, 2024

Andrea Levison Senior Hiring Manager Mom365 (745) 103-4928 [email protected]

Dear Ms. Levison,

In my first year as a newborn photographer, I exceeded my individual sales targets by 76%. My warm and sensitive interpersonal style and ability to adapt my service according to each family’s needs allowed me to achieve this result. I am excited to demonstrate the same outstanding customer care as a photographer at Mom365.

As a creative and passionate individual with specific expertise in capturing images of babies and children, the chance to work for an industry leader like Mom365 is irresistible to me. My latest achievements show I have the technical and soft skills to fit perfectly into your organization. These include:

• Achieving full marks during a recent spot check to ensure compliance with hospital and HIPAA regulations
• Receiving a personal email of thanks for creating beautiful images for a mother who had experienced a traumatic labor
• Consistently exceeding monthly productivity targets by at least 23% throughout my employment

I look forward to meeting you to discuss how my skills and 1 year of newborn photography experience can benefit your company and its customers. Please get in touch to arrange an interview.

Jermaine Burnett

A great photographer cover letter usually has five sections, outlined below. When possible, connect each section back to your defining skills and the employer’s photography needs. The following advice and examples show what to include in your cover letter so it’s optimized for each job application.

At the top of the page, include your resume contact header, the date, and any basic details you have about your recipient (as in the example below). To set a clear focus, add the title Photographer to your contact header and provide a link to your portfolio or online work samples. You can then modify your title to align with each job posting. For instance, you could use the title Travel Photographer if that’s closer to the role in question and still true to your experience.

(Note: Feel free to omit this section if you send your letter by email and your contact details are part of your signature.)

2. Salutation

Whenever you can, address your recipient by name – it’s the quickest way to signal you’re sending a job-specific letter and not a boilerplate. If you can’t find the recipient’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager” so your greeting is still tailored somewhat to each job application.

Dear Classic Photographers Hiring Manager:

3. “Hook” or introduction

Catch the reader’s attention by starting your letter with a clear example or measure of your success. What’s a key way you’ve been recognized for taking unique, creative, or insightful photos? For instance, maybe you recently won an arts festival award for outstanding portraits. Your cover letter intro should leave no doubt as to your relevant photography skills and interests.

In my first year as a newborn photographer, I exceeded my individual sales targets by 76%. My warm and sensitive interpersonal style and ability to adapt my service according to each family’s needs allowed me to achieve this result. I am excited to demonstrate the same outstanding customer care as a photographer at Mom365.

4. Body paragraph(s)

Use the main section of your letter to tell why this photography job opening suits you. For example, maybe you identify with the company’s mission around visual storytelling. Or perhaps the role uses lighting techniques or photo-editing software in which you have advanced expertise.

Following this explanation, cite a few more of your main skills or achievements , possibly as bullet points.

• Leading a team of three newly graduated photographers to shoot a week-long wedding celebration in Bali

5. Call to action

Finally, request an interview for the position. Consider briefly restating your ability to generate compelling images. To end your cover letter, use a simple closing like “Sincerely” or “Best regards” and then your name.

Photographer Cover Letter Tips

1. highlight your varied skill set.

As part of your letter’s body text, add a short list of bullet points to show your expertise in key work areas such as image editing, technical troubleshooting, or cross-team collaboration. This is a great way to emphasize you have the well-rounded skill set required by many photographer jobs.

2. Point to your overlapping experience

Based on the job posting, have you worked in similar media, subject matter, or photography styles? Feature that related work on your cover letter so the hiring manager sees you’d be a great fit.

As a creative and passionate individual with specific expertise in capturing images of babies and children, the chance to work for an industry leader like Mom365 is irresistible to me. My latest achievements show I have the technical and soft skills to fit perfectly into your organization.

3. Focus on client relations

Many photographer jobs require you to work closely with clients. When applying to a customer-facing position, give one or two examples of your related success to show you have the communication skills and emotional intelligence the role requires.

Photographer Cover Letter Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most important part of a cover letter -.

Any explanation you give for why this photography job or employer interests you. These details distinguish the cover letter from your resume and other application materials and can help you get past applicant tracking systems (ATS) . They also set up a good interview discussion about how you fit the role and/or the organization’s work culture.

Do hiring managers read cover letters? -

Some don’t, but many do. And all hiring managers seek fast ways to reduce a large pile of applications to just a few promising candidates. One common way they do this is by focusing on applications that include cover letter and then on cover letters that speak to their hiring needs. Send a custom cover letter with your resume, and you can be confident you’d make that select group.

Should I say “My name is…” on a cover letter? -

No. As long as your name appears in the letter’s closing section, you don’t need to state it otherwise.

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Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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