A Photography Cover Letter presents the hiring team with a glimpse of your capabilities, achievements, skills, professional background, and experience for employment consideration.
If you are looking to secure a good photography job, you should consider marketing your strengths strategically in a photography cover letter to capture the attention of the busy hiring manager.
The purpose of a photography cover letter is to complement the resume by providing relevant additional information about the applicant to persuade the hiring manager to consider your application. A cover letter is used to explain how your qualifications and skills match the job description. The importance of a photography cover letter is to aid in getting an interview invite.
Keep in mind that photography intensively involves imagination and creativity. All photography job vacancies seek to see your creativity in action through the way you describe yourself in the cover letter. Therefore, a photography cover letter should aim to make a captivating impression on the hiring team by demonstrating a few strategic examples of your technical and artistic skills that make you stand out.
How to Write a Photography Cover Letter
For a successful photography cover letter, include essential components such as a good introduction, proper description of skills, use of keywords, and much more. The following are all necessary components that form part of the informative paragraphs of the cover letter.
Introduce yourself
A photography cover letter should begin with a brief introduction detailing why you think you are the best candidate for the job. Mention why you are excited about getting the job, and state how the job opportunity suits your long-term career goals. Without repeating content already discussed in your resume, you should detail your past job experiences and accomplishments in two paragraphs and relate them to the job requirements.
Include your portfolio
To support the information about your skills presented in the photography cover letter, you may need to attach a link to an online portfolio showcasing your works. Make sure to attach the best version of your work that demonstrates your style and quality of work. It is often advisable to put in effort in creating a website that displays your gallery, which further shows the hiring manager that you are serious and well advanced in technology.
Showcase your technical skills
Focus on showcasing your technical. Discuss technical skills like photo editing skills, proficiency in handling various cameras, photography training, and all the relevant software in which you are an expert.
Include your digital skills
Describe the digital skills you possess and use for publishing your pictures. Some key digital skills employers currently seek from photography candidates include image cropping techniques, image manipulation, composition, and editing. You can also mention your competencies and knowledge of the social media sites like Facebook or Instagram and how you use them to post your work and source for market. Most importantly highlight some of your top-notch video and photo editing skills such as photoshop to make your cover photo stand out.
State your achievements
The hiring team would be interested to know your achievements or accomplishments, which should be included in a photography cover letter. Include the various successes and wins you have established due to your qualifications, education, and experience. Include your skills to give the hiring team a glimpse of your potential. Feel free to mention the awards and recognition obtained for your expertise in the field of photography. Candidates with little working experience can still reference achievements obtained in their internships, classroom, or volunteer programs.
Add keywords for the job description
Using keywords in a cover letter points out to the hiring team the specific talents and skills that they seek from the candidates. These skills may include color correcting skills, photo-editing, video editing, etc., among others. It is advisable to discuss your past achievements and link them to the job description requirements; that way, you can tackle the keywords needed.
Share your passion for photography
Convince the hiring manager in a cover letter why your passions lie in photography. Employers are convinced that a passionate employee is more likely to be proactive and competent, with high chances of delivering high-quality performance. Explain what motivates you to take pictures to help the hiring manager resonate with your inspirations for an increased chance of being called for an interview.
Thank the letter recipient for their time
It is part of professional courtesy to thank the hiring manager in a cover letter for taking the time to read your job application, which promotes a positive attitude. Give a summary of your experience, skills, and qualifications, and show intention to be among the shortlisted candidates.
Provide your contact details for follow-up
Before concluding the photography cover letter, provide your email or phone number for the hiring manager to contact you if they need clarification or call you for an interview.
Sign off
Conclude the photography cover letter by signing against your name, which is part of the professional requirements of a formal letter.
Note: In case you are sending a photography cover letter via email, you should mention in the subject line the job title you are applying for and include your name in the email to catch the hiring manager’s attention.
For example:
Subject: Application for a Photographer Job Position- Your Name
Related: Learn about Photography Laws
Free Templates
Following are some templates given for your better understanding:
(Name of Applicant)
Street
City, Zip Code
Email address
(Date)
Hiring Manager
(Name of manager)
ABC Photography Company
Street
City, Zipcode
Dear Sir/Madam,
Subject: Photography Job application
It is with much anticipation that I write to demonstrate my interest to join your team as a photographer in (ABC photography) company. My sharp technical skill, coupled with (5 years) working experience in photography conveniently make me the best candidate for the job.
I have worked as a (freelance) photographer, shooting events such as birthdays, and weddings. I gained adequate technical and digital skills for editing photos and videos using apps such as (photoshop, list others).
I am passionate about photography, which inspired my career choice to study photography and video editing in (name of college). Attached is a link to some of my previous works which will help you gauge my competence in the field of photography (provide a link).
Thank you so much for taking your time to read my cover letter, your consideration will be much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Applicant name
Signature
Sample Letters
Your Name
Your address
Your city, state, and zip code
Dear Ms. Johnson,
I was excited to see your company’s job posting for an experienced photographer, and I am very interested in the position.
As a professional photographer with seven years of experience, I have had many opportunities to showcase my work. My portfolio includes ten weddings, each of which I was the lead photographer. I was able to work with inclement weather during two of those weddings, which resulted in unique photographs that the couple were very happy with. I believe in the importance of working with whatever conditions you find yourself in, and this philosophy has always helped me capture beautiful and memorable moments for my clients. I can be flexible and adaptable, which has helped me excel in my field.
In addition to wedding photography, I am also experienced with nature photography. My nature shots have been featured in several magazines and art shows. I also have three years of experience doing family photoshoots, both formal and informal. I have worked extensively with several elementary schools taking school photos as well, in which I have demonstrated strong interpersonal skills and time-management abilities.
I am well versed in both film and digital photography, and I excel in editing with photoshop and Lightroom software. I am also experienced in developing film prints in the darkroom.
I hope I will be considered for this opening, and I very much look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
(Sign your name here)
Tips for Writing a Great Photography Cover Letter
Few minor issues can lead to the dismissal of your photography cover letter if you are not keen enough. Listed below are critical points to note and some tips to follow when writing a photography cover letter.
Only include relevant skills
When writing a photography cover letter, read through the job description requirements to understand the skillsets the hiring manager is looking for, and tailor your cover letter to only portray the skills required. Aligning your skills to match the requirements in the job description helps save time for the letter recipient and captures their attention, improving your chances of getting the job.
Provide a background
Make sure to provide a background of your relevant experiences, achievements, knowledge, and awards to help the hiring manager understand your capabilities. In addition, mention a brief overview of your education and the course studies relevant to the job position to show the hiring manager that you are adequately trained for the job position.
Avoid spelling and grammatical mistakes
Any grammatical or spelling mistakes in a cover letter show elements of illiteracy, leading to a definite dismissal of your application. You should ensure to proofread your photography cover letter before submitting it to eliminate all sorts of errors.
Research the company you are applying to
You need to research the company you are applying to, mainly to ensure you have background information about its culture, mission, vision, and needs. This background information of the company guides you when writing a photography cover letter. You can tailor your skills to match the needs of the company.
Final Thoughts
The only thing standing between you and your dream job is a good cover letter. Note that a cover letter should not replicate the same information presented in a resume; it should provide the hiring manager additional details of your professional background, skills, personality, including your passion, goals, and your previous achievements. This article provides meaningful insight and tips to guide you in writing a successful photography cover letter.
