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Freelance photographer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Jill Frank,
Jill Frank
Freelance photographer example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical freelance photographer skills. We ranked the top skills for freelance photographers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 30.4% of freelance photographer resumes contained adobe photoshop as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a freelance photographer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 freelance photographer skills for your resume and career

1. Adobe Photoshop

Here's how freelance photographers use adobe photoshop:
  • Advanced user of Adobe Photoshop in photographic manipulation and graphic production.
  • Manipulate images utilizing Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

2. Aperture

Here's how freelance photographers use aperture:
  • Skilled in editing software including Photoshop, Lightroom, Final Cut Pro and Aperture.
  • Exposed frames of film in sequential order and regulated exposures and aperture to obtain special effected.

3. Adobe Lightroom

Here's how freelance photographers use adobe lightroom:
  • Developed photos using Adobe Lightroom, edited details such as teeth whitening, clarity and exposure to fit client's desires.
  • Created and maintained a style guide for current and future seasons using a database created in Adobe Lightroom.

4. Photo Shoots

A photoshoot is a series of photographs that a photographer takes of someone, usually of a model or a famous person, to be used in a newspaper or a magazine. The goal of a photoshoot is to achieve a predetermined visual objective. Later, these images can be used for editing or post-production..

Here's how freelance photographers use photo shoots:
  • Coordinated photo shoots with marketing departments to ensure photographs and marketing materials are delivered in sufficient time to meet customer deadlines.
  • Developed in-house brand communications and oversaw photo shoots for a variety of different departments.

5. Portfolio

Here's how freelance photographers use portfolio:
  • Compiled photo portfolio for event and modeling photography.
  • Completed photography sessions based on projects available, and to build my portfolio, which serves as my creative outlet.

6. Music Videos

Music videos are short films or videos that feature a song and imagery and are produced either for artistic or promotional purposes.

Here's how freelance photographers use music videos:
  • Record and edit different forms of media for instance commercials, event promotional videos, music videos, and other events.
  • Conceive, produce various content video productions including corporate, institutional, music videos, documentaries and live events.

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7. DSLR

Here's how freelance photographers use dslr:
  • Produced computer-readable digital images using DSLR camera and photo-finishing programs.
  • Use of DSLR, along with a variety of equipment such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.

8. Lifestyle

Lifestyle, in sociology, is a term introduced by an Austrian psychologist, Adler, in 1929, and it is one used to describe the sociological elements (such as behavior, interests, opinions, and culture) found present within or exhibited either by an individual or by a specific group or entire cultures of people.

Here's how freelance photographers use lifestyle:
  • Facilitate and complete family and lifestyle photography projects.
  • Specialize in lifestyle and travel photography.

9. Product Photography

Here's how freelance photographers use product photography:
  • Freelance photography assignments including landscapes, portraits, product photography, architectural photography, special assignments.
  • Co-created a marketing brand for an expanding tequila company, product photography, created visual narrative

10. Graphic Design

Graphic design is the art of making visual content to communicate messages. Designers apply different page layout methods and visual hierarchy by using letters and pictures to meet the need of end-users. Most companies use graphic design to sell their product or services and to convey complicated information by using infographics.

Here's how freelance photographers use graphic design:
  • Work includes promotional images of national recording artists and photographic content for graphic design.
  • Execute product/still life images in collaboration with graphic designers for marketing purposes.

11. Instagram

Here's how freelance photographers use instagram:
  • Staged and edited photographs to model products for the Instagram page of UnboundBox, a sexual wellness company based in NYC.
  • Market the brand through several media outlets including YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook.

12. Facebook

Here's how freelance photographers use facebook:
  • Developed new creative methods for attracting customers to my services via website with Facebook, Twitter and other social media programs.
  • Delivered eye catching, creative, high-quality images and photos that has been featured across musicians Facebook and web pages.

13. Edit Photos

Here's how freelance photographers use edit photos:
  • Capture images-Customer service-Handle rates/forms of payment/expenses-Edit photos as needed
  • Edit photos using an image editing program for maximum photography quality.

14. Real Estate

Real estate is land that has buildings on it. This kind of property consists of permanent improvements either natural or man-made, which include, houses, fences, bridges, water trees, and minerals. There are 4 types of real estate namely; residential real estate, commercial real estate, industrial real estate, and vacant land.

Here's how freelance photographers use real estate:
  • Specialize in residential architectural photography for builders, architects, interior designers, and luxury real estate companies
  • Developed architectural photography business with real estate brokers, architects and developers

15. Head Shots

Here's how freelance photographers use head shots:
  • Provided photography services including: - Weddings - Portraits - Model Comp Cards and Head Shots - Special Event Photography - Sports
  • Accomplished in professional fashion shoots and head shots of company executives and employees in studio settings.
top-skills

What skills help Freelance Photographers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on freelance photographer resumes?

Jill Frank

Assistant Professor, Georgia State University

The ability to use all camera functions and fully understand the tools, both analog and digital. Having an artistic vision and creative drive that makes your portfolio unique and memorable. Confidence with lighting, managing large photoshoots, awareness of the current trends in photography, ability to handle deadlines and difficult situations.

What soft skills should all freelance photographers possess?

Jill Frank

Assistant Professor, Georgia State University

Listening, being observant, trusting your vision. It is always important to work well in teams and have the patience to be a good collaborator.

What hard/technical skills are most important for freelance photographers?

Jill Frank

Assistant Professor, Georgia State University

There is an expectation that material and technique are mastered. For example, if you want to photograph an event at night, you should know how to handle the resolution, the iso, the lighting, the speed of the shutter, etc., so that the images work for their intended purpose. If you are not ready to handle the technical elements, you are not ready for the photoshoot.

What freelance photographer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Peter GlendinningPeter Glendinning LinkedIn profile

W.J. Beal Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University

In my experience, people like being a photographer for reasons that often have to do with what they like doing in life, what their personality is, what their passions outside of photography are. The "people person," the "quiet poet," the "analytical type," and more, all can find a field in photography that suits them well, whether fashion photography, landscape photography, architectural photography or other. Someone who is lazy, disorganized, feels they already know everything, undisciplined, lacking in courage, will probably not like this field.

What type of skills will young freelance photographers need?

Susan McSpaddenSusan McSpadden LinkedIn profile

Marketing Photographer, Johnson County Community College

Graduates in the field of photography would benefit significantly from some business knowledge. Take some business classes, if you can, even if it's a weekend continuing education session. There are freelance opportunities out there, if you are self-motivated and seek them out. Knowing about self-employment tax and how to budget your earnings as a freelancer would help until you are able to land a full-time position with a company or institution. Just like with any profession, being a go-getter, a self-starter, a hard worker, a go-the-extra-miler will help.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about freelance photographer

List of freelance photographer skills to add to your resume

Freelance photographer skills

The most important skills for a freelance photographer resume and required skills for a freelance photographer to have include:

  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Aperture
  • Adobe Lightroom
  • Photo Shoots
  • Portfolio
  • Music Videos
  • DSLR
  • Lifestyle
  • Product Photography
  • Graphic Design
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Edit Photos
  • Real Estate
  • Head Shots
  • Photographic Services
  • Portrait Photography
  • Twitter
  • Nikon
  • Edit Images
  • Quality Images
  • Digital Photography
  • Scheduling Appointments
  • Camera Equipment
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Fashion Photography
  • Color Correction
  • Mac
  • Corporate Events
  • Business Cards
  • NYC
  • Post Processing
  • Digital Images
  • Social Events
  • Digital Cameras
  • Photo Sessions
  • Community Events
  • Promotional Materials
  • Photography Assignments
  • Food Photography
  • Photojournalism
  • Edit Photographs
  • Local Businesses
  • Clips
  • Natural Light
  • Documentaries
  • Artificial Light
  • Client Objectives

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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