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Photography instructor skills for your resume and career

Q: What skills will help Photography Instructors earn the most?

Having a strong, personal portfolio. Having the ability to create a cohesive body of photographs that have a concept and good technique. In other words, being an exceptionally good fine art photographer is vital to be considered for high-paying positions.

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Kalee Appleton,

Kalee Appleton

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical photography instructor skills. We ranked the top skills for photography instructors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 18.8% of photography instructor resumes contained classroom management as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a photography instructor needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 photography instructor skills for your resume and career

1. Classroom Management

Here's how photography instructors use classroom management:

Acquired additional hours of professional development in classroom management, curriculum development, and information related to gifted & talented students.
Address challenges related to classroom management and student learning immediately Monitor student progress and report on daily session summaries.

2. Adobe Photoshop

Here's how photography instructors use adobe photoshop:

Provided knowledge of photographic imaging manipulation and editing skills in various computer programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.
Instruct students of all ages and educational backgrounds in the basics of digital photography and digital photo manipulation using Adobe Photoshop.

3. Digital Photography

Here's how photography instructors use digital photography:

Provided an extensive discourse on technical and conceptual digital photography Generated assignments, presentations, lectures, and critiques on critical issues
Designed a modular, competency-based digital photography & studio curriculum.

4. Curriculum Development

Here's how photography instructors use curriculum development:

Participated in communications curriculum development.
Utilize an adaptive teaching style, instructional design principles to promote cooperative learning, effective classroom management and curriculum development.

5. Filmmaking

Here's how photography instructors use filmmaking:

Instructed photography and filmmaking classes for children aged 6 - 12

6. Fine Arts

Here's how photography instructors use fine arts:

Developed curriculum for Bachelor of Fine Arts undergraduate level students (juniors and seniors).
Created new courses and outlines for the Interior Design & Fine Arts curriculum.

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7. Portrait Photography

Here's how photography instructors use portrait photography:

Created and taught photography courses for adults in basic skills, large format, and portrait photography.

8. Lightroom

Lightroom is an application that is usable on our mobile devices to edit, manage, and publish photos saved from a camera. This camera could be a phone camera either on Android or iOS. Lightroom runs smoothly on super-compressed low-megapixel JPEG files downloaded from the web.

Here's how photography instructors use lightroom:

Teach Lightroom course covering importing/exporting images, file organization, and RAW processing.
Developed a photography/intro to Photoshop and Lightroom class for students ages 10 to 16.

9. Syllabus

Here's how photography instructors use syllabus:

Planned the semester syllabus and weekly lessons and evaluated student success in relationship to established criteria.
Instructed photography classes, created class syllabus, planned classes, maintained darkroom, procured supplies for darkroom and classes.

10. Portfolio

Here's how photography instructors use portfolio:

Assisted students in preparing artwork for professional portfolio presentation and gallery showings.
Designed a comprehensive course of instruction intended to further artistic skill while building a portfolio of works suitable for collegiate admission.

11. 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 photography instructors use graphic design:

Incorporated graphic design layout and photography for personalized portfolios.
Utilized strong advising skills and facilitated learning for students in Photography, Graphic Design and Art Fundamental courses.

12. Camera Operation

Camera operation refers to the ability of an individual to use a camera.

Here's how photography instructors use camera operation:

Instructed in camera operations, printing techniques, story telling, presentation and aesthetic value including location lighting and magazine production.
Instruct in camera operations, composition, digital imaging and ethical practices.

13. Course Content

Here's how photography instructors use course content:

Developed course content and provided didactic instruction to pediatric nurse practitioner students in the management of pediatric acute and chronic illnesses.
Modified curriculum and employed strong problem solving and organizational skills to coordinate the presentation of course content, and meet institutional deadlines

14. PowerPoint

Here's how photography instructors use powerpoint:

Created PowerPoint presentations to accompany lessons with relevant visual materials.
Created, reviewed and updated lesson plans, outlines, handouts, tests, study sheets and PowerPoint presentations.

15. Film Photography

Here's how photography instructors use film photography:

Created and instructed my own curriculum for a 7-week class on dark room film photography for adults ages 18+.
Conducted four week long courses focusing on 35mm B&W film photography instructing entry and advanced level photography courses.

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What skills help Photography Instructors find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on photography instructor resumes?

Kalee Appleton

Assistant Professor of Art, Texas Christian University

A Photography Professor/Instructor has a CV (curriculum vitae) rather than a resume. Skills are not typically included on a CV. If a person is applying for a Photography Professor/Instructor position, it is usually required that they have an MFA in Studio Art with an emphasis in Photography. With this degree, it's understood that they would know/have the following:
-Camera operation
Digital, analog, view camera
-Lighting (artificial)
-Historical photographic processes
Wet Darkroom
Alt Processes
-Digital processes
Post-production
Inkjet Printing on large format printers
Photoshop/lightroom
-Personal Artwork that is exceptional

What soft skills should all photography instructors possess?

Kalee Appleton

Assistant Professor of Art, Texas Christian University

Time Management, creative thinking, flexibility, self-motivation, leadership, decisiveness, patience.

What hard/technical skills are most important for photography instructors?

Kalee Appleton

Assistant Professor of Art, Texas Christian University

The most vital aspect of getting a job as a Photography Professor/Instructor is to have strong, personal artwork/photographs. Their portfolio must be exceptional. They would also need an MFA in Studio Art and have teaching experience to be considered.

What photography instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Holly Fischer

Assistant Professor, Meredith College

Depending on the career goals, it is always recommended to work with professionals to learn
more about a certain area of the artworld. This could be working in a museum, gallery, and/or for
a professional, working artist as an intern or assistant.

Do you want to know more?

List of photography instructor skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a photography instructor resume and required skills for a photography instructor to have include:

Classroom Management
Adobe Photoshop
Digital Photography
Curriculum Development
Filmmaking
Fine Arts
Portrait Photography
Lightroom
Syllabus

Portfolio
Graphic Design
Camera Operation
Course Content
PowerPoint
Film Photography
Photographic Techniques
Course Curriculum
Course Materials

Mac
Web Design
Digital Cameras
Color Theory
Basic Photography
Architecture
SLR
Technical Aspects
Camera Functions

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Photography Instructor skills FAQs

What hard/technical skills are most important for Photography Instructors?

What skills will help Photography Instructors earn the most?

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