Photographer Cover Letter: Examples & Writing Guide

You’ve got an eye for lead-in lines and backgrounds, and your work is National-Geographic-worthy. But every time you send a resume, you get no exposure. Don’t panic. You can rise above the noise. With the right focus in your photographer cover letter, your application will stand out like Dalí Atomicus.

Below, you’ll see a sample cover letter for photographer jobs that makes them catch their breath, with a step-by-step plan to adapt it to your life.

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Photographer Cover Letter Sample

That photographer cover letter sample is Windblown Jackie level. But before you edit it for your career, see our guide: Photographer Resume Guide & Sample

Looking for other creative jobs? See these guides:

• Fashion Cover Letter Example
• Graphic Design Cover Letter Example
• Production Assistant Cover Letter Example
• Social Media Manager Cover Letter Example
• Journalism Cover Letter Example
• Digital Marketing Cover Letter Example
• Marketing Cover Letter Example
• Marketing Intern Cover Letter Example
• Marketing Manager Cover Letter Example
• Interior Design Cover Letter Example
• Best Cover Letter Samples for All Careers

Photographer Cover Letter Template

Here’s how to write a cover letter for a photographer job application:

1. Use a respected photographer cover letter format and layout

For a Harper’s-ready cover letter structure, use these tips:

• Cover letter outline: write a 3–4 paragraph photographer cover letter. Less seems clipped, and longer will bore managers to tears.
• Cover letter line spacing: show off your eye for composition with 1.15 line spacing.
• Cover letter layout: one inch margins on the top edge, bottom, and both sides will make things easy on the eye.

• Cover letter font: no serifs, and use a professional font like Arial or Cambria so all your great accomplishments stand out.

Read more: Professional Cover Letter Design

2. Create a professional photographer cover letter header

• For best results, put your contact info at the top left. That’s your name, job title, and your street address. Then add your phone number, email, and social media like LinkedIn or Instagram.
• Skip a line and add the date. Then skip another line and add the hiring manager’s info, including name, title, business name, and street address.
• Use that same heading in your resume to make a well-matched application.

Read more: What Should a Cover Letter Heading Look Like?

3. Write a candid first paragraph

• Avoid the dreaded To Whom It May Concern cover letter by learning the manager’s name and using it in the cover letter salutation.
• Don’t beat around the bush. Tell them which job opening you want.
• Get them interested fast by saying you know what photography job requirements they need.
• Hint that you’ve got those skills, and point them to your resume and second paragraph.

Read more: How to Begin a Cover Letter

4. Show relevant photographer achievements

• Blend your talents with their needs in paragraph #2.
• List your top resume accomplishments that fit the duties in the job ad. When they see you’re skilled in their niche, they’ll want to read your resume.
• For instance? Let’s say they need a real estate photographer. Tell them how many real estate shoots you’ve done.
• Give scale to your photography achievements by adding numbers. How many people have you trained? How many clients have you served? Who are they?
• In a cover letter for a photographer with no experience, show personal work or achievements from unrelated jobs.

Read more: Modern Cover Templates That Will Impress the Socks off Employers

5. Prove you want this photographer job

Most employers are terrified you’ll take a powder six months after they hire you. Soothe their fears:

• In paragraph #3, tell them what makes this the perfect photographer job for you.
• Make it something that speaks to your personality, skills, or career goals.
• Fit it to their needs. If they want an exacting portrait photographer, speak to the exacting nature of their work, and why you like it.

Oh-oh. Photographer jobs are dropping like flies. They’ll decline by 6% in the next decade. But don’t fret. There’s plenty of room for shooters who do the work.

6. End your photographer cover letter with an offer

• Reality check: employers don’t know they’re supposed to call you. They get so jaded reading dozens of cover letters they stop seeing each one as a person.
• Wake them up by asking for the interview. But do it in a special way—
• Promise to trade something they’d like to have. For instance, a chat about how your Photoshop skills can help their finished product.
• What else should you include in a cover letter? Add a few more of your Burn Magazine-level skills.

Read more: Best Ways to End a Cover Letter

7. Add a professional sign-off at the end

• Finish up your cover sheet with, “Warm regards” or “Kind regards.”
• Include your printed name. Consider adding a digital copy of your signature.
• Repeat your name, job title, phone number, and email.

Aaand I’m spent! But how should you name a cover letter file? “Cover_Letter_Your_Name” works best.

Read more: Cover Letter vs Resume: What’s the Difference?

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Select a resume template here.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

Questions? Concerns? We’re here for you. If you’re still wondering how to write a cover letter for photographer jobs that fills the frame, drop me a line in the comments.