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How to write a winning photographer bio in just 6 steps

Develop and excel with freelancer tools and advice from Bonsai.
Updated on:
June 21, 2024
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Develop and excel with freelancer tools and advice from Bonsai.
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Now that you already learned how to get into photography and have chosen the type of photography you want to focus on, the next thing you need to know is how to write a winning bio. Creating a photographer bio or profile that presents your professional persona – in a way that will win you clients and help you when drafting scope of work templates or quote templates – involves more than you think.

In fact: Users spend an average of 5.59 seconds looking at a website’s written content. This means, if you want to show your audience who you are, besides your gorgeous photos, you’ll have to make a great impression – fast.

In this article, we’ll learn everything you need to know, and outline some photographer bio ideas, so you can create an awesome photographer bio that is sure to give you the visibility you need to stand out, which in turn will help you send winning photography proposal templates that lead to signing the photography contract templates you've always dreamed of!

Which Platforms Need Bios?

First off, where should you be putting your bios?

Even though a photo tells a thousand words, a photographer biography directs your potential clients or general audience in a specific way – to help them understand who you are and why they should hire you, besides being a brilliant photographer.

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Instagram? Of Course.

If you’re a photographer, you know how valuable Instagram is for exposure.

There’s no better place online to expand your network, find collaboration offers from agencies or become an influencer – this is the platform where all photographers are given the chance to really shine.

Your photographer “about me” section on your Instagram account is almost just as valuable as the photos you post. This is where you can begin building relationships with followers and passersby.

With over 500 million daily active users Instagram, you have the chance to show followers who you are and what your mission is through your 150-character-long photographer profile.

Once you grab your audience's attention through your well-crafted IG photographer biography, you can start looking at ways to organize your expenses and clients organized through Bonsai’s Freelance Expenses

We’ll look at methods on how to craft the perfect IG write-up with photographer bio examples in the next section.

Your Professional Website

The Photographer “About Me” page is often neglected.

However, if you’re running a business, you should be showing your clients who you are, what values you uphold and how you work in order to set a sturdy foundation and to help you stand out from your competition.

By giving your website bio some TLC and the right information and layout, you’ll have created a well-rounded marketing proposal that will provide the full picture of you for your potential clients.

How to Write a Killer Photography Bio

Out of all the best apps for freelancers, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that shares an inside look at how to write a bio.

That’s why we’re here.

In this list, you’ll find 6 simple steps to transforming your photographer bio into a winning piece of content to help up your game in freelance photography.

1. Introduce Yourself

This should be an obvious start, however, the trick is how you introduce yourself.

The first line of your photographer “about me” section should be telling visitors who you are in a way that is friendly, unique and informative.

Think about the way you would introduce yourself to a person who has asked you what you do – then go from there. However, you can always play around with ideas – for instance instead of simply saying, “I’m a photographer” develop a sense of what photography means to you. So, “I capture beautiful moments between couples and families”.

With photographers, it’s important to mention what city you’re based in for client and photographer convenience.

2. Choose Professional Experiences Wisely

Your photographer biography should include your past experiences, however, you can share this a number of ways. Either through a list, an overview of your work in general, or you could include a separate CV page.

Get this:

One of the best ways to choose which experiences you want to incorporate is by going back through your organized set of past projects and choose which projects highlight your best features – which projects are you most proud of? Then, list or explain these accomplishments in a fun way.

3. Be YOU in Your Writing Tone

You don’t need to be formal in your photographer profile – unless your client base is particularly professional. This is your place to be you. So, be comfortable and write the bio the same way you would speak.

This will help visitors feel comfortable as well.

For an inside look at how to set up your photography freelance career in a way that helps you win and keep clients, sign up for Bonsai for more tips, tricks, and tools.

4. Simplicity is Key

Your bio should also be easy to find. Make sure it’s placed at the top of the website or a strip on a one-page scrolling site.

Simplicity is key when it comes to:

  • The page’s name – stick to “About me” or “Bio”
  • The headline – make sure it’s informative and clear such as “Meet Samantha: Your New Photographer”
  • The first sentence – Make sure it’s conversational and inviting.

Your audience shouldn’t have to try too hard to figure out who you are and where to find information about you. Keep it simple, but still you.

5. Consider Including Awards

If you’ve been recognized for your work, you should show this in your photographer profile. This can be in the second line of your bio such as, “I’m an award-winning photographer based in Seattle.” Then, include a picture of the award or badge below the bio.

Consider using client testimonials as they’re a great way to develop trust in your potential new clients.

Once you snag these new clients with your impressive awards and testimonials, you’ll need to keep up this professionalism. Make sure you have contracts prepared beforehand, like Bonsai’s contract templates, so you’re ready for every step – and every possibility.

6. Include a Personal Touch

Do you enjoy hiking or fishing?

Are you a fantastic cupcake baker?

While these personal details may be irrelevant to your job, they provide a humanistic feel to you as a freelancer which helps readers feel more drawn to and comfortable with you.

Briefly mentioning an interesting point about who you are and what you like to do outside of work makes you memorable – which is one of the tricks to being a truly successful freelancers

For more tips on how to be the best photography freelancer today, lean on Bonsai for industry-leading freelancing tools and information.

7. Do What You Do Best: Make it Look Good

This will likely come easily for you.

Make sure your website’s visual elements are in tune with the atmosphere of the rest of your site.

We’re talking:

  • Headers and footers
  • Colors and fonts
  • Layout and format

In terms of fonts, make sure it’s easy to read so your visitors can digest your valuable information easily – and enjoyably.

Don’ts to Keep in Mind

While this article contains a lot of solutions and how-to’s, it’s important to keep in mind what you should be steering clear from as well.

Here are three don’ts you should avoid in your photographer bio.

  1. Don’t Be Pompous

Don’t take yourself too seriously and avoid self-important comments. People want to work with photographers who are easy to get along with and open to suggestions – the opposite of prima donnas.

A photographer bio example:

Too pompous is: “I ask myself every day if my photography is gallery or museum-worthy.”

  1. Don’t Be Too Lengthy

One of the golden rules of writing online is to make your content easily digestible.

No one wants to read novels – be short and sweet.

2. Don’t Be Careless

While having fun and being yourself are important photographer bio ideas and guidelines, you need to take care of your writing as well.

Through Bonsai Freelancing Tools, you’ll be able to find a ton of resources that can help you avoid typos, grammatical errors, and bad translations. However, even with these tools on hand, if you’re not used to writing, you should always have a friend or editor look over your work.

Can You Do It Yourself?

In short:

Heck yes, you can!

Since your bio should be short n’ sweet and entirely you, there’s no way you can’t write your own bio, no matter how inexperienced at writing you are.

However, if you feel more comfortable hiring a professional writer, there’s no shame in that, either. This is your bio – your rules (as long as you have solid guidelines to lead you to success.)

Want more guides to a successful freelance career in photography? Head on over to Bonsai – we’ll take care of you so you can focus on your craft.

Develop and excel with freelancer tools and advice from Bonsai.
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