List of 30 Photographer Interview Questions & Answers
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1.
How do you deal with a client when the project's scope begins to creep?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to understand your problem-solving skills when a client is involved. The interviewer wants to gauge your comfort level with client communication and your ability to manage a project. This question also indicates that part of your role will be working directly with clients.
The Goal
The best way to answer this question is with an example that explains a situation, your actions, and the outcome. Show that you are confident working with clients and adaptable when things change. You want to demonstrate your level of tact and business acumen.
What You Need to Know
Scope creep is common in most creative fields. In the case of photography, you are often dealing with changes in real-time, especially when it is event photography, photojournalism, or environmental portraits. Beyond that, there are often environmental factors that come into play, such as weather or daylight. This question also gives you an opportunity to show your ability to adapt deliverables when variables change.
Answer Example
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2.
What do you think makes a photographer good at their job?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question because you will likely answer it by sharing your traits as a photographer. It is an indirect way of asking you about your approach to photography. The interviewer can compare your perspective with theirs, and it can ultimately speak to your fit in their agency.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on the behavioral traits of being a photographer rather than your skillset. Good photography isn't about being an expert with gear, settings, and Photoshop. Good photography is ultimately about capturing images that fulfill the goal of a project.
What You Need to Know
This is another question that speaks to the importance of researching the agency. Understanding the kind of work they create will give you insight into what they consider "good photography," which you can use to tailor your answer. Many interviewees will want to talk about how knowledgeable they are of gear and software because they think that is what makes a good photographer. However, it isn't always about being incredibly creative; it is about delivering images that fulfill the goals outlined by the client.
Answer Example
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3.
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your skills in Photoshop or Lightroom?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer wants to find out which Adobe CC apps you are comfortable with and your level of expertise. This will help the interviewer determine if you are a fit for the role and if you have knowledge of apps that their existing team lacks.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to communicate your working knowledge of photography software applications. If you work in software other than the industry standard Adobe apps, include that in your answer.
Pro Tip
Avoid rating yourself a 10 unless you are an expert on a particular application and can speak to that expertise. Rating yourself at 10 on multiple apps can come across as cocky. It is also unlikely that someone will be a 10 on multiple applications.
Answer Example
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4.
How would you fix a soft image in Photoshop?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is testing your knowledge of Photoshop and how you use it as a photographer. The interviewer will use this question to gauge your strength in the application.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to showcase an in-depth knowledge of Photoshop and how you use it as an extension of shooting images in the field. Your interviewer will expect you to understand how to use the tools you will use on the job.
How to Answer
Focus on the tools you would use in Photoshop to deal with a soft image. Tie it back to photography and explain the reasons you might need to sharpen an image.
Answer Example
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5.
Tell me about yourself.
What You Need to Know
This is often the first question in an interview. It is a deceptively simple question. The interviewer wants to know more about who you are and your career trajectory. Your answer is the interviewer's first impression of you. If it is too personal or non-professional (i.e. "my name is Josh, and I like cats and Anime"), it can start the interview off on the wrong foot.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus primarily on your career so far and where you hope to go with your career. It isn't necessary, but you can add something personal about yourself. That said, the best approach is to talk about something memorable and unique that might set you apart from others and adds to your identity as a photographer.
The Goal
Establish yourself as a strong, confident, and worthy candidate. This is your chance to make a great first impression on the interviewer. This is your "elevator pitch" and should be rehearsed before the interview. Be able to tell your career story in 30-45 seconds.
Answer Example
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6.
What interests you about working for our agency?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question is asked to determine how serious you are about applying for the job. If you come across as casually interested, it will likely count against you as a candidate.
The Goal
The goal is to show the interviewer that you are serious about working for their agency. Make it clear that you targeted their agency for specific reasons. You want the interviewer to believe that you are excited about the opportunity.
What You Need to Know
It is important to research the company and the interviewer. Explore their website and past work. Do some research on the interviewer if you know the person's name. This will show the interviewer that you did your homework and are genuinely interested in working at the company.
Answer Example
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7.
What is a polarizer filter?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is testing your knowledge of the basic principles of photography. The interviewer will determine your technical acuity relative to lens optics and your ability to adjust different settings to influence the overall look and feel of photographs.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to showcase an in-depth knowledge of the technical aspects of photography.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus your answer on what a polarizer filter is and how and why to use one.
Answer Example
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8.
What questions do you have for me?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to gauge your curiosity about the role and the company. The question will help the interviewer gauge how interested you are in the role.
The Goal
Come to the interview with some prepared questions and add additional questions that organically evolve from discussion during the interview. The goal is to ask thoughtful questions that relate to the role, the organization, the culture, or what a typical day involves.
What You Need to Know
This is a deceptively simple question. It seems straightforward, but how you approach it can leave lasting impressions on the interviewer. If you have no questions for the interviewer, it gives the impression that you aren't interested in the role or the agency. The questions you ask will give the interviewer insight into what is important to you as a candidate.
Answer Example
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9.
Other than a camera and lenses, what else do you pack in your camera bag?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer wants to know how prepared you are when heading out into the field. The interviewer wants to learn what you carry beyond standard gear. This speaks to your experience as a photographer and what you've learned along the way.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to showcase your experience as a photographer and what you've learned from the situations you've encountered.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus your answer on specific items you've added to your camera bag over the years. If possible, include items that are memorable or novel. Frame your answer as a story about why you include a particular item in your camera bag. Share what you've learned from challenging situations and how you've leveraged these lessons to succeed in new situations.
Answer Example
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10.
How do you approach the client relationship?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
If this question is asked, you can expect to interface directly with clients in this role. This means that there is an expectation in this role that you will have business acumen as a photographer. The interviewer wants to learn how comfortable you are managing a client relationship. Many in-house agencies or creative service teams expect photographers to work directly with in-house clients.
Focus Your Answer On
This is a broad question. Focus on successful client relationships you've had or still have. If you've done freelancing, you'll have plenty of client relationships to use as examples. Explain why they are successful relationships and talk about how you established the relationship and how you nurture it. Discuss communication, working through client issues, and how you cultivate repeat business. Note that this shouldn't be confused with the way you interface with the subjects you are photographing (unless they are the one and the same).
Answer Example
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11.
How do you approach storytelling as a photographer?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to gauge your focus on how storytelling plays a part in photography. This comes into play when you are doing photojournalistic work, event photography, and environmental portraits.
The Goal
The goal is to make the interviewer understand your thought process on the way photography informs or supports storytelling. Discuss how you use storytelling in your photography.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on a good example that shows how you would approach a shoot that needs to tell a story. Discuss how telling a story factors into the angles and positions you choose, lens choice, and the number of images you capture.
Answer Example
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12.
When would you use a macro lens?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is testing your knowledge of the basic principles of photography. The interviewer will determine your technical acuity relative to lens optics and your ability to adjust different settings to influence the overall look and feel of photographs.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to showcase an in-depth knowledge of the technical aspects of photography.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on what a macro lens is and the situations in which using it would be ideal. Show the interviewer that you have a good command of when to use such a lens.
Answer Example
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13.
Explain a long exposure to me.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is testing your knowledge of the basic principles of photography. This will let the interviewer determine your technical acuity relative to lens optics and your ability to adjust different settings to influence the look and feel of photographs.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to showcase an in-depth knowledge of the technical aspects of photography.
How to Answer
Focus on what a long exposure is in photography. Show the interviewer that you have a good command of the factors involved with a long exposure by explaining why it is used in photos.
Answer Example
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14.
What are the three variables that affect depth of field?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is testing your knowledge of the basic principles of photography. This will let the interviewer determine your technical acuity relative to lens optics and your ability to adjust different settings to influence the overall look and feel of photographs.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to showcase an in-depth knowledge of the technical aspects of photography.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on the three variables and the effects of depth of field. Show the interviewer that you have a good command of the factors involved with the depth of field by explaining how to get different effects through the use of depth of field.
Answer Example
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15.
What is the ideal focal length for a portrait lens?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is testing your knowledge of the basic principles of photography. The interviewer will determine your technical acuity relative to lens optics and your ability to adjust different settings to influence the overall look and feel of photographs.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to showcase an in-depth knowledge of the technical aspects of photography.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus your answer on the ideal focal length for a portrait lens and explain why it is the ideal focal length. You should also speak about the ways lens choice can affect portraits.
Answer Example
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16.
Where do you see yourself in two years?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to get a sense of your ambition. Most interviewers are looking for someone who wants to grow in their career. Be prepared for a follow-up question about how you plan to reach your goal.
What You Need to Know
Most companies want people who are ambitious and looking for ways to grow. You don't have to answer this question with a specific title or role. It is perfectly acceptable to share what kind of work you want to be doing instead of a specific role or title. Depending on the company, that may be a preferable answer because it suggests that you are focused on the work instead of on a title or position.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to show that you view your career as a journey. Describe your focus on growth and evolution as a photographer. This is an area where researching the company's work can pay off. You might be able to tie your career ambitions to the work they do.
Answer Example
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17.
What is HDR?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is testing your knowledge of Photoshop and how you use it as a photographer. This will help the interviewer gauge your strength in the application.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to showcase in-depth knowledge of Photoshop and explain how you use it as an extension of shooting images in the field. The interviewer expects you to be knowledgeable of the tools you will use on the job.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on the tools you would use in Photoshop to deal with an image that is soft. Make sure you tie it back to photography and explain the reasons you might use HDR.
Answer Example
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18.
Have you ever told a client "no"?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Inevitably, you will have a client who wants something that cannot be delivered. The interviewer wants to find out if you can accept the reality of this issue. The interviewer also wants to hear how you will approach it when it happens.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to acknowledge that, at some point, you will have a client that wants the impossible. Demonstrate your comfort level and competency in navigating the situation. You want to show that you can create solutions in challenging situations.
How to Answer
This isn't a trick question. You shouldn't say something like, "I would never tell a client no." Choose an example in which you found a resolution to the situation that led to a compromise.
Answer Example
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19.
Walk me through your portfolio.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer wants to hear you explain and clarify your work. They've likely already viewed it, which is in large part why you landed an interview, but they want to hear you talk about your work.
The Goal
The goal is to show them that you are confident in your work and that you can speak to your work. This will be an important skill to showcase if the position is client-facing.
Pro Tip
When you build your portfolio, include information about the goal of the project, your role in it, and the outcome. Frame each portfolio piece as a story. This will make it easier to talk about your work. Spend a considerable amount of time practicing the way you present your portfolio. Be prepared to answer questions about your portfolio.
What to Avoid
Avoid make excuses such as "we didn't really have any budget" or "this would have been better, but I ran out of time."
Answer Example
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20.
Tell me about some new gear you are learning to use.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to gauge your enthusiasm for learning new gear. The interviewer is also curious about how you can add value to their team with your equipment knowledge.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to show your growth mindset relative to equipment. You want the interviewer to understand that you view constantly growing your skills as a professional goal. Additionally, you want the interviewer to see you as a proactive self-starter when it comes to learning.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on the specific equipment you are learning, why you chose to learn more about the equipment, and how you intend to use this knowledge in the future. If possible, tie your answer back to specific imagery found in your portfolio.
Answer Example
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21.
How do you approach scouting a location?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer wants to learn how prepared you are when heading out into the field. The interviewer wants to learn what variables you take into account and how thorough you are when choosing a location. This speaks to your experience as a photographer and the lessons you've learned along the way.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to showcase your experience as a photographer and what you've learned from different situations you've encountered.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on your ability to take multiple environmental variables into account. Then demonstrate why they are important to a successful photo shoot.
Answer Example
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22.
How do you learn and grow in your craft?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to see if you are focused on trends and shifts in photography. The interviewer is looking for specific examples of things you are doing in this space. The interviewer wants to understand whether or not you place importance on staying up to date on trends.
The Goal
Focus on why it is important to follow and understand trends in photography. If possible, share an example of a trend you've been tracking and explain why it is useful to do so. This is a common question, so find a way to stand out in the interviewer's mind by using an interesting and memorable example.
Focus Your Answer On
The goal is twofold - to show that you know it is important to stay up to speed on photography trends and are invested in doing so. This is an opportunity to showcase how proactive you are as a professional photographer. Communicating this well shows the interviewer that you are engaged in your industry and want to grow.
Answer Example
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23.
What are your go-to settings when you go on a shoot?
What You Need to Know
While you may assume that the interviewer is talking about a specific kind of shoot based on your interview so far, this question is essentially a trick question. There truly isn't a go-to setting that applies to every shooting situation.
The Goal
The goal is to show the interviewer that you adjust your approach to every shoot based on who, what, and where you are photographing. This will demonstrate your experience.
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on the importance of being comfortable working with different settings and adjustments that are typical of and appropriate to different situations.
Answer Example
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24.
How do you approach client revisions to your work?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to learn how open you are to feedback on your work. It helps the interviewer understand whether or not you can adapt and incorporate feedback. It also speaks to your professionalism and your abilities to navigate the client relationship.
The Goal
The goal is to show that you value feedback and client input. Explain that feedback and revision are a natural part of the creative process. This is an opportunity to showcase your professionalism as a photographer.
What You Need to Know
In asking this question, the interviewer indicates that they have encountered employees who struggle with feedback and revisions from clients. Often, creatives get close to their work and take revisions personally. Taking feedback personally isn't professional. Revisions almost always result in a better deliverable.
Answer Example
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25.
Tell me something you struggle with as a photographer. How do you work to overcome it?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to get a sense of your self-awareness and ability to self-correct. The interviewer is looking for someone who understands their shortcomings and has developed tactics to overcome them. The interviewer is also looking for someone who is in touch with themself.
How to Answer
Answer authentically. Speak about something that you struggle with and explain how you've worked to improve in that area. Avoid trying to show that your weakness is a strength (i.e. I care too much about my work, and this can cause delays). This doesn't resonate as an authentic answer.
What You Need to Know
This is an alternative form of the classic strengths/weaknesses question. This question implies that everyone has weaknesses, and it is an accepted part of the company's culture. That said, if you can't demonstrate that you are self-aware and that you are working to improve on something that is a known struggle, this question can be a trap.
Answer Example
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26.
What are your superpowers?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer wants to know where your strengths lie. By asking about superpowers, it is designed to be a fun, casual version of the classic strengths/weaknesses question.
The Goal
The goal is to answer the question with your personal brand promise. Think about what you are known for and where you excel compared to your peers. Share how you use those superpowers to do great work.
What You Need to Know
Your answer is an opportunity to stand out from the other candidates. This question gives the interviewer a short list of your strongest attributes. The interviewer will likely leave your session categorizing you based on your answer to this question and their first impressions.
Answer Example
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27.
Tell me about a time you led a team.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer wants to learn about any experience you have leading a team. In asking the question, the interviewer wants to understand how you lead a team and your leadership style. Additionally, leading a team speaks to experience with larger projects.
The Goal
The goal is to show that you have leadership skills. Showcase your ability to work as part of a photography team and demonstrate that you've been a part of a larger project. Additionally, you want to give the interviewer a glimpse into your leadership style.
How to Answer
Choose an example that shows your ability to lead and drive a team. If you don't have an example of this situation as a photographer, you can substitute an example from your personal life. If you don't have any examples, talk about the facets of your personality that would make you a good leader.
Answer Example
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28.
Tell me about a time you solved a conflict with a co-worker.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The ability to solve problems is a leadership quality. The interviewer asks this question to get a sense of your experience with conflict. The interviewer wants to understand your approach to resolving conflict. The interviewer doesn't just want to know what led to a conflict. They want to know your actions and the result of your actions.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to acknowledge that conflicts will arise at work. How you resolve conflict demonstrates your professionalism and emotional intelligence. You want to leave the interviewer with confidence in your ability to solve problems.
How to Answer
Focus on a conflict that you experienced and resolved. It is important to tell the story succinctly. You want to share enough information to fully explain the conflict without getting so mired in detail that your answer runs long. Explain what happened, what you did to resolve the conflict, and the outcome of the situation.
Answer Example
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29.
What inspires you as a photographer?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer asks this question to get a sense of your interests, where you draw inspiration from, and how you bring that inspiration into your work as a photographer.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to connect things that interest or inspire you to the work you do for a client. Make it clear to the interviewer that you get inspired and immerse yourself in those inspirations because they directly contribute to your creativity as a photographer.
What You Need to Know
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Be authentic in your answer. Describe what inspires you and explain why it inspires you.
Answer Example
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30.
What is your approach to large group photos?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer likely asks this question because you will be expected to work on large group photos. Part of orchestrating a large group photo is planning, communicating with participants, and being ready for unexpected variables.
The Goal
The goal of your answer is to show the interviewer that you understand the logistical elements involved in a large group photo. You want them to gain a sense of your competency and comfort level with this kind of photo.
How to Answer
The best approach to answering this question is to share an example and explain how you approached it as a photographer. If you don't have a good example, focus on the logistical challenges of a large group photo.
Answer Example
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