CV photo in Berlin: prices, studios and tips
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Berlin is two job markets in one: an international tech and startup scene that often works in English, and large German employers such as Deutsche Bahn, the Charité hospital and the federal ministries. Whether you need a CV photo, and what it should look like, depends on which one you are applying to. Here is what applies in Berlin, what local studios charge and how to get a photo without one.
Do you need a photo on your CV in Berlin?
Legally, no. Since the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) came into force in 2006, a photo on a German application is voluntary and employers may not require one. The Federal Employment Agency still describes it as customary in many industries. Our guide to application photos in Germany covers the rules, sizes and surveys in detail.
In Berlin, the answer depends on the employer:
- Startups and tech companies. According to the Berlin Senate, about 5,000 startups are based in the city and provide around 90,000 jobs, and more than 150,000 people work in Berlin’s digital economy. Many of these teams work in English: in a 2023 Bitkom survey of 203 German tech startups, 54% had English as their official company language and 59% did not require German from skilled hires. If the job ad and the application form are in English, an English-style CV without a photo is perfectly acceptable.
- Established German employers. The three largest employers in the Berlin region are Deutsche Bahn, the Charité and the Vivantes hospital group, according to the June 2026 ranking published by Berlin Partner. For German-language applications to employers like these, a professional photo is still common, and a good one helps.
If you are unsure, follow the job ad. Leave the photo out if it asks for an anonymised application.
What CV photo style works in Berlin
Berlin is relatively informal, but your photo should match the sector you are targeting, not the city’s reputation.
| Sector | Typical employers | Outfit | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tech, startups, digital | Startups, scale-ups, platforms | Business casual: shirt, blouse or knit, no tie | Light grey, white or a soft office backdrop |
| Health | Charité, Vivantes and other hospitals | Smart and simple, jacket optional | Plain, light |
| Transport, public sector | Deutsche Bahn, BVG, federal and state administration | Formal: jacket, shirt or blouse | Plain studio background |
| Law, finance, consulting | Firms, banks, advisers | Formal: suit or blazer | Plain studio background |
Whatever the sector, use a recent colour head-and-shoulders portrait with a friendly expression. On a German CV, the usual size is 4 × 6 to 4 × 8 cm at the top right. For clothing details, see what to wear for a professional headshot. Use the same photo on LinkedIn, where Berlin recruiters, especially in tech, will look you up.
How much does a CV photo cost in Berlin?
Prices published by Berlin studios for an application photo (Bewerbungsfoto) or business portrait, October 2026:
| Studio | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Beauty-Shooter (Prenzlauer Berg) | 1 outfit, 25+ shots to choose from, 2 edited files (size S); 3 outfits and 4 files for €69 | €49 to €69 |
| Studio Klam (Kreuzberg) | Standard: 1 photo from about 15 shots, retouching optional; Premium: about 50 shots, 2 files, retouching included | €70 / €120 |
| Bloom Fotostudio (Prenzlauer Berg) | Basic: 1 outfit, 1 retouched photo; Medium: about 1 hour, 2 outfits, 2 retouched photos; Advanced: about 2 hours, 3 outfits | €80 / €120 / €180 |
| Regine Peter (Schöneberg) | About 30 minutes and 1 retouched file, or about 1 hour and 2 files; business package with 4 files and usage rights | €85 / €135; business from €195 |
| Farbtonwerk (Mitte) | Basic: about 30 minutes, 1 retouched photo; Standard: about 60 minutes, 2 photos; Premium: up to 2–3 hours with make-up and background change | €85 / €115; premium €215 to €275 |
In short, a standard CV photo session in Berlin costs about €70 to €135 for 1 or 2 retouched photos. A few studios start at around €50, and longer premium or business sessions cost €180 to €275.
Check what is included before you book. Several studios charge €20 per additional photo (Bloom, Regine Peter). Farbtonwerk charges extra for business make-up (€15 to €25) and a background change (€19), and €25 per photo for commercial usage rights; it offers €10 off for students and trainees under 30. Add the time to book a slot, travel across the city and wait for the edited files. For a full comparison, read AI headshot vs photographer.
A CV photo without a photographer
LinkPro turns your phone into a portrait studio:
- Take 8 guided selfies. On-device face detection checks your distance, angle and light live.
- Direct your shoot. Choose your field, a plain studio or office backdrop, and a formal or business casual outfit: business casual for a startup, formal for a bank or a ministry.
- Get your headshots in seconds, pick the most natural one and save it in HD.
- Let friends or colleagues vote with a poll link before you apply.
Your first session is free, with 3 watermarked previews and no account needed. To keep one in HD without watermark, buy a single headshot as a one-time purchase, with no subscription, or choose LinkPro Unlimited, a weekly subscription you can cancel anytime. LinkPro is a web app: open it in your browser at app.linkproapp.ai, on your phone or a computer, in English, German, French and Italian.
Be realistic about AI photos. Some German career advisers warn that AI-edited photos can look artificial, so pick the result that looks most like you, with your real features, hair and glasses. Your selfies are not kept on LinkPro’s servers after generation, your headshots are stored on your device, and your images are never used to train AI models. You can delete your account and photos from the app; see our privacy policy. A LinkPro photo cannot be used for a passport or ID card, which require biometric photos.
Applying in Hamburg too? See CV photo in Hamburg.
Sources
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Bewerbungsunterlagen
- Berlin Senate Department for Economics: Wirtschafts- und Innovationsbericht 2024 (October 2025)
- Bitkom: Startup Report 2023, English as company language
- Berlin Partner: the 200 largest employers in Berlin (June 2026)
- Studio price pages (published prices, October 2026): Beauty-Shooter, Studio Klam, Bloom Fotostudio, Regine Peter, Farbtonwerk
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a photo on my CV for a Berlin startup?
No. Since 2006, the AGG has made the photo voluntary in Germany. Many Berlin startups work in English: in a 2023 Bitkom survey of German tech startups, 54% had English as their official company language. Follow the job ad; if it asks for an anonymised application, leave the photo out.
How much does a CV photo cost in Berlin?
In October 2026, Berlin studios published prices of €49 to €69 at the low end, €70 to €135 for a typical session with 1 or 2 retouched photos, and €180 to €275 for longer premium sessions. Business portrait packages started at €195.
What should I wear for a CV photo in Berlin?
It depends on the employer. For tech and startup roles, a neat business-casual look (shirt or blouse, knit or blazer without a tie) is usually right. For hospitals, rail, public administration, law or finance, choose a more formal outfit with a jacket.
Can I use an AI headshot for a job in Berlin?
Yes, as long as it is a realistic, recent likeness of you. Some German career advisers warn that AI-edited photos can look artificial, so choose a natural result. An AI headshot cannot be used for a passport or ID card.
Do Berlin studios charge extra for more photos?
Often, yes. Several Berlin studios include 1 or 2 retouched photos and charge €20 for each additional one. Make-up, background changes and commercial usage rights can also cost extra, so check what the package includes before booking.
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