CV photo in Genoa: prices, studios and tips
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Genoa’s economy runs on its port, on engineering and energy firms in the west of the city, and on a growing research sector. Here is what Genoese employers expect from a CV photo, what the few studios that publish prices charge, and how to get a natural headshot without booking a session.
Do you need a photo on your CV in Genoa?
Legally, no. Italian law does not require a photo, and the Legislative Decree 276/2003 forbids employment agencies from screening candidates on personal characteristics such as age, sex or ethnic origin. In practice, a photo is still the norm. Gi Group, one of Italy’s large recruitment agencies, writes that a photo is “not imposed by any law, but it is usually expected”. Unless the ad says otherwise, add one. Format and national rules are in our guide to professional headshots in Italy.
If you are applying in English to an international shipping group or a research institute, follow the ad: some international employers ask for CVs without photos. For a public-sector job, follow the call for applications (bando); Italy’s public administration recruits through the inPA portal. Recruiters will look you up on LinkedIn either way, so use the same photo there.
What CV photo style works in Genoa
The job market is in better shape than the national average. According to ISTAT, the province of Genoa had an unemployment rate of 4.7% in 2025, against 6.1% for Italy, and an employment rate of 70.7% among 15 to 64-year-olds (Italy: 62.5%).
A March 2026 study by the Genoa Chamber of Commerce counted about 178,000 people working in 54,000 local business units in the city. Services employ 57.9% of them, retail and wholesale 17.0%, industry 15.0% and construction 9.6%. Jobs are concentrated in the centre: Portoria alone has 36,268 workers, ahead of Sampierdarena (20,225), Foce and the Centro Storico, while the western districts keep a stronger industrial and logistics profile.
The port shapes much of this. The Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, which runs Genoa, Pra’, Savona and Vado Ligure, reports about 63 million tonnes of cargo, 3 million containers (TEU) and 5 million passengers a year. Genoa is also home to Ansaldo Energia, whose head office is in the city, and to the headquarters of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), with five research centres in Genoa. Tourism adds to the mix: the city counted about 3.5 million overnight stays in 2025, half of them by visitors from abroad.
| Sector | Typical employers | Outfit | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipping, logistics, insurance and banking | Shipping lines, freight forwarders, port terminals, insurers and banks in the centre | Dark jacket, plain shirt or blouse, tie optional | Plain grey or white |
| Engineering, energy and shipbuilding | Ansaldo Energia, shipyards and suppliers in the western districts | Jacket without a tie, or a smart shirt | Neutral studio or light, blurred office |
| Research and tech | IIT, university labs, software and robotics firms | Business casual: shirt, knit, unstructured blazer | Light office or plain backdrop |
| Tourism, cruises and hospitality | Hotels, cruise and ferry operators, visitor attractions | Neat and friendly, a smile | Bright, neutral |
Whatever the sector, Randstad’s advice applies: face the camera, show your head and shoulders, use a neutral background, and avoid filters. See what to wear for a professional headshot for colours and fabrics.
How much does a CV photo cost in Genoa?
Few Genoese portrait photographers put prices online. Here is what we found in October 2026:
| Studio | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| RV Art Studio (Piazza Brignole, near Brignole station) | “Small” service: short digital shoot and 4 edited images, suggested for a CV, social profiles or a website | €40 |
| RV Art Studio | Digital studio portrait: session and 10 selected images, edited and delivered as files; prints extra | €80 |
| RV Art Studio | Analogue studio portrait, medium-format film, printed or scanned | €90 |
| Giusi Lorelli | Business and corporate portraits, in her Genoa studio or at your office | On request |
| Francesca Ricciardi | Studio in Genoa since 2014, portraits for private clients, companies and professionals | On request |
In short, the only published CV-type prices in Genoa run from €40 to €80. For a photographer who quotes on request, ask what is included: session length, number of edited images, retouching, file formats and delivery time.
Watch for the costs that are not in the headline price:
- Prints. At RV Art Studio, prints of the digital portrait cost extra.
- ID photos are not CV photos. The same studio’s €12 passport-style photos are made for documents, not for a CV.
- Time. Add the trip across town and the wait for your files before a deadline.
A CV photo without a photographer
If you need a photo tonight, or you have just moved to Genoa, LinkPro turns your phone into a studio. Open it in your browser at app.linkproapp.ai, on a phone or a computer; there is nothing to install.
- Take 8 guided selfies. Face detection on your device checks your distance, angle and light live.
- Direct your shoot. Choose your field, a studio or office backdrop and a formal or business casual outfit, for example formal for a shipping company and business casual for a research lab.
- Get your headshots in seconds and pick the most natural one.
- Let friends or colleagues vote with a poll link before you apply.
Your first session is free, with 3 watermarked previews and no account. You can then buy a single headshot, a one-time purchase that unlocks one headshot of your choice in HD without a watermark, or subscribe to LinkPro Unlimited, a weekly subscription you can cancel anytime. Prices are shown in the app. LinkPro works in English, Italian, French and German.
Your selfies are not kept on our servers after generation, your headshots are stored on your device, and your images are never sold or used to train AI models. You can delete your account and photos at any time (see our privacy policy).
Be honest about the result: it must look natural and like you today. If it doesn’t, a studio portrait is the better choice; compare both in AI headshot vs photographer. A LinkPro photo cannot be used for a passport or ID card, which require biometric photos. Applying in Turin too? See our CV photo guide for Turin.
Sources
- ISTAT: unemployment rate by province, 2024-2025 (IstatData)
- ISTAT: employment rate by province, 2025 (IstatData)
- Camera di Commercio di Genova: analysis of businesses, workers and output by district (data extracted March 2026)
- Ports of Genoa: Western Ligurian Sea Port System Authority
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia: about us
- Ansaldo Energia: about us
- Comune di Genova: 2026 tourism promotion plan (March 2026)
- Gi Group: which photo to choose for your CV
- Randstad: how to choose your CV photo (July 2025)
- Normattiva: Legislative Decree 276/2003, art. 10
- inPA: public-sector recruitment portal
- Studio pages (October 2026): RV Art Studio, Giusi Lorelli, Francesca Ricciardi
Frequently asked questions
How much does a CV photo cost in Genoa?
In October 2026, RV Art Studio near Genova Brignole published €40 for its Small service (a short digital shoot and 4 edited images, suggested for a CV, social profiles or a website) and €80 for a digital studio portrait with 10 edited images. Portrait photographers such as Giusi Lorelli and Francesca Ricciardi do not publish prices: ask for a quote.
Do I need a photo on my CV to apply for jobs in Genoa?
No law requires one. Gi Group says a photo is not mandatory unless the employer asks for it, but that it is usually expected in Italy. Unless the ad says otherwise, add a recent, professional headshot.
What should I wear for a CV photo for a shipping, port or engineering job in Genoa?
For shipping companies, freight forwarders, insurers and banks in the city centre, a jacket and a plain shirt or blouse on a neutral background. For engineering, energy and shipbuilding, a jacket without a tie or a smart shirt is usually enough. For research and tech roles, business casual works.
Can I use an AI headshot for a job application in Genoa?
No rule forbids it, but the photo must look natural and like you today. Randstad advises against filters and special effects that look unprofessional, so pick the most realistic result. It cannot be used for a passport or ID card, which need biometric photos.
Your headshot,
in seconds.
Take a few guided selfies and get 3 free previews. No account needed.
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