Summary of the Director of Photography and Video job at The New York Times

T Magazine is looking for a Director of Photography and Video to oversee the visual direction of photography for the magazine and website. Strong leadership, creativity, and an understanding of photography trends are important for success in this role. You have precision, attention to detail, understanding of deadlines, and experience leading projects and managing a team.

You will assign photography covering a wide array of subject matter, including fashion, portraits, interiors, travel and still lifes. The Director of Photography and Video is responsible for planning shoots, selecting images, and managing budgets and schedules.

This is an in-office position based in New York and includes regular attendance in the office four days each week. There may be some flexibility to work remotely per your departmental guidance.

Responsibilities:

Production

• Conceive and direct photo and video storytelling across portraits, still life, fashion, travel, and editorial features
• Assign photographers to each story based on concept, skills, and fit
• Usher each story from concept through delivery, making creative calls throughout and overseeing the photo editors and their story's creative.
• Source and hire stylists, set designers, prop stylists, casting directors, hair and makeup, tailors, studios, locations, and producers on a per-story basis, globally
• Partner with the art department on special digital issues, developing new approaches for how content lives online
• Work with the video editor to conceive new digital and video formats to extend storytelling beyond print
• Set up seasonal fashion meetings to pitch photography concepts / stylist ideas
• Build a potential stylist lineup each season for review with creative leadership
• Meet with the fashion team to evaluate front-of-book stylists, determine ongoing collaborators, and assess working relationships
• Represent the magazine's visual standards in talent negotiations and commissioning decisions
• Work with editorial, design, and digital teams to ensure visual consistency across all platforms

Creative

• Oversee creative direction for all stories produced by the photo department; review and guide photo editors' work to maintain consistency with brand vision
• Conduct preliminary edit of all shoots before submission to the Editor-in-Chief. Also looks over video and illustration for the web
• Work with video producers on specific projects, as needed
• Art direct on set locally, and remotely when shooting overseas
• Collaborate with text editors to translate story concepts into visual direction and understand the key point of the story. Work directly with writers to understand the main idea to be translated into visuals

Management

• Own and allocate a robust annual budget
• Manage a team including staff photo editors, with oversight of video and web visuals
• Hire, mentor, and develop photo and video talent within the department
• Build and maintain relationships with leading photographers, directors, and creative talent globally
• Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world
• You will report to the Editor, T Magazine

• 10+ years of experience as an editor
• 5+ years in a significant visual leadership or managerial role within a major media organization
• Experience assigning stories and directing coverage

Preferred Qualifications:

• Track record of producing varied storyforms
• Experience planning shoots, selecting images, and managing budgets and schedules.
• Exceptional creative and editorial judgment

Candidate Use of GenAI Tools:

We’re excited to learn more about you and your experience. To keep our hiring process as fair and authentic as possible, we ask that you submit your own work and not use GenAI tools to generate substantive content during the application and interview process.

If you’re an engineering candidate, we’ll let you know what specific GenAI tools you are permitted to use for your technical assessment.

The New York Times Company is committed to being the world’s best source of independent, reliable and quality journalism. To do so, we embrace a diverse workforce that has a broad range of backgrounds and experiences across our ranks, at all levels of the organization. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, carrier status, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)’s Know Your Rights Poster is available here. 

The New York Times Company will provide reasonable accommodations as required by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws. Individuals seeking an accommodation for the application or interview process should email reasonable.accommodations@nytimes.com. Emails sent for unrelated issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

For information about The New York Times' privacy practices for job applicants, click here.

Please beware of fraudulent job postings. Scammers may post fraudulent job opportunities, and they may even make fraudulent employment offers. This is done by bad actors to collect personal information and money from victims. All legitimate job opportunities from The New York Times will be accessible through The New York Times careers site. The New York Times will not ask job applicants for financial information or for payment, and will not refer you to a third party to do so. You should never send money to anyone who suggests they can provide employment with The New York Times.

If you see a fake or fraudulent job posting, or if you suspect you have received a fraudulent offer, you can report it to The New York Times at NYTapplicants@nytimes.com. You can also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission or your state attorney general.