Photo Art Director

Overview

Our client is seeking a seasoned Photo Art Director with a strong creative vision and exceptional production sensibility to lead site imagery (photography and CGI) for a wide range of product and lifestyle projects across entertainment, pets, baby, hardlines & more. This role requires a self-starter who thrives in fast-paced environments, can manage multiple workstreams with ease, and understands how to bring a concept to life through compelling imagery. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of leading imaging & photo productions from concept through post, balancing creativity with operational excellence.

**PLEASE NOTE: This role is 5 days onsite with some flex for off shoot weeks in Playa Vista***

This role is approximately 20% hands-on photo art direction and 80% cross-functional collaboration and project management. Responsibilities include reviewing and interpreting creative briefs, developing shot lists, ensuring brand consistency, managing stakeholder communication, and serving as the primary point of contact on set.

We’re seeking a diverse portfolio that demonstrates experience in photo art direction across a range of categories, for example baby, home, and entertainment. The focus should primarily be on lifestyle and product photography.

Key Responsibilities:

Creative Excellence in Imagery:
• Develop shot lists, style guides, mood boards, and decks that clearly communicate creative vision.
• Manage and direct on-set crews including photographers, stylists, digital techs, and other key talent.
• Partner with the CGI team to review and refine assets, ensuring all imagery is cohesive, brand-aligned, and visually compelling.
• Incorporate visual ID guide best practices, colors and standards for brand and seasonal connectivity, attribution and impact.
• Uphold brand standards while pushing for creative innovation and excellence.
• Stay current on industry trends, talent, tools, and technologies.

Collaboration:
• Pursue ways that we can work better, faster.
• Collaborate with internal teams (Editorial, Production, Account Management, Project Management, Imaging/CGI teams) to align creative vision with business objectives.
• Act as a key liaison between creative and production, ensuring clear communication and a smooth workflow.
• Proactively flag issues, escalate when necessary, and work alongside account management to setup creative reviews and approvals.
• Deliver feedback with clarity and context, ensuring it is direct, actionable, and fosters a collaborative environment.

Qualifications
• 6+ years of on-set photo/image production and art direction experience, preferably within large, matrixed organizations or agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while managing high-volume workloads and tight deadlines.
• Exceptional portfolio showcasing creative process and leadership on large-scale photo campaigns
• Excellent time management, organization, and prioritization skills.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving clarity.
• Highly collaborative, yet confident in giving and receiving feedback.
• Expert knowledge of the image production process, including pre-production, lighting, composition, styling, and post-production workflows.
• Proficiency in industry-standard creative tools and software including Capture One, the Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office.
 

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