How to hire a chief photographer

How to hire a chief photographer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step chief photographer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a chief photographer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new chief photographer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a chief photographer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a chief photographer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a chief photographer that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of chief photographers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Chief Photographer	Description	Hourly rate
   Chief Photographer	Photographers use their technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images that tell a story or record an event.	$9-34
   Photography Internship	Photography internship is an advantage to interns who assist photographers while studying since it can develop creativity, strong networking, technical, and practical skills as they learn both lighting and photography business in a real photography studio. These interns are tasked to perform research, update social media platforms, and create images for social media posts... Show more	$9-110
   Photographer, Editor	A Photographer, Editor selects, edits, and positions photos in print and web publications. They work for newspapers, magazines, websites, or other publications.	$17-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Adobe Photoshop
   • Video Production
   • ENG
   • Visual Content
   • News Coverage
   • Local News
   • Live Shots
   • Truck Operation
   • Feature Stories
   • Sony
   • Photojournalism
   • DSLR
   • Lightroom
   • Edit News Stories

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage creative projects from concept to completion; including signs, posters, specialize logos and video documentaries for clients.
   • Compile portfolios for multiple photography competitions/certifications.
   • Compile portfolios for multiple photography competitions/certifications.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your chief photographer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A chief photographer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, chief photographers' average salary in missouri is 62% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level chief photographers earn 72% less than senior-level chief photographers.
   • Certifications. A chief photographer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a chief photographer's salary.

   Average chief photographer salary

   $38,178yearly

   $18.35 hourly rate

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   Entry-level chief photographer salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 13, 2026

4. Writing a chief photographer job description

   A job description for a chief photographer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a chief photographer job description:

   Chief photographer job description example

   KSNT 27 News is looking for a chief photographer. We need someone with broadcast experience to oversee the technical and production values of our content across all media platforms. This is a position for someone who loves news and can routinely shoot content in the field, manage our equipment and be trained to operate our drone, the Sky Tracker. We produce 45+ hours of local content on the NBC, FOX and ABC stations in a competitive news market. We operate out of a state-of-the-art studio and equip staff with top-notch equipment.
   
   Topeka is located between two major division one colleges, University of Kansas and Kansas State University. We are one hour west of Kansas City in a thriving city that is focused on recruiting younger professionals and families to the area.
   Job Description:
   
   + Trains employees in the use of all newsroom equipment, including cameras, microphones, and lights
   
   + Provides timely technical operations support for news broadcasts and other live and recorded programs
   
   + Monitors broadcasts to ensure that programs conform to station quality standards, policies and regulations, and recommends improvements as needed
   
   + Maintains all photography technology and equipment for the station
   
   + Acts as a liaison between the engineering and news departments
   
   + Performs photographer duties as required by business demands, including setting up, composing and executing video shots
   
   + Operates live microwave truck in remote situations
   
   + Ability to obtain FAA Drone license and operate station drone
   
   + Helps maintain station compliance with FCC broadcast rules and regulations
   
   + Performs other duties as assigned
   
   Requirements & Skills:
   
   + Technical degree in Digital Electronics, Broadcasting, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience
   
   + Fluency in English
   
   + Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
   
   + Valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record
   
   + Ability to identify the developmental needs of others and to coach, mentor or otherwise help others to improve their knowledge or skills
   
   + Strong PC/MS Office experience
   
   + Proficiency with broadcast equipment and production environments, including cameras, control boards, audio equipment and editing systems
   
   + Ability to meet deadlines, prioritize assignments and handle multiple tasks simultaneously
   
   + Experience establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them
   
   + Strong PC/MS Office experience
   
   + Experience with video recording equipment and camera technology

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5. Post your job

   To find chief photographers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any chief photographers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level chief photographers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your chief photographer job on Zippia to find and recruit chief photographer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit chief photographers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new chief photographer

   Once you've decided on a perfect chief photographer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new chief photographer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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