How to hire a director of photography

How to hire a director of photography, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director of photography hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your director of photography job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a director of photography for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A director of photography's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, directors of photography from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of directors of photography and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Director Of Photography	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Photography	Film and video editors and camera operators manipulate moving images that entertain or inform an audience.	$34-73
   Camera Operator	A camera operator is responsible for operating various technical equipment to support technical operations, such as media productions and live events. Camera operators must have extensive knowledge of different camera features to select the appropriate device and manage the production's overall visual presentation... Show more	$12-35
   Producer Director	A producer-director is responsible for ensuring that the production operations run smoothly, both in the business and creative side. The producer-director monitors the production staff's performance, as well as reviewing the output of delegated tasks, and manages promotional and marketing events... Show more	$15-43

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Video Projects
   • DP
   • Adobe Photoshop
   • Sony
   • Video Production
   • Cinematography
   • Music Videos
   • Web Series
   • Adobe Premiere
   • Audio Equipment
   • Camera Operation
   • DSLR
   • Shot List
   • Photo Shoots

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all photography assets for a slate of Showtime original series, documentaries and sports programming.
   • Coordinate and manage show production, including budget creation, scriptwriting and booking guest for on camera interviews.
   • Act as the gaffer and grip.
   • Provide services for YouTube album music releases.
   • Organize camera, electrical and grip crews.
   • Direct the gaffer to meet establish lighting strategy.

   More director of photography duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your director of photography job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A director of photography salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a director of photography in Wyoming may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level director of photography usually earns less than a senior-level director of photography. Additionally, a director of photography with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average director of photography salary

   $105,236yearly

   $50.59 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of photography salary

   $71,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average director of photography salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$121,677	$59
   2	Texas	$116,090	$56
   3	California	$104,499	$50
   4	Ohio	$95,283	$46
   5	Nevada	$94,287	$45
   6	Virginia	$89,164	$43
   7	Hawaii	$88,996	$43
   8	Florida	$80,705	$39

   Average director of photography salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Gap Inc.	$99,281	$47.73
   2	UMiami Health System	$95,398	$45.86
   3	Ligonier Ministries	$94,545	$45.45
   4	TEGNA	$86,935	$41.80	6
   5	Gannett	$74,780	$35.95	1
   6	University of California-Berkeley	$72,030	$34.63

4. Writing a director of photography job description

   A director of photography job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a director of photography job description:

   Director of photography job description example

   Who We Are
   
   Our mission is simple: to rid the world of cheesy corporate videos. It's a tall task, and our work is far from done. That's where you come in - because behind every pixel we create exists an incredibly talented, highly motivated team relentlessly committed to producing incredible video content that elevates our clients' brand.
   
   About You
   
   You're a cinematographer who's developed high-quality portfolio of documentary or marketing videos. You provide clear, motivated direction to camera operators, ACs, gaffers, grips, PAs, and talent, but you're comfortable operating a camera or lighting an interview unassisted, if needed. You may have a kit of your own, but you're flexible to work with 522's FS7 package and a wide range of rental equipment. Ideally, you're experienced in advanced camera movement systems including Steadicam or Movi. You know how to spot and solve problems before they become a big deal. Most importantly, you understand how to work quickly on set, provide excellent customer service, and remain relentlessly positive in chaotic situations.
   
   Applications must include a link to a portfolio of recent and relevant videos. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered. Direct links to Google Drive or Dropbox also will not be considered.
   With 522, you will:Work with a 522 director to lead crews of 3-10 people to capture interviews, b-roll, and narrative scenes.Consult with the director ahead of the production to understand the creative approach, client objectives, crew capabilities, equipment loadout, and potential production risks.Operate various cinema camera systems with technical precision.Light and dress scenes as needed, directing other crew when available to achieve intended look.Capture audio when needed for simple interview setups or b-roll nats.Protect integrity of captured footage through consistent labeling and backup procedures in consultation with the director.React proactively and professionally to inevitable changes in production schedule and unforeseen obstacles.Communicate clearly and consistently with the rest of the 522 team, both on-set and between gigs.
   
   What's Next?
   
   Bringing the right people onto our team is one of our most important responsibilities. Our interview process, particularly for full-time work, may consist of multiple rounds of phone, video, and in-person interviews. We take our time to make sure the process is done right. We'll do our best to respond to each applicant, but please know that we appreciate your interest even if a position with us isn't an immediate fit.
   
   If you want to be a big part of a growing business, if you want a team environment to collaborate on creative ideas, if you want to take the next step in your career-come talk to us.
   
   At 522 Productions, we're made stronger by working with people with a diverse set of backgrounds and perspectives. We're an equal opportunity employer and we're committed to providing reasonable accommodations to any applicant or employee with a disability.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find directors of photography for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit directors of photography, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 director of photography

   Once you've found the director of photography candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new director of photography. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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