How to hire a news photographer

How to hire a news photographer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step news 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 news photographer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new news photographer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The news photographer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A news photographer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, news photographers 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.

   Here's a comparison of news photographer salaries for various roles:

   Type of News Photographer	Description	Hourly rate
   News Photographer	Photographers use their technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images that tell a story or record an event.	$8-158
   Editor & Producer	A Production Editor is responsible for the process of launching a publication. They format, edit, and proofread book manuscripts.	$15-37
   Freelance Video Editor	A freelance video editor offers video editing services to individuals and businesses. Most freelance video editors manage their own time and work at their preferred places, some even working from home... Show more	$15-43

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HD
   • Video Cameras
   • General Assignment
   • News Stories
   • Edit Video
   • Clips
   • News Reports
   • Facebook
   • ABC
   • Live Shots
   • Local News
   • News Gathering
   • FTP
   • Tripods

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Coordinate and manage providing and dressing the customers with old western costumes in preparation of taking their photos.
   • FTP video through camera back to news station.
   • Receive FTP transmissions and live streaming from the field.
   • Take pictures for both men and women's soccer games
   • Gain DSLR photography, journalism, and communication skills.
   • Photograph and document NCAA and intramural sports on campus.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, news photographers' average salary in hawaii is 66% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level news photographers earn 95% less than senior-level news photographers.
   • Certifications. A news 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 news photographer's salary.

   Average news photographer salary

   $76,014yearly

   $36.55 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level news photographer salary

   $17,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a news photographer job description

   A job description for a news 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 news photographer job description:

   News photographer job description example

   Photographer/videographer
   
   The Wisconsin State Journal is looking for a versatile multimedia journalist to join our team.
   
   If you are the ideal candidate, storytelling comes naturally to you. You're a well-rounded journalist who would be just as comfortable making photographs on the sidelines of a Badgers game as taking video on the shores of Madison's beautiful lakes. You're aggressive yet grounded, enterprising yet collaborative, and can make photos and videos that surprise readers, move or amuse them, and fearlessly tell the stories of our times.
   
   You can pitch ideas for long-term photo and video projects, but also juggle daily assignments. As part of a small but critical team, you'll brainstorm with reporters, editors and fellow photographers to find the very best way to illustrate a story. You'll work with the staff to balance assignments and promote the State Journal's work on social media. You will contribute ideas as we strive to cover all neighborhoods in this increasingly diverse community.
   
   Madison is a dynamic city with a lively arts and culture scene, and there is no shortage of news to cover. UW-Madison, state politics and a thriving restaurant scene are key coverage areas, and you'd play a crucial role in all of them.
   
   At least three years of experience at a daily newspaper is preferred. Strong sports shooting skills are a must, as part of the job involves covering Big Ten football and other university and prep sports. The position will include working some nights and weekends.
   
   To be considered for this position, applicants must apply online at madison.com/workhere.
   
   As part of your online application, please attach a cover letter and your portfolio.
   
   Deadline to apply is Tuesday, Sept. 6.
   
   Madison Media Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to maintaining a workforce that accurately reflects our audience and expands our voice.
   
   Pre-employment background and drug screenings apply.
   
   Other details
   
   * Job Family News
   * Pay Type Hourly
   
   Apply Now
   
   * Madison, WI, USA

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right news photographer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with news photographers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit news photographers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with news photographer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 news photographer

   Once you've decided on a perfect news 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new news photographer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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