Director of Photography

Davidson College•Davidson, NC

16d

About The Position

The Director of Photography brings the institution's brand to life through visual storytelling, conveying the college’s key messages in a compelling manner and through the use of appropriate creative techniques. In collaboration with writers, designers and communications and marketing strategists in the Office of Communications, the photographer will express the institution’s visual identity through multimedia content in a manner consistent with the tone and character of the college’s brand. The photographer will create original content appropriate for all digital platforms and channels and all printed media, including the semi-annual Davidson Journal magazine. The photographer also will maintain the college’s digital assets using cloud-based digital asset management software.

Requirements

A body of work and portfolio that demonstrates broad and deep photography and photo editing/compositing experience
Experience with AI-powered culling and editing tools
Excellent communication skills with talent, location staff, crew, clients, and design and/or art director
Expertise in Adobe Creative Cloud, specifically Lightroom Classic and Photoshop
Experience with Adobe Premiere Rush or CapCut for mobile editing
Proficiency with mirrorless camera systems and mobile-to-cloud workflows
Experience with cloud-based digital asset management systems and AI-integrated editing workflows to streamline image tagging, retrieval and distribution
Team oriented, collaborative and client-focused; capacity to quickly earn the trust of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, education and life experiences.
Bachelor’s degree
5 years of full-time professional work experience in a nonprofit, agency or higher education setting
Professional portfolio of work that demonstrates experience and qualifications for the position (include your portfolio's link on your resume)
Strong interpersonal, verbal communication and organizational skills
Resume and Cover Letter

Nice To Haves

Understanding of institutional strategy and ability to integrate the strategy into different modes of communication
Characteristics including intellectual curiosity and creativity
Incredible attention to detail with the ability to work quickly, creatively, and accurately under tight deadlines
Strong project management skills: ability to work independently, establish priorities, work within deadlines, and organize effectively
Experience capturing short-form assets for digital platforms, and experience with video editing applications, including Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects, and related creative applications
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification (or willingness to obtain) for legal drone operation on campus
Bachelor’s degree in photojournalism, visual communications, communications, journalism or related field

Responsibilities

Cover college events at various locations as needed
Write engaging and descriptive captions and cutlines
Capture, edit, and deliver creative work with tight turnaround times
Remain current on emerging visual storytelling trends across photography and social media platforms
Order, secure, maintain and effectively use equipment and supplies
Manage incoming requests and scheduling
Research and understand creative trends and best practices and basic market positioning
Remain mission and goal-oriented, placing the strategic needs of the college, communications and marketing, brand and clients first
Provide real-time content delivery during high-profile events using camera-to-phone/FTP transfers
Hire and supervise student photographers and freelancers as needed
Other duties as assigned