Sr. Photographer

The Gap•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

The Gap Platform Photo Studio is seeking an experienced photographer to serve as Athleta’s direct connection with brand partners for the elevation and execution of on-figure product photography. The photographer will partner with the Sr. Manager of Photography and focus on brand production needs, collaborating with stakeholders on lighting, on-set direction, and visual aesthetics to create consistent branded photography assets. The role also leads freelancers as needed, helps them understand studio processes and procedures, resolves on-set challenges, and executes creative direction while explaining decisions that support the brand vision. The photographer will work to improve studio performance against operational metrics and budget while maintaining and elevating the brand’s creative vision and quality. They will develop approaches for photographing new categories and initiatives, follow new processes, and provide feedback to support successful implementation. Although assigned specifically to Athleta, the role will also learn Gap Inc. partner-brand processes for Banana Republic and Gap to provide greater production flexibility. Working under the Sr. Manager of Photography, the photographer will operate independently and alongside account managers, art directors, stylists, and other photographers to produce digital product images at scale. The role includes ecommerce photography and, when needed, still-life imagery. The photographer will help the team meet daily shot goals and service-level expectations, flag risks, and work with account managers and studio leadership to resolve roadblocks. They will also identify workflow improvements, suggest solutions to the Sr. Director of Photo Production and Technology, document processes, maintain technical execution guides, and analyze data and tests to improve processes and support new initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in photography or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience working as a photographer for premium brands and/or innovative branding firms.
Direct experience in large-scale, high-volume apparel production across a variety of product categories.
Proven experience working with art directors, stylists, production teams, and freelance talent.
In-depth photography and videography skills and knowledge.
Clear understanding of all stages of the photography process and the ability to direct a team in executing it.
Ability to thrive in the high-intensity environment of an ecommerce studio and work under tight deadlines.
Self-driven and able to communicate creative ideas and collaborate across multiple teams.
Quality-focused, with proven problem-solving skills to support productivity and time-to-market standards.

Responsibilities

Produce high-quality photography and video for Athleta, Banana Republic, or Gap.
Lead on-figure photography execution, partnering with brand stakeholders to understand seasonal vision and feedback.
Photograph ecommerce images and capture still-life imagery when needed.
Work under the Sr. Manager of Photography while collaborating with account managers, art directors, stylists, product coordinators, sample managers, and other photographers.
Lead freelancers as needed and ensure they understand studio processes and procedures.
Resolve on-set photography challenges and execute brand creative direction, articulating the rationale for decisions.
Help identify new photography approaches that support agility and flexibility while meeting or exceeding production goals.
Lead the team toward daily shot goals established by the Account Management team and ensure the daily workload is completed within service-level expectations.
Raise concerns when deadlines or workload completion are at risk and work with account managers and studio leadership to resolve roadblocks.
Identify workflow and process challenges, propose potential solutions to the Sr. Director of Photo Production and Technology, and ensure process documentation is created.
Maintain high standards for accuracy, aesthetics, and productivity.
Develop techniques and best practices for shooting new categories and projects.
Maintain photography technical execution guides within the studio.
Collect and analyze data and test solutions for process improvements and new initiatives.