Staff Photographer & Videographer

Seattle Art Museum•Seattle, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Staff Photographer & Videographer will capture and tell visual stories about the museum, collection, artists, exhibitions, events, institutional initiatives, and the community it serves across all sites. As SAM heads into its second century, we are boldly reimagining what we can and should be. Our goal is to be a model for the future of museums - a bold, dynamic hub of creativity, belonging, and cultural leadership, shaping the future of art and community. Embracing new ways of engaging communities and seeking innovative partnerships - all while keeping art and community at the center of what we do. This ambitious effort represents a transformative shift and radically redefining how art museums operate. This is a pivotal moment for SAM, and we are seeking great talent to join us on our journey. Working at SAM is not just a job—it's a chance to be part of a vibrant, creative community.

Requirements

Three years’ experience capturing a wide variety of digital photography and video footage including portrait, editorial, event, commercial, product, studio, spaces, and architectural in an agency, institutional, or professional setting
Solid working knowledge of the techniques of digital photography and video, lighting, audio capture
Experience shooting with professional grade Canon DSLR and Sony A series cameras, lenses, and using standard studio gear, such as lighting kits, tripods, microphones, etc.
Experience with video production, concepting, filming, editing, color correction, and post-production
Experience creating animations including motion graphics and animated gifs
Experience with marketing/promotional photography, specifically of events
Initiative and desire to research and learn new imaging technologies and to troubleshoot technical problems related to imaging and video capture
Successfully complete self-directed work and work as part of a team
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with board members, donors, executives, management, employees, and the public
Professional verbal and written communication
Ability to simultaneously manage several projects
Successfully assess priorities and work well with deadlines, solid time management, and problem-solving skills
Exercise discretion in maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, Asana, Slack and internet-based research
Expertise with Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Lightroom, Photoshop, CameraRAW, Premiere, After Effects, Media Encoder, and exporting files to spec
Ability to pass and maintain security background check clearance

Nice To Haves

Experience in a museum or arts and culture sector
Experience with specialty video capture & equipment, such as drones, AR/VR, and 360° cameras

Responsibilities

Work with department colleagues to brainstorm and plan upcoming opportunities to capture photos and video across SAM locations, in the galleries during exhibitions and events, and to document special projects, shop product, staff, new initiatives, and more
Edit and retouch images and footage using Adobe Creative Cloud
Upload assets to the digital asset management system (Canto) using standardized metadata, keywords, and tags for efficient and appropriate access by colleagues
Organize files according to established filing conventions
Ensure that photography, video, and visual assets follow brand and image standards
Collaborate to prioritize scope of work and resources
Partner with relevant cross-functional stakeholders to determine approach, details, times, location access, and subject availability
Interact with the public as a photojournalist and ensure individuals captured sign image release forms
Collaborate with the in-house creative and content teams to market the museum and support the expression of the brand
Oversee and maintain equipment, including cameras, lenses, lighting, video equipment, and external disk drives
Maintain positive customer relations (internal and external)
Work with project managers to define project goals
Keep current with photography and studio lighting trends, and innovations
Contribute to an institutional focus of delivering exceptional, welcoming, and inclusive customer service—creating positive, meaningful experiences for all visitors, every time
Participate in institutional learning opportunities to grow our collective understanding and integration of antiracism, cultural competency, and equity values into SAM’s work