Inside the photo editor role: skills, expectations and how people get hired
From commissioning to negotiation, what it takes to shape photography at magazines
By Orla Brennan
Glancing at a magazine’s masthead, some titles are more self-explanatory than others. You’d need little knowledge of publishing to grasp what an editor-in-chief or fashion director does, for example, but the role of a ‘photo editor’ is less straightforward than it may at first sound. The work can vary greatly between publications – especially those that straddle both print and digital – but in essence, the photo editor works to help shape a magazine’s visual identity.
Responsibilities can range from commissioning photographers to digging through image archives; storyboarding layouts and overseeing shoot production; reviewing portfolios and making image selects, to planning a magazine’s overarching visual strategy. As multifaceted as the role can be, so too are the roads there. Many editors are photographers themselves, while others might arrive at a magazine with a background in creative direction or visual design. With so many variables at play, you might be wondering, what does it actually take to become a photo editor?
We spoke to some of the industry’s most accomplished photo editors to find out. Here, they demystify the role and share the must-knows for anyone wanting to pursue it as a career.
The role of a photo editor seems to vary somewhat between publications. What does your job encompass?
Giada De Agostinis, Photo Editor, The New Yorker: At The New Yorker, each photo editor gets assigned a variety of stories. For each one of them, we collaborate with editors, writers, and art directors to research or commission visuals that would illustrate the stories.
Francesca Marani, Senior Photo Editor, Vogue Italia: That's true! I think the work varies greatly from one publication to another. My role consists of conducting photographic research for web and print editions, as well as for social media platforms. I also oversee the production of some videos and photo shoots. I monitor the visual photography strategy for the Vogue Italia brand, and supervise the visual aspects of the brand's special editorial projects, write articles on photography, and represent the brand when necessary.
Sophie Gladstone, Photo Editor, Wallpaper*: I commission and brief pretty much all the artists Wallpaper* works with, which is mostly photographers as well as render artists, illustrators and collage artists too. It’s a collaborative process of proposing and then bringing to life the most interesting visuals for our readers. A lot of logistical problem-solving and admin goes with that, of course. We also shoot quite a lot of still life in-house, which I art direct, and I love that side of things.
Jacob Moscovitch, Photo Editor, New York Magazine: In addition to commissioning original photography, many of the stories at New York Magazine require in-depth photographic research – looking through archives, wire services, photographer portfolios, and artist estates. As a photo editor, I’m in constant communication with reporters and editors about articles, with photographers on creative direction and logistics, and with art directors about layout. I focus on celebrity portraiture and culture stories, so most days I’m also producing and coordinating with publicists, photo studios, equipment rental houses, stylists, and hair and makeup artists.
What’s the most rewarding and the most challenging thing about your job?
Katie Webb, Photo Director, HTSI, Financial Times: Working on multiple shoots simultaneously. I can have up to 30 active shoots at one time. The most rewarding part of the job is opening a beautiful shoot from a photographer that I have commissioned.