About the role
Kestrel Visual Press is a fictional photo and video agency. This sample listing illustrates a staff photojournalist role on a visual desk that serves a range of news outlets with pictures from the field.
The photographer would be assigned to breaking news, features and long-term projects, and would be expected to work as much with caption and consent as with exposure and composition.
What you will do
- Photograph news and feature assignments across the region, often at short notice.
- Edit your own selects, caption images accurately and deliver them to the picture desk on deadline.
- Follow the agency's ethics policy on manipulation, staging and consent, and flag any doubts to the picture editor.
- Plan safe working: risk assessments, check-ins and clear communication with the desk when assignments are sensitive.
- Collaborate with video journalists and reporters to cover stories in more than one format.
- Develop at least one longer project a year with support from an editor.
What we are looking for
- A portfolio showing both fast news coverage and considered feature work.
- A strong understanding of photo ethics, captioning and the handling of images of vulnerable people.
- Comfort working with your own gear, with additional equipment supplied for specific assignments.
- Basic first-aid and safety awareness, or willingness to complete training.
- A full driving licence is helpful for regional assignments but is not assumed.
How the team works
The visual desk is small and collaborative. Photographers send selects and captions through a shared system, and the picture editor gives feedback within the hour on live assignments. Weekly planning calls help match people to upcoming stories.
This listing describes the role as field-based, so most days are spent on assignment rather than in an office. Safety kit is listed as provided by the agency in this sample.
Pay and conditions
The illustrative salary range is $64,000 to $82,000 for a full-time role. It is a made-up range for this launch edition and does not reflect real photographer pay.
A real listing would explain equipment ownership, insurance, overtime, rights in the images and how archive reuse is handled. Candidates with disabilities are welcome to ask about adjustments to assignment types and equipment.