Director of Photography

Tarte cosmetics is hiring a Director of Photography based in New York, New York to lead all branded photo production across campaign, e-commerce, editorial, and social content. This role sits at the center of the creative department, owning the full photographic output from concept and pre-production through final asset delivery across every consumer touchpoint. It suits an experienced beauty and lifestyle photographer who has moved into a leadership position and is equally comfortable pulling focus on set and presenting creative strategy to senior marketing stakeholders.

About the Role

The Director of Photography at tarte cosmetics operates across a continuous slate of on-model campaigns, product launches, influencer activations, and retail initiatives, working directly alongside the VP of Creative Marketing and Global Marketing teams. A typical week moves between pre-production planning, active shoot direction, retouching oversight, and cross-departmental creative reviews. The role carries both the hands-on responsibility of directing talent and lighting on set and the organizational weight of managing budgets, vendor relationships, and global asset delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct all aspects of on-model and campaign photography production, including lighting design, composition, talent direction, and image selection across beauty, lifestyle, and editorial formats.
• Partner with Creative Leadership and Producers during pre-production to develop shot lists, mood boards, casting recommendations, and location plans that align with campaign strategy.
• Translate marketing objectives into specific visual narratives, ensuring imagery communicates product performance and supports brand storytelling across digital, social, and retail channels.
• Oversee retouching direction, asset management workflows, and final photography deliverables to ensure on-time, on-brief output for global markets.
• Mentor staff photographers and freelance creative partners, setting photography standards and production workflows that maintain consistent quality across all shoots.
• Monitor industry trends in beauty and fashion photography, bringing relevant aesthetic references and emerging approaches into the creative development process.

What You Bring

• Substantial experience directing on-model and campaign photo production in beauty, fashion, or lifestyle brand environments.
• A strong working knowledge of studio lighting, location production, and the post-production workflow from capture through final retouched delivery.
• Demonstrated credits across e-commerce, editorial, and integrated marketing campaigns, with a portfolio that shows range across formats and platforms.
• Experience managing shoot budgets and vendor relationships at a mid-to-large brand or agency production scale.
• Ability to provide clear, specific creative direction to photographers, retouchers, stylists, and talent on set.

Why This Role

Tarte cosmetics holds a well-established position in the beauty market with a global footprint, meaning the photography produced here reaches audiences across multiple international markets and retail environments. The Director of Photography role carries genuine creative authority, with direct input into how the brand’s visual identity evolves across all channels. For a photographer ready to own a brand’s full photographic output rather than execute someone else’s vision, this is a substantive next step.

Apply now for the Director of Photography position at tarte cosmetics and bring your production experience to a brand building photography at scale.