# Michael Hardgrove > Photo Production Manager, Gap Inc. Photo Studio | Photo & Video Consultant | Photographer Location: San Francisco, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/michaelhardgrove I am a diverse creative professional with 15+ years of experience as an art director, photo director, art producer, and production manager creating effective, strategic visual content in the e-commerce, advertising, and media spaces. ## Work Experience ### Photo Production Manager, Gap Inc. Photo Studio @ Gap Inc. Jan 2023 – Present | San Francisco, CA • Manage end-to-end production operations for high-volume in-house photo studio, partnering closely with Photo Studio leadership to deliver seamless execution across multiple brands. • Co-own studio scheduling and booking strategy across shoots, balancing priorities and maximizing space to keep a high-volume workflow moving efficiently. • Help manage production budgets from forecasting through final invoicing, making thoughtful decisions to stay on track financially without compromising creative quality. • Build strong, reliable freelance teams — sourcing photographers, stylists, art directors, digital techs, and photo assistants — tailored to each brand’s vision and needs. • Act as a steady on-set leader, bringing teams together, solving problems in real time, and creating a collaborative, positive working environment. • Oversee talent holds, bookings, and shoot logistics using studio tools, while also identifying smarter ways of working and improving processes where needed. • Partnered cross-functionally with creative, production, and account teams to ensure alignment and consistently strong output. • Step in to lead production operations and scheduling when needed, ensuring continuity and team support. ### Photographer @ Michael Hardgrove Photography Jan 2009 – Present Clients: Four Seasons Magazine, Greek Vogue, Marie Claire, Gilt, Forbes Woman, Forbes.com, Vogue.com, Travelzoo, Uber, Sellers Dorsey as well as numerous news and pr websites worldwide. ### Consultant, Photo and Video @ Travelzoo Jan 2022 – Jan 2023 ### Executive Art Producer @ Callisto Media Jan 2020 – Jan 2022 | New York, New York • Led a team of five art producers for this venture-backed publishing startup, ensuring a timely and on-budget production schedule of 50+ print titles each month. • Facilitated hiring, on boarding, team training, weekly staff meetings, one-on-ones and career development. • Designed and managed timelines and budgets for print titles from conception to publication, including coordination with third party vendors, freelance talent and agencies. • Acted as Callisto’s principle liaison on all art purchasing and production, including custom photo shoots, illustrations and stock art including recruiting and artist management. • Met regularly with executive team to build budgets and advocate for strong visual output. • Improved the overall interaction between the art team and supporting departments. ### Art Producer @ Callisto Media Jan 2019 – Jan 2020 | New York, New York • Previously produced art for 50+ titles a month. From custom photography shoots to custom illustration and stock. • Was responsible for planning, organizing, scheduling, buying and logging all art. • Recruited new photographers and stock agencies while maintain successful artist relationships. ### Senior Photo Editor @ Travelzoo Jan 2015 – Jan 2019 | New York, New York • Supported all aspects of photo direction and production for a travel deal website with an audience of 30M. Managed a x-coastal team of 5 photo editors. • Led the expansion of the photo team to the West coast while conducting daily photo research, editing, color correcting, tracking and buying of images for all verticals. • Directed photo shoots of hotels, restaurants and spas. • Conducted heavy photo research. • Recruited new photographers and stock agencies. ### Photo Editor @ Travelzoo Jan 2013 – Jan 2015 | San Francisco, California • Extensive daily photo research, editing, color correcting, tracking and buying of images for all travel verticals. • Coordinate and art direct photo shoots of hotels, restaurants and spas. • Recruited new photographers and stock agencies. • Lead the expansion of the photo department to the west coast as well as managed the west coast photo editor. ### Advertising Design Manager @ WorldNow Jan 2011 – Jan 2013 | New York, New York • Managed as well as designed and produced all online ad units for this advertising agency’s largest client, Meredith Corporation, which included 10 local tv stations. • Supervised and organized a high volume of requests, interacting one on one with individual Account Executives (10 per station) to ensure that the goal of each ad is met and up to IAB standards. • Closely worked with the Ad trafficking department to make sure that all ads are scheduled and running smoothly. ### Deputy Art Director @ Soap Opera Digest Jan 2011 – Jan 2011 | New York, New York • Supported the editorial art department of Soap Opera Digest magazine. • Duties included layout concept, layout design, typesetting, photo research, help with the art/edit production process as well as manage all color and files to pre-press. ### Photo Editor @ Gilt City Jan 2010 – Jan 2011 | New York, New York • Oversaw the photo direction for Gilt Groupe’s new experience deal based site Gilt City.com. Conducted daily photo editing, research and buying of images. • In charge of editing, cropping, color correcting, researching, tracking, buying and managing the high volume (80+ daily) of images for the six cities that make up giltcity.com. • Worked with the editorial and sales departments to best convey the sales in each city. • Photographed on location when images not available. ### Associate Art Director @ Forbes Jan 2005 – Jan 2009 | New York, New York • Supported the editorial art department of Forbes custom division as well as their new lifestyle magazine, ForbesWoman. • Performed layout design, typesetting, extensive photo research, organizing the art/edit production schedule, as well as managing all color and files to prepress. Print: Associate Art Director - New York 2005 - 2009 Supported the editorial art department of Forbes lifestyle magazine, ForbesWoman. Attended and managed photo shoots as well as conducted staff photography. Duties included layout design, typesetting, extensive photo research, organizing the art/edit production schedule, the transfer from print to forbeswoman.com as well as managing all color and files to pre-press. Previously conducted the same duties while supporting the custom editorial art department of Forbes, producing magazines for the Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Northwestern Mutual. Online: Photo Editor/ Art Director - New York 2008 - 2009 Oversaw the creation and design of forbeswoman.com from conception to completion. In charge of all photography and design, including researching, tracking, buying, sizing and editing all images for the forbeswoman channel and daily slide shows. ### Assistant Art Director @ Brant Publications Jan 2005 – Jan 2005 | New York, New York Supported the creative team of Interview, Art in America and The Magazine Antiques. Including heavy advertisement design, typesetting and attending to any other magazine art department needs. ## Education ### BFA in Graphic Design Maryland Institute College of Art ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/michaelhardgrove - Portfolio: https://michaelhardgrove.com --- Source: https://flows.cv/michaelhardgrove JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/michaelhardgrove/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13