Lizzy Johnston
Atlanta, GA | elizabethlizzyliz@gmail.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lizzyjohnston

Photo Art Director | Creative Producer

Summary
Photo Art Director and Creative Producer with 10+ years of experience collaborating with photographers, production crews, creative agencies, and in-house brand teams. Skilled in supporting artists through the creative process, partnering on production and estimating, and building strong working relationships across marketing, editorial, and product teams. At Mailchimp, I helped shape brand photography direction, guided productions within Wink Creative, and worked closely with reps and photographers to align artistic direction with timelines, budgets, and client needs. Known for clear communication, cross-functional collaboration, and a thoughtful, relationship-driven approach to creative work.

Core Skills

  • Creative Leadership & Direction

    • Art direction, visual strategy, treatment development

    • Creative brief interpretation & storytelling alignment

    • Photographer selection & artist support

    Production & Workflow Management

    • End-to-end still & motion production oversight

    • Timeline planning, budget alignment, estimating

    • Workflow optimization & resource coordination

    • Vendor, agency & crew partnerships

    Cross-Functional Collaboration

    • Partnering with marketing, brand, design, PM, product

    • Clear communication with stakeholders & creative teams

    • Liaison between internal teams, external partners & reps

    Licensing & Asset Management

    • Usage negotiation, rights management, licensing extensions

    • DAM organization, rights compliance & asset distribution

Experience

Mailchimp — Photo Art Director / Brand Photo Lead
2019 – 2025

  • Collaborated with reps, photographers, stylists, and production partners to execute still and motion campaigns across global marketing, editorial, and product.

  • Reviewed, negotiated, and approved estimates, usage terms, licensing extensions, and production budgets.

  • Matched photographers to creative briefs, supporting artists through creative development, treatments, and client calls.

  • Led productions within Wink Creative (AdAge In-House Agency of the Year, 2023), aligning creative needs with timelines, budgets, and brand strategy.

  • Built and maintained strong vendor and agency relationships, serving as a central contact for cross-functional creative teams.

  • Created Mailchimp’s Photography Style Guide and brand-wide photographic guidelines to ensure consistent, elevated visual direction.

  • Oversaw digital asset management workflows, rights compliance, and internal distribution for all brand imagery.

Mailchimp — Senior Brand Photographer
2018 – 2019

  • Built Mailchimp’s first in-house photo team; hired, mentored, and managed staff photographers and freelancers.

  • Developed creative direction for brand and campaign photography across marketing, product, and web.

  • Authored the photography guidelines for Mailchimp’s 2018 rebrand.

Mailchimp — Brand Photographer
2016 – 2018

  • Produced and photographed brand and campaign imagery across marketing, social, and editorial channels.

  • Researched, pitched, and executed original concepts aligned with brand vision.

  • Delivered imagery for customer storytelling, product launches, and culture documentation.

Freelance — Art Director & Creative Producer
2006 – 2021

  • Collaborated with clients including The New York Times, Whole Foods, Southern Foodways Alliance, Community Farmers Markets, and HowStuffWorks on photography, creative production, and visual storytelling projects.

  • Produced brand and editorial photography, with expertise in research, location sourcing, and vendor partnerships.

  • Managed end-to-end creative production, from briefs and budgets through final delivery.

HowStuffWorks — Creative Producer & Preditor
2008 – 2013

  • Produced multimedia content for top-performing podcasts and digital campaigns.

  • Served as staff photographer for talent and promotional materials.

  • Managed production schedules, edits, delivery workflows, and asset libraries under tight deadlines.

Education & Certifications

  • BFA, Photography — Georgia State University

  • Savannah College of Art & Design (Entrepreneurship in the Arts coursework)

  • Brand Strategy & Storytelling, Hyper Island

  • Design Leadership & Ideation Workshops, Cooper Professional Education

Awards

  • AdAge In-House Agency of the Year, 2023 (Wink Creative, Mailchimp)

  • Webby People’s Voice Award

Previous

Photography in Application (Mailchimp Emails & Web)