The L.A. Times has created a new senior job, assistant managing editor for photography, and filled it with longtime Timeser Colin Crawford. Yesterday's memo follows:

To: The Staff
From: John Carroll, Editor and Dean Baquet, Managing Editor

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Colin Crawford as assistant managing editor for photography, a new masthead position.

This appointment is a testament to Colin's leadership over the past two years. As acting photo director, he has invigorated the department, now widely regarded as among the most ambitious in the country. Under his guidance, the photo staff produced a remarkable three Pulitzer Prize finalists --- and one winner --- last year.

The appointment is an acknowledgment of the powerful role photography has come to play at The Times. From Iraq to the Middle East, the paper's photographers have done striking and courageous work on big projects and daily coverage. They have been crucial to the rebuilding of the California section, and to all the features sections. The photo staff has clearly earned representation on the paper's masthead.

Colin joined The Times in 1983 as a freelance photographer. He became a photo assignment editor at the Orange County Edition in 1986 and director of photography in Orange County in 1989. He was named associate director of photography for Los Angeles and director of photography for the regional editions in 1998. He became acting director of photography in Los Angeles in 2001.

Colin holds a bachelor's degree in political science from UCLA.

He will report to the managing editor.