Thad Allender has returned to Lawrence as director of photography for the Lawrence Journal-World’s news operation.

Allender oversees the Journal-World’s photo department, which has three other full-time photographers, a photo scanner and a number of part-time photographers.

He also coordinates visual efforts with World Online, and collaborates with affiliated television operations.

Allender, 27, spent the past nine months as a freelance photographer in New York after three years as a full-time staff photographer at the Journal-World. He had been a part-time photographer for the newspaper in 2001 and 2002.

“He has already shown us the solid, imaginative work he can produce with his cameras,” said Bill Snead, Journal-World senior editor. “Now, in his new management role, we’re looking forward to seeing his creative influence on our staff and on our daily displays of photos and art in the Journal-World and in our online and cable products.”

Allender, a native of Protection in southwest Kansas, received a journalism degree from Kansas University.