Photographer

NinetyEightConsulting; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

NinetyEightConsulting seeks a photographer to create compelling visual content for luxury fashion accessories across handbags, leather goods, travel items, and lifestyle products in New York City. You will lead product and lifestyle photography, delivering e-commerce and marketing-ready imagery while collaborating with creative and design teams to uphold the brand aesthetic.

The role requires strong experience in product/commercial photography, expert lighting, post-production skills, and a keen

Qualifications

• Proven experience in commercial product photography and digital image editing.
• Strong knowledge of studio flash, lighting, camera operation, focus, perspective, color accuracy, and retouching.
• Excellent visual judgment, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret detailed instructions, work independently, manage deadlines, and deliver production-ready images.
• Portfolio demonstrating product styling, sharp focus, professional lighting, and quality editing.

Responsibilities

• Lead product and lifestyle photography for handbags, travel accessories, and lifestyle goods.
• Prepare and style products to achieve brand-consistent presentation across e-commerce and marketing channels.
• Operate studio lighting and cameras to produce sharp, color-accurate images with true-to-life detail.
• Follow shot lists and creative briefs to capture required views, details, and variations.
• Edit and retouch images to meet company standards, removing imperfections as needed.
• Collaborate with creative and design teams to maintain cohesive brand aesthetics.

Skills

Product photography

Commercial photography

Digital editing

Lighting expertise

Attention to detail

Tools

AI image generation

Job description

We're partnering with an established luxury fashion accessories company based out of New York City. Our client is seeking a Photographer to create compelling visual content across handbags, small leather goods, travel accessories, and lifestyle products. This role will lead product and lifestyle photography, capturing high-quality imagery for e-commerce, marketing, and digital platforms while collaborating closely with creative and design teams to maintain a cohesive brand aesthetic. The ideal candidate brings a strong background in product and commercial photography, exceptional attention to detail, proficiency in lighting and post-production, and a creative eye for visual storytelling.

Product Knowledge & Styling:

Understand the company's products, materials, colors, construction, and intended presentation. Prepare, shape, position, and style products, selecting appropriate inserts, fillers, props, and accessories to achieve the correct appearance for photography. Have a sense of the use, intention, customer of the product.

• Determine how products should be positioned, shaped, styled, and arranged to achieve the correct appearance without requiring step-by-step instructions.
• Prepare products for photography by straightening, reshaping, or adjusting them as needed without requiring step-by-step instructions.
• Select and position appropriate inserts, fillers, props, accessories, and supporting materials inside, behind, beneath, or around products to achieve the correct shape, structure, and presentation.
• Recognize and correct styling issues, wrinkles, unwanted elements, and other imperfections before and during photography.

Professional Photography & Lighting:

Operate cameras, lenses, studio flash, lighting equipment, and accessories. Produce consistently sharp, properly focused, well-exposed photographs with accurate, true-to-life color, appropriate lighting, and clear product details.

• Apply professional flash photography techniques to achieve accurate exposure, true-to-life product color, appropriate illumination, and clear representation of materials, textures, finishes, and details.
• Adjust lighting, flash output, camera settings, and modifiers to correct glare, harsh shadows, reflections, color casts, and uneven illumination.
• Understand how different products, materials, colors, and finishes respond to lighting.
• Evaluate test shots and make necessary adjustments to ensure sharp, properly exposed, color-accurate images.

Angles & Composition:

Understand and execute the correct camera angles, perspective, framing, and positioning to accurately represent each product. Follow specific instructions and shot lists for hangtags, catalogs, e-commerce, and marketing materials, ensuring all required views and details are captured.

• Determine and execute the correct camera angles, perspective, framing, composition, and product positioning for each assignment.
• Understand which views best communicate a product's shape, proportions, construction, features, and functionality without distortion.
• Produce high-quality photographs for hangtags, catalogs, e-commerce websites, packaging, and other marketing and sales materials.
• Follow shot lists, creative briefs, visual references, and specific photography instructions accurately.
• Maintain consistent angles, scale, framing, lighting, and presentation across related products, styles, sizes, and colorways.
• Identify and capture all required views, close-ups, details, and variations, confirming completeness before dismantling a set or moving to the next product.

Image Selection, Editing & Retouching:

Select the best photograph for each required shot. Edit and retouch bags and other products according to specific instructions, properly adjusting brightness, exposure, contrast, and color while preserving the product's true appearance, shape, proportions, materials, and details. Ensure all final images meet company standards. Able to remove imperfections like dents, wrinkles, or any other edits instructed to. Photographer edits might be “Frankenstein-ing” two elements into one.

• Listen carefully to instructions and accurately interpret verbal requests, written specifications, and visual references.
• Ask intelligent, targeted questions to obtain precise information and clarify ambiguities before proceeding.
• Anticipate photography and styling needs, recognize potential problems, and make sound decisions without constant supervision.

AI Image Generating:

Candidate must be very comfortable using AI programs to help Aid in the gathering of the right image, for edits, not fully relying on this. It is a tool, not an easy “end-game.”

• Independent Judgment & Communication: Anticipate product presentation and photography needs, identify and correct problems, ask intelligent questions to clarify requirements, listen carefully, and maintain diligent notes. Demonstrate exceptional concentration, attention to detail, organization, and the ability to work independently without constant supervision. Questions are always welcome.
• Workflow & Quality Control: Manage multiple product groups and assignments efficiently while meeting deadlines. Inspect photographs and edited images for focus, color accuracy, lighting, styling, and completeness. Organize, label, save, and deliver files in the required formats, coordinating with internal teams as needed.
• Studio Setup & Equipment Management: Create, modify, and dismantle photography sets; safely move and maintain cameras, lighting equipment, props, backdrops, and studio supplies. Keep the workspace organized and troubleshoot equipment or setup issues as needed.
• Physical Requirements: Maintain focus, stamina, and productivity during extended, hands‑on photography sessions involving multiple product groups, standing, bending, reaching, and moving equipment. Ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 20 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience in commercial product photography and digital image editing, preferably involving bags, travel bags, accessories, catalogs, or e-commerce.
• Strong knowledge of studio flash, lighting, camera operation, focus, perspective, product styling, color accuracy, and retouching.
• Excellent visual judgment, attention to detail, communication, note‑taking, organization, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to interpret detailed instructions, work independently, manage deadlines, and consistently deliver accurate, high‑quality, production‑ready images.
• Portfolio demonstrating product styling, sharp focus, professional lighting, and quality editing.