Photographer

Leapfrog Brands; Virginia (MN); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Holidays

Insurance (medical, dental, vision)

Parental leave

Annual bonus

401k match

Job summary

Swig Life is seeking a senior photographer to lead distinctive product and lifestyle imagery that elevates the brand. You will oversee hands‑on photography, retouching, and asset management from ideation through delivery for retail, wholesale, ecommerce and campaigns.

The role requires strong studio and location photography skills, proficiency in Photoshop/Lightroom, and the ability to mentor others in a fast‑paced, high‑volume environment. Hybrid work with on-site Richmond presence is expected.

Qualifications

• A creative and experienced photographer with a strong portfolio in commercial, product, or lifestyle work.
• Studio and location photography expertise, lighting, composition, and color.
• Proficiency with Photoshop and Lightroom and ability to translate briefs into visual content.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute product and lifestyle photography across retail, wholesale, ecommerce, print, and other channels.
• Translate brand strategy into distinctive imagery for launches and campaigns.
• Lead shooting, processing, editing, color correction, and retouching to meet brand standards.
• Collaborate on styling, lighting, composition, equipment, and execution with cross‑functional partners.
• Drive the photography approval process through meetings and established milestones.
• Manage production calendars, shoot locations, permits, and equipment logistics.

Skills

Commercial photography

Product photography

Lifestyle photography

Studio lighting

Retouching

Color grading

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Lightroom

Job description

Who We Are

Swig Life is a woman-founded and operated lifestyle brand creating premium insulated drinkware and coolers designed with women in mind. We believe everyday essentials should be as stylish as they are functional, which inspires us to create products that reflect personal style and make meaningful gifts.

Who We Are

Swig Life is a woman-founded and operated lifestyle brand creating premium insulated drinkware and coolers designed with women in mind. We believe everyday essentials should be as stylish as they are functional, which inspires us to create products that reflect personal style and make meaningful gifts.

As Swig Life continues to grow, our people remain at the heart of everything we do. It’s an exciting time to join our journey, and we’re looking for thoughtful, creative, and collaborative people who are ready to contribute, grow, and help shape what comes next.

About The Role

The Photographer leads the creation of distinctive, consistent product and lifestyle imagery that elevates the Swig Life brand and drives customer engagement. This role combines hands‑on photography and retouching with creative leadership, workflow management, and digital asset oversight. You’ll guide photography from ideation and preproduction through shooting, editing, and final delivery while ensuring assets meet the needs of retail, wholesale, ecommerce, print, and product launches.

What You’ll Do

• Collaborate with the Creative team and cross-functional partners to plan and execute product and lifestyle photography across retail, wholesale, ecommerce, print, and other marketing channels.
• Translate creative direction, shot lists, brand strategy, and business objectives into distinctive, high-quality imagery that supports product launches and campaigns.
• Lead the shooting, processing, editing, color correction, and retouching of photography, ensuring final assets meet brand standards and are optimized for web or print.
• Contribute photography expertise during ideation and preproduction, partnering with stylists and content teams to develop executable shoot plans and provide recommendations on styling, lighting, composition, equipment, and execution.
• Drive the photography approval process with leadership and cross‑functional partners through pre‑ and post‑production meetings, reviews, and established approval milestones.
• Manage photography calendars and production logistics, including shoot priorities, locations, permits, equipment, shot volume, and studio and location‑shoot needs.
• Maintain an average production volume of 15–30 approved final images per week and deliver contact sheets, selects, and final assets according to photography calendar, prebook, product‑launch, and campaign deadlines.
• Maintain organized photography files and manage assets in Bynder, including naming conventions, taxonomy updates, uploads, storage, organization, and timely stakeholder access.
• Oversee product check‑in and checkout, maintain accurate SKU information, and ensure all required primary and supporting product imagery is completed by established deadlines.
• Oversee day‑to‑day studio operations, ensuring photography equipment, lighting, props, and workspaces are maintained and operated safely and efficiently.
• Help strengthen photography standards, lighting approaches, asset‑management processes, and studio workflows while providing guidance and training to team members and cross‑functional partners.
• Assist with photography budget planning and expense tracking and serve as the company’s primary point of contact for its relationship with Bynder.

Who You Are

• A creative and experienced commercial, product, or lifestyle photographer with a strong portfolio demonstrating original thinking and technical excellence.
• Highly skilled in studio and location photography, lighting, composition, color, camera systems, image processing, editing, and advanced retouching.
• Proficient with professional photography equipment and industry‑standard editing software, including Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
• Able to understand the purpose behind creative requests and translate brand strategy, creative briefs, customer needs, and business objectives into distinctive visual content.
• A proactive self‑starter who takes ownership of projects, works efficiently, and maintains momentum in a fast‑paced, high‑volume creative environment.
• Highly organized and process‑oriented, with the ability to plan shoots, manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and identify opportunities to improve workflows.
• Experienced with digital asset‑management systems; familiarity with Bynder or a comparable platform is preferred.
• A clear and confident communicator who can navigate ambiguity, contribute ideas, explain creative decisions, and collaborate effectively with stylists and cross‑functional partners.
• Detail‑oriented, receptive to constructive feedback, and committed to maintaining consistent quality while continuously improving the work.
• Comfortable serving as a senior creative and technical resource, mentoring others, and taking on increased team‑leadership or people‑management responsibilities as the Photography function evolves.
• Able to occasionally work outside standard business hours, including nights, weekends, or holidays, when required by production schedules.

Benefits At Swig Life

• 15 days Paid Time Off your first year, and an additional day each year thereafter (up to 25 days)
• Company paid holidays
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as additional voluntary benefits
• Parental leave options
• Annual bonus payouts for all salaried employees
• Up to a 5% 401k match with no vesting period

Swig Life is currently operating under a hybrid work model, and this position will report on‑site to our Richmond office at least 3 days per week. Additional ad‑hoc in office days may be required based on business needs. Please do not apply if you are not comfortable with a hybrid work model.

Salary Band

$70,000 - 85,000, full-time, salaried, exempt, hybrid

Please note: Most candidates can expect to be positioned within the low to mid-range of the designated compensation band, allowing room for continued growth and development within the role. Placement within the range will be based on relevant experience, specialized skills, and other qualifications. For candidates whose experience and capabilities significantly exceed the position’s current scope, an alternative title, level, and corresponding compensation may be considered.

Swig Life is an equal‑opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, training and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and make all employment decisions without regard to any protected status.

Please note, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position, and all new hires will be required to verify their employment eligibility through the DHS E‑Verify program.