Photography Assistant – Food Styling

Tjarks and Tjarks Design Group; Miami (NM); On-site; USD 92,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Half-day and full-day rates

Occasional paid travel

Job summary

Tjarks and Tjarks Design Group in Miami, USA, is seeking a hands-on Freelance Photography Assistant to support our product photography shoots, combining cooking, styling and shooting in our custom light boxes. The role offers flexible hours with half-day and full-day rates, occasional paid travel, and the opportunity to contribute to visually striking packaging and product imagery across projects.

Ideal for someone who enjoys food presentation, has a keen eye for detail, and likes practical,

Qualifications

• Some cooking or food-styling experience required.
• Product photography experience is a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Product preparation: sourcing or collecting the products for each shoot and getting them ready to cook.
• Cooking: preparing items exactly as they would be served.
• Food styling: arranging and finishing each product so it looks its best on camera.
• Shooting: placing products in our custom light boxes and helping capture the images.
• Quality checks: spotting small issues and fixing them before each shot.
• Set and kitchen care: keeping prep and shoot areas clean, safe and organised.

Skills

Cooking/kitchen experience

Food styling eye

Punctual & reliable

Job description

Location: Miami USA

Freelance Photography Assistant – Food Styling

• Flexible hours
• Half-day and full-day rates
• Occasional paid travel

Our story so far

At Tjarks and Tjarks, creativity meets craft. For over 35 years, we’ve been shaping bold, distinctive brands that don’t just sit on the shelf, they stand out and get chosen. Trusted partners to our clients across decades, we help navigate the ever-evolving world of shoppers and retail, designing packaging that connects, competes, and converts. From big ideas to flawless execution, we deliver a true 360° design-to-artwork approach. Efficient, precise, and globally consistent. We don’t just collaborate, we create as one. Our team of experts blend imagination with technical excellence to bring brands to life in a seamless, truly integrated way.

About The Role

We're looking for a hands-on photography assistant to support our product photography shoots. The role is a mix of food preparation, food styling and shooting: getting each product cooked and presented at its very best, then helping capture it in our custom light boxes.

It suits someone who enjoys cooking, takes pride in how food looks, and likes practical, varied work with flexible hours.

Hours

Flexible; varies with the shoot schedule and vary per week

Travel

Occasionally required. Travel days paid at the day rate, plus all travel expenses covered

Half day rate

$500

Full day rate

Up to $1,000

Shoots are booked as either a half day or a full day, agreed in advance.

What You'll Be Doing

• Product preparation: sourcing or collecting the products for each shoot and getting them ready to cook.
• Cooking: preparing items exactly as they would be served. For example, taking a pizza from pack to oven and making sure it comes out evenly cooked, golden and not burnt.
• Food styling: arranging and finishing each product so it looks its best on camera, with the key ingredients clearly visible (toppings spread well, sauces and textures showing, nothing hidden or overcooked).
• Shooting: placing products in our custom light boxes and helping capture the images, adjusting position and presentation between shots.
• Quality checks: spotting small issues (crumbs, smudges, uneven toppings) and fixing them before each shot.
• Set and kitchen care: keeping the prep and shoot areas clean, safe and organised, and packing down at the end of the day.

A typical shoot day

• Arive, set up the prep area and check the shot list for the day.
• Prepare and cook the first product, timing it so it's at its best as it reaches the light box.
• Style the product, shoot it, then review and adjust as needed.
• Repeat for each item on the list, keeping the workflow moving.
• Cean down and pack away.

What We're Looking For

• Some cooking, kitchen or food-styling experience. Product photography experience is a bonus, not a requirement.
• A sharp eye for detail and a real sense of what makes food look appealing.
• Reliable, punctual and comfortable working to a shot list.
• Calm, tidy and practical in a hands‑on environment.
• Flexible availability, including the occasional travel day.

Travel and expenses

Most shoots take place at our own setup in Miami USA, but some will require travel to another location. When travel is needed:

• The travel day is paid at the full day rate.
• All travel expenses are covered on top of the day rate, such as transport, and accommodation if an overnight stay is needed.
• Travel is always agreed with you in advance, with the details confirmed before you book.

Our team & our values

We’re a vibrant, creative crew who care as much about our culture as the work we make. Our values aren’t just posters on the wall, they were crafted by our team and guide everything we do.

• Be Innovative – Think Ahead
• Be collaborative – Succeed together
• Be Supportive – Lift each other up
• Be All In – Show up with purpose

We’re an international, family-owned, tech-enabled brand, packaging design and artwork agency, bringing vision to life, without compromise. Our passionate team of creative collaborators helps brands grow through impactful creative solutions that connect with consumers and drive lasting value.

Three decades in, and we’re still breaking the mould. We create bold brand and packaging solutions that don’t just look good – they perform: visually, strategically and commercially. By fusing real consumer insight with fearless creativity and technical know‑how, we help brands cut through, connect, and thrive. It’s a process we’ve made seamless.