Food Photographer — Chicago, IL

TK Photography Chicago is hiring food photographers to join our team. Chicago is one of America's great food cities — Michelin-starred restaurants, legendary deep-dish and Italian beef, the thriving Pilsen and Fulton Market food scenes, exceptional steakhouses, world-class bakeries, and a growing specialty market and packaged-goods sector. The demand for professional food photography from restaurants, food brands, cookbook authors, and specialty retailers has never been higher.

This role is for photographers who understand how to make food look extraordinary through light, composition, and styling. Whether it's a moody low-key hero shot of a plated entrée in a fine-dining dining room, a bright and clean overhead of a bakery display case, or an on-location packaged-goods shoot in a studio environment, you'll need a strong technical foundation and a clear visual eye.

Food photography sessions include both studio-controlled work and on-location restaurant shoots. On-location means adapting to cramped kitchen spaces, variable ambient light, and sometimes working alongside active kitchen prep. Studio shoots provide more control — proper lighting rigs, time to iterate, and the ability to perfect each frame. Both require the same core skills: understanding how light reveals food texture, color, and freshness; knowing basic food styling principles even when a dedicated stylist isn't present; and the precision and patience to nail the hero image.

Deliverables include menu photography, social content, editorial work for press and PR, packaging shots, and cookbook or brand campaign imagery. Clients include restaurants from casual to fine dining, specialty food markets, Pilsen-based food vendors, and packaged-goods brands. Tethered shooting experience is a plus. Willingness to work in hot kitchens, cramped spaces, and early prep hours is part of the role.

You shoot and upload. Our post-production team handles all culling, editing, and gallery delivery. Our admin team manages client communication and scheduling. You focus entirely on the photography.