Pet Photographer — Chicago, IL

TK Photography Chicago is hiring pet photographers to join our team. Chicago has a massive, passionate pet owner community — with Montrose Dog Beach as one of the country's most famous off-leash beaches, Lincoln Park's tree-lined paths and meadows, thousands of dog-friendly high-rise buildings on the lakefront, and an active rescue and adoption culture across the city. The demand for professional pet photography in Chicago has never been higher.

This role is for photographers who love animals and can capture real, unscripted moments with dogs, cats, and occasionally other pets. Pet photography rewards patience and fast reflexes over traditional posing skills. You'll need to read the energy of your subject, drop to eye level at the right moment, and keep your burst trigger ready at all times. Sessions run both in-home — capturing pets in their natural habitat, on the couch, in the backyard, mid-zoomie through the living room — and outdoors at Chicago's best pet-friendly locations including Montrose Dog Beach, Lincoln Park, Humboldt Park, and lakefront paths along the North Side and South Side.

In addition to private client sessions, we work with rescue organizations and animal shelters across Chicago. Rescue shoots are volume work — you'll photograph multiple adoptable dogs and cats in a single session, helping each animal look its best and giving it the best possible chance at finding a home. Any background in pet rescue, grooming, training, or veterinary care translates directly into this role and is a genuine differentiator.

Comfort around large, high-energy, and reactive dogs is essential. Chicago dog parks bring together every breed and temperament — you'll encounter everything from 10-pound chihuahuas to 120-pound Great Danes. You should be the kind of photographer who arrives calm, adapts quickly, and never stresses the animal.

You shoot and upload. Our culling, editing, and delivery teams handle everything after that.