Junior Content Creator (Photo & Video)

Junior Content Creator (Photo & Video)

Note: Only candidates with professional photography and videography experience in food & beverage and hotels will be considered.

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

SALARY RANGE: $55,000 DEO

TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS

You will primarily support onsite photo and video shoots in Chicago, with availability for regional drive market and out-of-state travel as needed.

Available to travel approximately 10-20% of the time for regional and out-of-state assignments, with travel frequency varying based on business needs.

ABOUT KINSHIP

Kinship is an integrated marketing agency serving leaders in food, travel and culture. We blend Public Relations, Social Media, Digital Marketing and Studio production to build brands that move people - and drive measurable impact.

Our Studio team captures the emotion, craft and energy of hospitality. We don’t create content for content’s sake. We create visual systems that build attention, affinity and revenue.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We’re hiring an entrepreneurially-minded Junior Content Creator who is equally strong in professional photography and videography to shoot both during the same content session, with a portfolio rooted in restaurants, hotels, chefs, bars and hospitality lifestyle.

We are seeking a hybrid shooter who can confidently:

• Concept
• Capture
• Direct
• Light
• Edit
• Deliver

You should thrive in fast-paced environments, feel at home on property and understand how to translate a hospitality brand into imagery that sells without feeling like it’s selling.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Lead On-Property Photo & Video Production
• Independently execute high-end, social-first and campaign photo and video shoots across hotels, restaurants, bars and lifestyle partners, managing onsite production without the support of a full crew
• Direct chefs, GMs, bartenders and talent with confidence and warmth
• Capture both stills and motion in a single shoot day efficiently
• Own lighting, sound, camera operation and creative direction onsite
• Travel & Execution
• Operate as Kinship’s on-the-ground Studio presence
• Represent the agency with professionalism and creative leadership
• Pre-Production & Strategy
• Develop video concepts and shot lists aligned with brand positioning and campaign objectives
• Help manage scheduling and production timelines to ensure shoots and deliverables stay on track
• Collaborate with PR, Social Media and Digital teams to ensure creative aligns with ROI goals
• Translate business objectives into compelling visual storytelling
• Post-Production Excellence
• Edit photography (Lightroom, Photoshop)
• Edit video (Premiere Pro; After Effects for motion graphics preferred)
• Organize and deliver assets to internal systems cleanly and efficiently
• Maintain consistency with brand guidelines across all deliverables
• Work consistently within our project management system to track task progress, organize files and maintain clear internal communication
• Entrepreneurial Ownership
• Identify paid photo/video opportunities and scope them effectively
• Balance multiple shoots and deadlines simultaneously
• Bring forward ideas that elevate our production model
• Tell us what we don’t know, with candor and confidence
• Communication
• Maintain consistent, timely communication with internal teams, responding promptly during working hours, providing proactive updates on project progress and deadlines, and ensuring clear coordination across all assignments

WORKING HOURS

• Comfortable working evenings/weekends when required

EQUIPMENT EXPECTATIONS

• Must provide own professional camera equipment (full-frame bodies, lenses, lighting kit, audio, stabilization tools)
• Must have reliable transportation to travel independently to and from onsite shoots throughout Chicago and the surrounding areas

QUALIFICATIONS

• 2 years of professional experience in both photography and videography
• Portfolio showcasing hospitality-specific work (hotels and food & beverage required)
• Mastery of lighting, composition and storytelling across still and motion
• Fluent in Lightroom, Photoshop, Premiere Pro (After Effects a strong plus)
• Strong understanding of social-first content creation and platform nuance
• Ability to manage production workflows independently
• Confident communicator with cross-functional teams
• Adaptable, calm and decisive under pressure

PERSONAL TRAITS THAT MATTER HERE

• Obsessive about hospitality culture
• High creative standards
• Emotionally intelligent
• Operationally disciplined
• Self-aware and candid
• Energized by travel and production days
• Driven to outperform your last shoot

BENEFITS AND PERKS

Health, Vision & Dental Coverage, Half-Day Fridays, Generous Paid Time Off, Company-Paid Life Insurance, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Paid Parental Leave, Professional Development Opportunities

Physical Demands & Travel (ADA)

This role involves active, on-location content creation. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, bend, crouch, reach, and remain on their feet for extended periods while capturing photo and video content across dynamic environments (e.g., restaurant kitchens, dining areas, production sets, and community spaces).

Must be able to safely transport, set up, position, and operate cameras, smartphones, lighting equipment, stabilizers/gimbals, tripods, and related production gear weighing up to [20-30] lbs.

Regularly involves sitting, typing, and viewing high-resolution digital screens for extended periods during editing, scheduling, administrative tasks, and digital communication.

Regular travel to client locations, event venues, and partner sites is required. Reliable transportation is necessary.

EOE STATEMENT

Kinship provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.