Freelance Lighting Jobs in Wisconsin (NOW HIRING)

Reports To: Content Director

Location: Milwaukee, WI (On-site)

Employment Type: Full-Time, Salaried, Exempt

About Wantable

At Wantable, we’re redefining retail through personalization. Our membership-based model and proprietary technology empower us to curate products that help customers discover confidence and joy through style.

As a data-driven fashion company, we combine human intuition with algorithmic intelligence to deliver personalized assortments – balancing creativity, analytics, and operational precision.

We're seeking a Photographer who is a highly creative, AI-forward creator that operates at the intersection of photography, videography, creative direction, and workflow innovation. This is not your traditional photographer role.

About The Role

The Photographer will play a critical role in how our brands come to life visually—acting as a true creative partner to the Content Director, Production and Photo Studio Manager and Sr. Director of Marketing & Creative to execute within a high-performing production environment.

You are someone who doesn’t wait for direction—you help define it. You think in terms of impact, efficiency, and evolution, not just execution. You’re as comfortable concepting and executing a campaign as you are building a set, testing new AI workflows, or directing talent on set. Equally skilled at shooting models and off-figure apparel, you have a sharp eye for lighting, composition, posing, and location. Whether working with an iPhone or professional camera equipment, you consistently create elevated, compelling imagery.

This role is for someone who wants to push the creative and technical boundaries of an editorial and e-commerce studio—not just operate within one.

What You'll Do

Lead Creative Execution on Set

• Act as the creative lead during shoots, translating brand direction into high-impact visual output
• Build and own shot lists based on impact, performance, and storytelling—not just volume
• Lead creative decisions across lighting, composition, framing, motion, and visual direction
• Direct models, freelance talent, and HMU with confidence and clarity
• Ensure every asset ladders up to a consistent, elevated Wantable aesthetic
• Remain agile and adaptable to shifting timelines, priorities, and on-set needs communicating potential delays proactively and in real time

Own Photography Production

• Own end-to-end execution of on-figure and off-figure photography
• Manage lighting, composition, styling alignment, and asset quality across e-commerce and marketing needs
• Maintain and organize studio equipment inventory while proactively researching new tools and technology investments that improve efficiency and reduce production costs

Video + Motion Content Production

• Capture engaging short-form video and motion content for e-commerce, social, and paid channels using both mobile devices and professional production equipment
• Edit and deliver polished video assets with strong storytelling, pacing, sound design, color correction, and platform-native formatting
• Execute efficient post-production workflows leveraging motion graphics, AI-assisted editing tools, and content versioning across channels
• Test and iterate on video formats, hooks, pacing, and editing styles using performance insights and channel trends
• Stay ahead of evolving platform trends, creator behaviors, editing techniques, and emerging production technologies to continuously elevate creative output.
• Help establish foundational video and motion production standards, documentation, and best practices within the creative organization.

Drive AI Innovation & Workflow Evolution

• Identify where AI can replace, enhance, or accelerate traditional studio workflows
• (e.g., background generation, eliminating flatlays, automating ecomm outputs)
• Experiment with and implement tools across:
• Generative AI (backgrounds, environments, variations)
• Post-production automation (masking, retouching, cropping)
• Metadata and asset prep workflows
• Act as a champion for modern creative workflows, embracing agile production approaches over rigid studio processes and traditional approval structures
• Partner with the Studio Manager to integrate new tools into scalable workflows

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with the Content Director and Sr. Director of Marketing & Creative to concept and execute cohesive, on-brand visual campaigns across ecommerce, social, email, and paid channels
• Partner closely with the Studio Manager, who owns scheduling, production flow, and studio operations to ensure creative ideas are practical, scalable, and aligned with production realities
• Partner closely with the Stylist to execute content efficiently and on schedule while collaborating on model casting, onset direction, HMU direction, and performance-driven content ideas
• Collaborate cross-functionally with creative, marketing, and merchandising teams to align on priorities, execute high-impact visual content, and continuously optimize performance using customer insights, engagement metrics, and conversion data
• Translate campaign briefs and priorities into high-quality on-set photography and short-form video content
• Support AI-enhanced company creative workflows to improve studio efficiency

Creative Partner, Not Order-Taker

• Collaborate deeply with the Content Director and cross-functional teams
• Bring ideas proactively—concepts, tests, new formats, visual directions
• Balance brand consistency with experimentation and evolution
• Be someone the team trusts to push the work forward, not just execute it

Additional Functions

• Other duties as assigned. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Requirements

What We're Looking For

• 5–8+ years experience in fashion, ecommerce, or commercial photography
• A portfolio that demonstrates:
• Strong creative direction instincts (not just technical execution)
• Experience across photography + videography
• Ability to create elevated, brand-forward imagery at scale
• Deep expertise in:
• Lighting and composition
• On-set direction
• Capture One + Adobe Creative Suite (including AI tools)
• Digital Asset Management and Metadata tagging experience
• Videography experience (shooting motion content; editing a plus but not required)
• Proven ability to:
• Work with low oversight and high ownership
• Build shot lists and make independent creative decisions
• Balance speed, quality, and output volume
• Critical Traits (Non-Negotiable):
• You actively seek new tools, new workflows, and new ways of working
• You're excited by how AI can reshape studio work - and you test it
• You improve creative approaches and workflows - not just follow them
• You have a point of view and can defend it
• You evolve quickly as brand, tools, and strategy shift

Nice To Have

• Background in art direction or creative direction
• Experience integrating AI into creative production workflows
• Set design / prop styling / environmental builds
• Experience creating content for paid social or performance marketing
• Understanding of how creative impacts conversion and engagement

Additional Requirements

• Ability to perform work in a studio, office, and production environment
• Ability to remain stationary and/or move throughout studio and production areas for extended periods of time
• Ability to occasionally lift and move equipment and materials consistent with the essential functions of the role
• Ability to operate photography, video, and computer equipment as required to perform job duties
• Ability to visually inspect and evaluate creative content, digital assets, and production quality
• Ability to work at a computer and use standard office and production technology for extended periods of time
• Ability to adapt to changing production schedules, priorities, and business needs
• Ability to travel occasionally to off-site production or shoot locations, if required

You’ll Thrive Here If You:

• Are looking to redefine what e-commerce photography looks like in an AI era
• Want to have a real influence on creative direction and output across multiple brands
• Enjoy working in a highly collaborative environment where creative and production teams partner closely, bringing their individual expertise together to execute content efficiently and cohesively
• Crave the ability to experiment, test, and evolve how content is created at scale

How We Work At Wantable:

• High ownership. You are trusted to make decisions that directly impact customers and financial performance.
• Hard-working and hands-on. We move fast, stay scrappy, and focus on impact.
• Independent thinkers. We value leaders who confidently make data-driven decisions without layers of approvals.
• Low bureaucracy. We avoid committees, long processes, and unnecessary steps.
• Love of fashion & product. We combine data with intuition to create experiences customers love.
• Results over pedigree. What you’ve built matters more than where you’ve been.

Benefits

Why Wantable?

• Be part of a dynamic, fast-growing company that has innovation and creativity embedded in its DNA.
• A chance to shape our customers’ journey and leave a lasting impact on their self-confidence, one order at a time.
• Join a collaborative environment where your ideas matter, your efforts are rewarded and you can see results in real time.

We have a laid-back, casual environment in a state-of-the-art HQ in Walkers Point.

We offer flexible schedules, paid parental leave (mothers AND fathers), and a private room for nursing mothers.

Even more exciting: paid vacation and seven paid holidays per year, plus a 50% discount on all merchandise and a generous 50% discount on 41Fork Exchange located in the Wantable Cafe at our Corporate HQ in Walker's Point. You’ll be eligible for the discount on your first day!

Important, but maybe less thrilling: we have ample parking, we offer medical (traditional and high deductible), dental, and vision insurance, as well as a 401K (both pre-tax and Roth options).