Work With Golightly Studios

Lead Photographers | Second Photographers | Lighting/Photo Assistants

Golightly Studios is building a roster of contracted creatives to call on for weddings, private events, commercial projects, and corporate assignments across East & Middle Tennessee (Knoxville, Maryville, Oak Ridge, Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, Chattanooga, Nashville) and occasional travel jobs. If you are dependable, guest-friendly, and produce clean, professional imagery, we would love to know more about you.

👉 Apply via the questionnaire below (gear list, portfolio links, experience, rates, etc.). We will be in touch when we have opportunities that match your skills.

Our Style & Standards

We specialize in modern, refined storytelling, whether it is a wedding, corporate summit, or private gala. Our work strikes a balance between natural moments, thoughtful direction, and a polished final presentation.

Professionalism: punctual, courteous, and client-facing.
Collaboration: communicate with our team and anticipate coverage needs.
Reliability: dual slot cameras, backup workflow, safe file delivery.
Representation: you will be on site as part of our brand, polished, positive, and discreet.

Roles & Responsibilities

Lead Photographer

Manage primary coverage for events, corporate projects, or weddings.
Direct clients, groups, and VIPs, and oversee assistants or second shooters.
Handle lighting strategy, key storytelling moments, and coverage deadlines.
Deliverables: complete RAWs (dual slot), metadata intact, structured file delivery.

Second Photographer

Capture complementary coverage such as alternate angles, candid moments, behind the scenes, or overflow assignments.
Work closely with lead to avoid duplicate shots and anticipate coverage gaps.
Deliverables: RAWs synced, clearly organized, with accurate timestamps.

Lighting/Photo Assistant

Assist with lighting setups (on camera, off camera, studio), gear management, and logistics.
Support file backups, client management tasks, and smooth event flow.
Deliverables: none (unless also shooting), but responsible for gear readiness and light management.

Must Haves (All Roles)

Attitude: collaborative, calm, and professional.
Insurance: active liability (photographers); gear coverage preferred.
Gear discipline: dual slots, extra bodies (lead), backup cards, and batteries.
Appearance: neutral professional attire; venue and event appropriate.
Transport: reliable vehicle, comfortable with load in and load out.
Legal: U.S. 1099 contractor; NDA and contract required.

Nice to Haves

OCF mastery (Godox/Profoto, MagMod, gels, grids).
Studio lighting or tethering experience (commercial work).
Prior experience with both event and commercial assignments.
Corporate etiquette and comfort working around executives and VIPs.
Spanish bilingual is a plus.

How We Work

Pre event briefing: timeline, shot list, brand guidelines.
Coverage map: assign angles, VIPs, or zones.
Lighting plan: test and deploy needed setups.
Redundancy: dual slots, card rotation, clear backups.
Handoff: secure file transfer to Golightly Studios only.
Invoice: submit within 24–48 hours of job wrap.

Payment & Logistics

Contract type: 1099 independent contractor.
Rates: submit requested rates in the form (hourly, day, or project).
Travel: mileage or lodging covered when pre approved.
Meals and breaks: vendor meal and breaks provided.
Payment terms: Net 7–14 days after invoice and file handoff.

Confidentiality

All work is work for hire; images and media remain property of Golightly Studios. Sharing, posting, or distributing without written consent is not permitted.

After You Apply

Step 1: review of your application and portfolio.
Step 2: intro call if your skills align with an upcoming project.
Step 3: booked as lead, second, or assistant depending on needs.

Overview

Story & Legacy is a sub-brand of Golightly Studios, with a focus on providing couples with timeless & classic wedding photography. Story & Legacy also offers local wedding photographers a way to make money on the side without having to deal with running a business.

✔ Show up, shoot, get paid!
✔ Competitive pay.
✔ Portfolio images.
✔ No editing.
✔ No emailing or dealing with timelines.

Positions available

Below are the current positions we are interested in filling.

Lead Photographer

Responsibilities: Perform photographic services as the sole wedding photographer.
Pay: $100/hr
Equipment Requirements:

Full frame primary camera
Full frame or crop secondary camera
Telephoto Lens (100+mm)
Mid Length Lens (50mm-80mm+)
Wide Lens (12mm-24mm+)
Off Camera Lighting or knowledge on how to use off camera lighting.

2nd Photographer

Responsibilities: Perform photographic services as the 2nd wedding photographer.
Pay: $50/hr
Equipment Requirements:

Full frame or crop secondary camera
Mid Length Lens (50mm-80mm+)

KNOXVILLE PHOTOGRAPHER ASSISTANT JOBS

Our Knoxville studio is currently in search of an assistant to work with our studio and assist us during our contracted events.

Job Description

Your job description as a Knoxville photographer assistant would include:

Carrying of photography equipment & bags.
Holding photography lighting equipment.
Assisting the couple when needed.
Recording & posting to social media

Job Requirements

Our studio captures beautiful and meaningful moments for couples that trust us immensely. These moments happen once in a lifetime and cannot be missed. The team that we bring along on the wedding day must be proficient and work well together.

Female or Male.
18-45 years.
Reliable transportation.
Friendly personality.
Desire to learn.
Adaptable.
Capability to work 6-12 hours without break.
Capability to lift, carry and drag heavy items for short periods of time.

Job Payment

Being a Knoxville photographers assistant isn't for everyone. Payment is on a per job basis and starts at $15/hr.