Photographer & Studio Lead in Heanor

Create world-class imagery for a British heritage brand. At John Smedley, photography is more than product imagery; it’s how we tell our story, honour our craftsmanship and connect with customers around the world. As a globally recognised British luxury knitwear brand, our visual standards are central to how we present ourselves across e-commerce, wholesale and brand channels.

We are now looking for an experienced Photographer & Studio Lead to take ownership of our photographic output and studio operations. This is a hands-on, creative and operational role, combining technical excellence with strong planning, collaboration and commercial awareness. If you thrive in a fast-paced studio environment, care deeply about detail and quality, and enjoy seeing your work directly influence brand perception and sales, this could be the role for you.

The Role:

As Photographer & Studio Lead, you will be responsible for the creation, delivery and continuous evolution of photographic assets across our digital and marketing platforms. You will lead all aspects of studio photography — from product flats and model shoots to still life, editorial and event imagery — ensuring output is on-brand, commercially effective and delivered on time.

Reporting to the Head of Marketing, you will work closely with Marketing, Buying, Merchandising, Digital and E-Commerce teams to align creative execution with trading priorities, production timelines and seasonal launches. Alongside shooting and editing, you will manage studio operations, equipment and resources, ensuring the studio runs efficiently, safely and to the highest professional standards. This is a role for someone who enjoys balancing creativity with structure, ownership and delivery.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead the preparation, shooting and editing of all product imagery (flat and model) for web and wholesale platforms.
• Capture still life and editorial-style imagery for marketing, campaigns and brand storytelling.
• Photograph events, factory activity and key moments to support brand communications.
• Ensure all imagery aligns with brand guidelines and commercial objectives.
• Respond confidently to ad hoc photography requests as business needs evolve.

Shoot Planning & Management:

• Plan and deliver product flat shoots in line with production schedules and web drop dates.
• Work with the Head of Marketing to plan and deliver seasonal model shoots on time and within budget.
• Lead on-site shoot execution, maintaining quality, efficiency and safety.
• Manage the studio calendar, resources and workflow to maximise productivity.

Studio & Equipment Leadership:

• Own the day-to-day running of the photography studio.
• Maintain all equipment and facilities to the highest operational and safety standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve studio processes, workflows and technical capability.

Quality, Assets & Team Support:

• Deliver all assets on time and in line with critical path deadlines.
• Maintain consistently high standards of image quality, retouching and file management.
• Ensure assets are correctly formatted, archived and accessible for multi-channel use.
• Support and guide interns or assistants where required.

Who we’re looking for:

You’ll be a confident, experienced photographer with a strong commercial eye and the organisational skills to run a studio effectively. You’ll care deeply about quality, take pride in ownership and enjoy collaborating with others to deliver outstanding results.

You’ll bring:

• Proven professional photography experience, ideally within fashion or lifestyle.
• A strong portfolio covering product, model and still-life photography.
• Advanced technical expertise across camera systems, lighting, set design and post-production.
• Strong working knowledge of Capture One and Photoshop.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to juggle multiple deadlines.
• A creative mindset balanced with the discipline to follow brand guidelines precisely.
• Clear communication skills and confidence working cross-functionally.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach in a fast-paced studio environment.

Why Join Us:

• Be part of a globally recognised British heritage brand.
• Take ownership of a key creative function within the business.
• See your work directly influence brand perception and commercial performance.
• Collaborate with passionate, skilled teams across the organisation.
• Work from our Derbyshire base, surrounded by craftsmanship and heritage.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.