Tesla

Makes electric cars, robotaxis and grid batteries

Automotive Photographer & Retoucher Intern - Automotive Photographer & Retoucher, Design Studio

PhotographyConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Internship · Spring 2027Fremont, CA, USANo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

Currently pursuing a degree in a relevant field, such as photography, digital imaging, design, or a related field.
Have sufficient photography skill, taste, and visual judgment to capture clean, intentional images with minimal guidance.
Demonstrate strong digital retouching ability in a portfolio.
Have solid photography fundamentals, including lighting, camera hardware, composition, and studio or on-location experience.
Be proficient in Adobe Photoshop; experience with Lightroom, Camera Raw, Capture One, or similar tools is preferred.
Be able to make sound visual and on-set and in-post judgment calls.
Be able to manage multiple parallel projects and deliver under tight timing constraints.
Communicate clearly visually and verbally, and be receptive to detailed creative direction.
Be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and dependable in a fast-paced environment.
Provide photography skill sufficient to capture images, and retouching skill to finish them; candidates who only want to shoot or only retouch without photographic judgment are not a fit.

Responsibilities

Photograph Tesla vehicles and products, including Solar Roof, solar panels, merchandise, vehicle accessories, and lifestyle imagery, in studio and on location as needed.
Apply fundamentals in lighting, composition, camera operation, and on-set problem-solving.
Support pre-production, scouting, and on-set assistance for photo productions and occasionally broader content productions.
Collaborate with producers and cross-functional partners so image capture supports successful retouching and final delivery.
Retouch vehicle and product imagery to a high, brand-consistent standard.
Execute cleanup, color and tonal work, perspective and reflection control, composites, and finishing.
Manage multiple retouching jobs and revision rounds in parallel under tight timelines.
Identify issues in digital imagery early and solve them with appropriate tools and techniques.
Maintain organized files, versions, and handoff standards.
Work with design, engineering, factory, sales, and other partners as projects require.
Participate in discussions on timing, process, and visual standards related to brand and design principles.
Occasionally support adjacent design or content needs based on skill set and team priorities.

Desired Qualifications

Automotive photography or automotive retouching experience, including interior and exterior imagery.
Complex product or commercial retouching at a high finish level.
Experience shooting with retouching in mind, including clean plates, lighting for post, and efficient capture for finish work.
Experience with high-volume or batch retouching workflows.
Color management and working to brand or style guides.
Exposure to hybrid photo–CGI workflows; this is a plus, not required.
Retouching portfolio work demonstrating craft quality, with before-and-after examples encouraged.
Photography demonstrating taste and fundamentals, not only volume of images.
Automotive or rigorous product/commercial work when available.
Brief notes on the applicant's role in portfolio work (capture, retouch, or both) and tools used, when helpful.

Category	Design
Location	FREMONT, California
Requisition ID	279030
Type	Intern/Apprentice

Job Description

Consider before submitting an application:   This position is expected to start around January 2027 and continue through the entire Spring term (ending approximately May 2027 or later, if available). We ask for a minimum of 12 weeks, full-time (40 hours/week) and on-site, for most internships. Our internship program is for students who are actively enrolled in an academic program. Recent graduates seeking employment after graduation and not returning to school should apply for full-time positions, not internships. International Students: If your work authorization is through CPT, please consult your school on your ability to work 40 hours per week before applying. You must be able to work 40 hours per week on-site. Many students will be limited to part-time during the academic year.    Internship Program at Tesla   The Internship Recruiting Team is driven by the passion to recognize and develop emerging talent. Our year-round program places the best students in positions where they will grow technically, professionally, and personally through their experience working closely with their Manager, Mentor, and team. We provide an experience that allows the intern to experience life at Tesla by including them in projects that are critical to their team’s success.  About the Team   As an Automotive Photographer & Retoucher Intern at Tesla, you will both capture and finish imagery of Tesla vehicles and products. You will be part of the content team that creates world-class work across photography, retouching, branding, video, and design.This role is a true hybrid. You will shoot when the work requires it, and you will spend significant time in post bringing images to a polished, brand-ready standard. The ideal intern is someone with a real photographic eye—taste, composition, light, and judgment on set—whose deepest craft passion and strongest technical depth is digital retouching. Locations: Fremont, CA

Job Responsibilities

Photograph Tesla vehicles and products (e.g., Solar Roof, solar panels, merchandise, vehicle accessories, lifestyle) in studio and on location as needed
Apply strong fundamentals in lighting, composition, camera operation, and on-set problem-solving
Support pre-production, scouting, and on-set assistance for photo (and occasionally broader content) productions
Collaborate with producers and cross-functional partners so capture sets up successful retouching and final delivery
Retouch vehicle and product imagery to a high, brand-consistent standard
Execute cleanup, color/tonal work, perspective and reflection control, composites, and finishing
Manage multiple retouch jobs and revision rounds in parallel under tight timelines
Identify issues in digital imagery early and solve them with the right tools and techniques
Maintain organized files, versions, and handoff standards
Work with design, engineering, factory, sales, and other partners as projects require
Participate in discussions on timing, process, and visual standards related to brand and design principles
Occasionally support adjacent design or content needs based on skill set and team priorities

Job Requirements

You have enough photography skill, taste, and “eye” to capture clean, intentional images with minimal hand-holding
You care deeply about the finish—detail, polish, consistency, and making an image sing in post
You’re motivated by craft quality, not just being on set
You’re reliable with deadlines, feedback, and fast-turn studio workflows
Candidates who only want to shoot, or who only retouch with little photographic judgment, are not the right fit.

Currently pursuing a degree in a relevant field (e.g., photography, digital imaging, design, or related)
Solid photography fundamentals: lighting, camera hardware, composition, studio and/or on-location experience
Strong digital retouching ability, clearly demonstrated in a portfolio (this is the depth we weight most heavily)
Proficiency in industry tools (Adobe Photoshop required; Lightroom, Camera Raw, Capture One, and/or similar tools preferred)
Strong visual taste and the ability to make sound on-set and in-post judgment calls
Ability to manage multiple parallel projects and deliver under tight timing constraints
Clear visual and verbal communication; receptive to detailed creative direction
Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and dependable in a fast-paced environment
Automotive photography and/or automotive retouching (interior and exterior)
Complex product or commercial retouching at a high finish level
Experience shooting with retouching in mind (clean plates, lighting for post, efficient capture for finish work)
High-volume or batch retouching workflows
Color management and working to brand/style guides
Exposure to hybrid photo–CGI workflows (a plus, not required)
Retouching work with clear craft quality (before/afters strongly encouraged)
Photography that shows taste and fundamentals—not only volume of images
Automotive and/or rigorous product/commercial work when available
Brief notes on your role (capture, retouch, or both) and tools used, when helpful

About the Company

Tesla

Makes electric cars, robotaxis and grid batteries

Tesla makes electric cars and batteries that store power for homes and utilities, and it develops self-driving software and humanoid robots. In 2023, its Model Y became the first electric vehicle to rank as the world's best-selling car. Buyers order the Model 3 sedan, Model Y SUV, or Cybertruck pickup directly from Tesla instead of through dealers, and they charge on its Supercharger fast-charging network. It also sells Megapack and Powerwall batteries, runs a robotaxi service, and charges drivers a monthly fee for self-driving software that still needs their supervision. Tesla was founded in 2003, with Elon Musk as its lead early investor and a recognized co-founder, and it is based in Austin, Texas.

Company size: 10,001+
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: Austin, TX
Founded: 2003

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