Internships in Photography

Whatever one’s chosen educational path, in the end photographers and visual storytellers have to be able to show they can produce work of sufficient quality to attract the attention of editors and hiring managers. That often comes down to a portfolio or video “reel” of one’s best work. Students often put this together in school. However it happens, this is the key element those who hire want to see.

Often editors are looking for the most talented potential intern they can find. On some occasions, that does not mean it will be the most polished photographer.

Besides class assignments and self-assigned projects, the entry-level photographer or video documentarian sometimes gets a chance to prove him or herself through internships or assistantships with professionals. Work with individual photographers or filmmakers is often like the age old apprenticeship experience where one turns oneself over to a master and learns by first watching, then doing. Magazine interns often work in the office and soon learn the culture of the modern magazine world. Initial work doing low-level tasks can evolve over time to taking on greater responsibility throughout the internship and eventually becoming an integral part of the publication’s workflow.

Students who want to shoot pictures or video and who want to see their work in front of an audience will seek internships where these opportunities exist. Newspapers often give student interns the same assignment and deadline responsibilities as staff photographers.

Though he now shoots for Sports Illustrated and Major League Baseball, Mangin started in newspapers and still believes that gives new photographers great training. “It has always been my opinion that magazine editors who hire freelancers to shoot sports want to hire journalists who know how to tell stories with their photographs. This is why I always stress to get a start in newspapers where you can learn to become a complete journalist and prepare yourself for more opportunities in your future.”

Videographers at small televisions stations might learn the ropes in the newsroom or by editing. Before the end of the internship they can be shooting stories for broadcast if their skills are in place.

While it takes a basic portfolio or reel to get hired, the aim is to add significant new material to the portfolio over the course of the internship.

What are the steps to an internship?

To get an internship photographers often find it helps to mount a campaign. For students, this is like taking on one extra self-designed course called, “Getting my first (or next) internship.”

This means assembling a portfolio of excellent work and figuring out where you would like to intern, or where it would be most appropriate for you to intern based on your experience. In addition applicants will need a resume and a cover letter that introduces them and makes their case to be selected as an intern.

Among the beginner errors are misspelling the name of the hiring editor. Worse yet is to get their gender wrong.

If a candidate is fortunate to get an interview with the boss, “Dress correctly for the interview”. “No jeans, T-shirts, gum or bottled water. Wear a nice clean shirt or blouse and slacks.”

How can I maximize the job interview opportunity?

Job candidates know they will be asked questions during an interview. Think about what you will be asked—and what you want to ask—during the interview.

In the first instance, candidates should be able to speak about why they want to intern for this particular organization. Also, what can the intern candidate bring to this organization as an aspiring journalist or storyteller?

Having questions for the organization’s interviewer is also smart. What is the daily routine of the job? Is it office bound or can interns get into the field? Is the work of interns published in print, on the Web or broadcast on the air? What were the duties of the previous intern?