High school and college students looking to build the skills and knowledge necessary to become a professional photographer may want to consider applying for the many photography internships available between semesters. These photography internships generally take place during the summer months to accommodate school schedules, and they may be offered by professional photographers in need of assistants, magazines and newspapers, online organizations, and any other business or entity that generally staffs full- or part-time photographers. It is likely that many of these positions will be unpaid, but it is possible to find paid positions as well.
You do not necessarily need to be enrolled in school to take advantage of photography internships, either. Many professional photographers will hire interns who have some experience with photography, or who have a good attitude and work ethic. Be prepared to do work beyond simply taking photos or setting up lights; you may end up doing more menial tasks, like collecting paperwork from models, loading and unloading equipment, or even attending to the needs of models and crew. Throughout these photography internships, however, you should also be prepared to learn about lighting techniques, camera tricks and tips, and so on.
If you already have some photographic experience, you may be eligible for photography internships at well-known magazines, newspapers, websites, and so on. You will very likely work with the current staff photographers, who will teach you more about the process of creating editorial photos or any other specific types of photos in which that entity might specialize. A travel magazine, for example, may often feature landscape photography, so the current staff may be able to give you tips and hints on how to create the best landscape images.
Small town and local magazines and newspapers may offer photography internships without any tutelage. In other words, you will simply act as the lead photographer. This is a great way to gain work experience that may help you secure a full-time position later on down the road with that business or another one, but be prepared for a difficult job in which you are likely to make plenty of mistakes. These positions usually pay a small hourly wage or salary, though sometimes the business may not be able to afford to pay you at all. You will need to gauge whether the position is worth the effort if you are not getting paid; it may give you valuable work experience, but it may also stress you out and prevent you from earning money in other ways.
