I was driving around the other day, thinking about the odd path I've taken to working as a photographer and the unique set of tech skills I've built up along the way. Maybe it's me turning 30 in 2 weeks. That or things have been going extraordinarily well lately. However, I couldn't help think I might have achieved more if I had done a few things different interning in my early 20s.
One of my first internships was under a photo representation agency that I don't think is around anymore. I did 2 times a week, stayed as late as the actual employees, did what I was told. I just didn't ask too many questions. Why are we doing this, to whom is this going out to, how do you reach out to magazines? I never even asked to be a free 3rd assistant on a shoot. I didn't drive then, which I hate to say it, turns off photographers who need heavy gear hauled, items picked up, and shoot in strangely remote locations that public transportation just won't touch.
1st lesson, don't be afraid to ask. You're there to learn and they know it. That and it's free work, so don't be afraid about being let go. The experience is all that matters, so make it count by asking everything and anything you can think of.
I ended up leaving that internship only because out of the blue, the LA County Museum of Art wanted me to intern with their Digital Manager. I told the first one I'd be back. Turns out after I left, most of the staff had moved onto greener pastures. Which left me with zero contacts or references. Which is my 2nd lesson: Always ask for personal contact information before you leave an internship. You never know who might leave. You're stuck with the name of a place, with no way to verify you ever worked there.
This goes along with my next point. My last internship was at a renowned photo studio not too long ago. The staff had seen numerous interns come and ago, so there wasn't a propensity to get attached. Which I hate to say bled into the tasks they were given or information they should know. I was the oldest person interning, but I asked question after question, asked for demos of how to put cameras and workstations together, noted gear, you name it. By the time I left, I was surprised at how little the other interns knew. They did things but had no idea why it was done a certain way. It was baffling that I had to show interns how to do things or where to find things, being an intern myself. The staff handed me off orders because of that.
Which, is my 3rd point. Treat this like a real job. Give it your all and take in all you can. If this is the field you want to get into, it's best to pick the staff's brains and show how competent you are. I'm surprised at how many rental orders I put together now that I think about it...but noting all of their gear lead me to put together a working duplicate of their setup. It's a great starting point when looking to establish yourself as a professional.
At this junction in my life, I had already had a handful of internships. I left on positive notes yet assumed I had solid references. However, as I said, people leave. And even if you get contacts, they might not respond.
The work around is to get a solid letter of recommendation. Don't assume you'll get one at the end of your internship. And try to ask 2-3 weeks before you depart as things come up and honestly, people get lazy. A boss or person of notable status would be great, but if you don't report directly to them or work with them daily, then they won't know what to say about you. You'll get a generic template with no meat. Pick someone who knows your work ethic, works with you daily. Sometimes, that's the photographer you're working for. It might be the 1st assistant. It might be the camera prep technician. Just make sure that person is affable to you.
I once asked a boss I barely saw for a recommendation who didn't really care much about me to write one up. What I was given was written in 5 minutes, the day I was leaving. It shows too. I wouldn't hire me based on how half assed it was. On the other hand, his subordinate worked with late at night with, putting together cameras, testing gear, standing shoulder to shoulder with, wrote a glowing recommendation. It told any future employees exactly what kind of employee I was and what I had under my belt. That's what you need to make it to the next gig, job, internship. It's what I needed too!
Lastly, I just wanted to say never be afraid to tell a photographer what other skills you have. My background in PR, compute repair, health/medical knowledge, schooling in literature have all come in handy at one point or another. Every employer of mine is surprised I know as much as I do.
Hopefully, these thoughts guide some photographer hopefuls towards an easier path that I had starting out. Looking back, you wish someone could have just laid it all out. But that's life and that's what the internet is for today!
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