The process

We prefer to work with student interns from local schools working through official internship programs for the following reasons: 1) Once a student graduates their time for uncompensated work is limited at best. 2) Students in official internship programs have a vested interest in completing their commitments 3) There are legal implications for us for taking on unpaid people to work. Students are asked for a three-month internship commitment and expected to exhibit a commitment to the profession and a desire to learn and do mundane work.

Photography assignments are physically as well as mentally demanding, so interns should be prepared for a variety of tasks from digital capture to loading equipment. While working on an editorial photography assignment Ed may require an intern to help download pictures, set up a soft-box, carry and set up lighting equipment, etc. The same goes for commercial photography assignments.

Since we use established photography assistants, interns are not expected to know any lighting systems, techniques and setups and they typically don't.

We have worked with students from Brooks School of Photography in Santa Barbara, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach, Santa Monica City College, USC, Pasadena City College and Los Angeles City College, Cal State Northridge.

Payment

Photography internships are typically not paid for the following reasons. Firstly, no interns we have worked with have had sufficient digital, lighting, web or assistant skills to contribute to our workflow in the office or on assignment. As a consequence, taking on an intern costs us time and attention that we would otherwise use toward productivity. Secondly, after about three months when an intern finally does get up to speed, they leave.

We recommend that students start their internships in their freshman year because, with few exceptions, your school is NOT going to teach you what you need to know to compete and you will be on your own in a field that is more competative than law, medicine or finance. It is almost certain you will not get a job when you graduate and your school is has most likely hired someone with an advaned degrees in art who have no idea of what the competition is like and never had to compete in the market place.

We would never discourage anyone from persuing their aspirations and we would never sugar coat the realities of making your way as a commerial photographer. The field can be very rewarding or not and talent is no guarantee of prosperity. Business acumen and social skills are equally important.

We feel a responsibility to teach the ins-and-outs of the profession of corporate/editorial photography, and we do so with great care. We not only speak to students about lighting techniques but also about the business and marketing aspects of photography. Please call if you are interested in internships but please read our "Do's & Dont's" before had.

Please to learn more about interning. We are flexible and can work with most schedules.

Do's and Don'ts

Do multiple photography internships if at possible.

Do join ASMP or APA as a student

Do internships with advertising agencies, design firms or corporate creative directors; the people you want to work for.

Do learn video editing programs

Do learn something about business

Do learn an accounting program

Do ask me to speak to your class. I would be happy to

Do not be late. It is NOT better to be late than to have never arrived.

Don't depend on your school or teachers to give you all the answers. Talk to working photographers, designers, art buyers, creative directors to get a rounded perspective of the industry. There is no one way and if all you do is follow conventional wisdom you are just getting in line with the rest of humanity.

Don't apply unless you are a current student or can exhibit some level of commitment to the profession.

Do email me more than once or call if I don't respond. Nothing personal but sometimes I just don't have time but the squeaky wheel gets the attention and I take it as a sign of commitment when a student is persistent. Unfortunately most students never read this far on the page.

Do not ask me to fill out forms or surveys unless we have agreed to work together.

Do not apply unless you are at least 18 years of age.

Everything I have said may be wrong for you but you won't know this until you have done your due diligence.