Intern - Frisco Area

[taygull]

Good Morning!

I've not posted much this last year, just seems as though I've just been swamped!

I'm looking for an intern, briefly I do all the photography for Frisco STYLE Magazine and have a studio in Frisco. Other then the magazine I do quite a bit of seniors and family portraits. Here is what I'm looking for.

Intern

Right now this is a non-paying position; With that said you will have the opportunity to work hand in hand with a full time photographer including doing some shooting if you prefer. As few as 4-6 hour a week or as many as you would like.

Very much prefer a female, this helps while on location with senior girls and brides. Here are the areas where you will be providing support and learning.

Image editing - This is my top priority, you will learn all of my basic processes for portrait image editing. Once this becomes second nature you will move on to creative editing and album/book layout.

On location assistance - here you will help with lighting and just where ever help is needed.

Canon shooter preferred but not mandatory.

As well there is an opportunity to do some sales of existing clients and new clients. Also I'll be developing workshops ASAP. These portions of the internship would be compensated for.

Feel free to IM me here or shoot me an email through my website.

Style Creative Photography

[texkam]

just seems as though I've just been swamped!

If you're swamped taking on an intern seems like it will only make things worse for you. It is an honorable thing to offer an internship to a student, but are you looking to bring on an intern for the right reasons? Among other things: "2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern, 4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded."

Be careful, do this legally.
U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Fact Sheet

[taygull]

Thanks Texkam,

Yes the 6 criteria would be met, thanks for alerting others on what the options are. I actually do spend more time training. I was fortunate to assist and be mentored other photographers early in my career. Yes I could do the editing and such 4-6 time faster but an internship is something that would greatly benefit an aspiring photographer much more then what I would get out of it but there are benefits that the studio would receive as well.

[texkam]

Good for you Chris. Good luck!

[princer7]

Wish you were in Austin. Good luck with your search.

[taygull]

Thanks! I'm sure there is a "mom with a nice camera" wanting to learn! LOL!

[texkam]

The sexism in this thread is unfortunate. : (

[princer7]

Umm, yeah. Sure glad I consider myself more than a "mom with a nice camera".

[auddii]

Really people, terms like dad with camera, guy with camera, uncle/aunt with camera get used all the time on this forum, especially within the wedding section.

I can see this being incredibly helpful for someone who wants to go from taking snapshots to "photos". Yes it may seem backwards to start with editing, but you do learn a lot about composition looking through shot after shot of good shots (or having to crop bad shots).

Personally, I would love this position, but I live in the wrong city. Hopefully you find someone who wants to learn!!

[WarrenG]

Hmmm, I have worked with the University of Missouri and UTD with internship programs and they (the intern) received college credits for the program. Are you offering something like this, or are you looking for more of an OJA (On the job assistant) where you feel they receive knowledge in exchange for their time helping you out.

Do you have an organized structure as to what someone can expect to learn? How much of each day they work will be based on "them Working For you" and "them Learning From you"? I think these items are probably critical to someone who may have an interest in the position, no?

[tomdrink]

One of the Labor Department criteria for an intern:
the employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;

Yet, you state:
..but there are benefits that the studio would receive as well.

I am by no means a lawyer, but I think you are definitely not meeting the definition of unpaid interns, as set by the Dept. of Labor. Be very careful!

TomD

[auddii]

Originally Posted by tomdrink

One of the Labor Department criteria for an intern:
the employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;

Yet, you state:
..but there are benefits that the studio would receive as well.

I am by no means a lawyer, but I think you are definitely not meeting the definition of unpaid interns, as set by the Dept. of Labor. Be very careful!

TomD

I'm pretty sure that the OP's workflow will be impeded by having to train someone from scratch. And are you saying that every business in existence that has unpaid interns has them doing busy work or something that will never be used or beneficial (does filing count because I'm pretty sure I'd find that useful...)?

[tomdrink]

Originally Posted by auddii

I'm pretty sure that the OP's workflow will be impeded by having to train someone from scratch. And are you saying that every business in existence that has unpaid interns has them doing busy work or something that will never be used or beneficial (does filing count because I'm pretty sure I'd find that useful...)?

I'm just pointing out that the OP stated that he met the 6 criteria from the Dept. of Labor, yet it seems that he has not.
I was only going by the link in post #2, which takes you to the DOL fact sheet, stating what must be met to be classified as an "unpaid intern". I didn't make the rules. I was just comparing the rules to what the OP said about the benefit his studio will gain. Like I said, I am no lawyer. But it appears to me, anyway, that he has not met the requirements to avoid compensating his intern. Therefore, I suggested that the OP should be very careful.

TomD

[texkam]

Just pay the person. They will be adding value to your bottom line.

How often do we wish our clients would appropriately value our work?

[taygull]

Folks,

If you are interested in the position then please feel free to contact me. I'm VERY aware of what the laws are and how they impact those involved.

I'd rather not debate labor laws and have to defend a opportunity that those who are interested in will determine if it is good for them or it isn't.

It is much easier to just pay someone to do some of the things an intern will be doing, not exactly helping others in the industry as the tendency would be to not share as much of the process and it would limit the opportunities.

So if you are interested please contact me, if you feel it is your responsibility to represent the US Labor Department feel free to contact me through my website and I will put you in touch with my CPA and or my attorney. I don't mean to be brash but I'm offering to do something that many find beneficial. If you don't feel free to move on.

If you'd like to start your own thread about should interns be a part of the American workforce feel free to debate that issue on another thread.

Thanks