Looking for an intern!

Posted on:

08 June 2009

Olivia Leigh Photographie is busy busy busy and searching for a bright, organized, detail-oriented and positive intern to help out in the loft/studio 1-2 days a week.

Tasks would vary each week, and can also be tailored to your skill set and interests. Please note that while you will definitely learn more about photography, while I will share some tips of the trade, and while there will probably be a few opportunities to help on shoots and/or assist later in the fall, the internship would involve little actual photographing, and it is not designed to be a position to learn how to photograph.

Some of the things you may be doing include:

• Admin/Organizational Tasks: This will be a sizable component of the job. Includes things such as scanning and emailing contracts, editing and sending contracts, trips to the post office, following up on emails, sending invoices, purchasing and ordering office supplies, addressing and mailing thank you letters, scheduling assistance, file organizing and file backups, updating and maintaining site with fresh photos, organizing office files and equipment
• Blogging/Social Media: Another big piece of the puzzle. Prepping files for OLP & EAD blogs, as well as other wedding blogs and social media sites; uploading and publishing files; possible assistance in writing entries; researching blog features
• Photo Editing: Editing photos in Lightroom and/or Photoshop as appropriate. It would be wonderful if you had knowledge or skills in these programs, although training is possible
• Album Design: Assistance with album design production and editing in InDesign
• Product Research and Selection: Researching new product and album offerings, working with local vendors to develop new and exclusive products, etc.
• Press/Marketing: Submitting files and summaries to blogs and magazines; assisting with local vendor outreach
• Web Development: Assistance with launching two new divisions and sites in the works—lots of opportunity here based on your skills (graphic design, SEO, writing, outreach, etc.)

You can expect to learn more about:

• Small business operations: What goes into running a small business and what the day-to-day life of a small business owner is like
• Image editing: How an image goes from out of the camera to a proof file to a fully-finished fine art file.
• Product selection: Why a product offering is selected and featured in my business; how to compare and assess various vendors’ offerings and how their pricing works into a business
• Client relations: Working and interfacing with clients, negotiating, problem-solving, etc.
• Social media: Using social media and networking to grow and develop a business
• Brand Development: Creating unique brands and matching all facets of business to appropriate branding. Unique opportunity here to play a role in the development of two new brands from the beginning stages.

You should be:

• intelligent
• organized (VERY important)
• bright and quick
• assertive—willing to brainstorm and bring ideas to the table
• a strong writer
• have strong interpersonal skills
• have a strong eye for design/colours/etc.
• ideally proficient in basic photo editing
• have an interest in photography (although, again, no photography experience is needed and shooting will not play a vital role)
• comfortable working in a non-traditional, close-quarters environment in fulton market/west loop area of Chicago 1-2 days/8-10 hours a week (flexible)
• someone who likes good music and sorbet and chai tea, as these play a pretty significant part in my days

As you can see, there is a lot of opportunity above. And if that sounds overwhelming, you obviously wouldn’t be expected to do all of those tasks every time you come in. They are just a sampling of things you may be asked to do or could be asked to do, depending on your skill set. About 40% of your time would be spent doing some of the more business-oriented/admin tasks, 20-30% ideally doing some photo editing, but the other 30-40% could be crafted to meet your interests, whether that be graphic design (album layout/design, collateral design, photo editing), photography (photo editing, album design, some light shooting), web/social media (blogging, continuing to develop web 2.0 strategies, huge opportunity to work on new projects here), PR/marketing, or business. There is a ton of opportunity to make this what you want; I interned a lot in college, and this would have been something I would have loved—the opportunity to use what I knew were my skills and expertise to help out in a big way at a small, creative business.

Internship would be unpaid for now, but I am hoping to add a studio assistant or studio manager to my team in 2010, so this could potentially lay some nice groundwork for that. Perks will also be quite frequent. College credit could be available depending on the requirements of your school.

If interested, email me at olivia [at] olivialeighphotographie with “intern” in the subject line. Looking for someone to start probably in July, although a fall internship (early fall start—August or very early Sept) would also be possible if you are looking for a fall term internship.

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