Lately, I have had a fair few people ask me if they can do their work experience with me. I always felt like photographers didn’t really give me a chance when I started out so I have always been open to helping students gain experience. However, I totally understand you may be new to applying for jobs/experience so I have written some tips which might give you a better chance at gaining work experience with a photographer or anyone really! I honestly was not amazing at applying.. Which is probably why I didn’t get any! Haha.. but after a few years and being on the receiving end I have realised some things… Here goes!
{DO NOT send a generic message to a bunch of photographers}
I understand you will want to email a few people to open up your chances of gaining work experience, but don’t copy and paste the same message to everyone – we can tell! You will end up complimenting someone or saying something that doesn’t fit with the person you are emailing.. showing you have done no research.
{On that note… research!}
Google the person you are emailing, look at their website, Twitter, Facebook page, Instagram etc.. If you like something they’ve done compliment them on it. Really get familiar with that persons work.
{DO NOT send a Facebook message}
Again, I understand Facebook and Twitter are huge.. but sending an email or a phone call is much more professional.
{DO big yourself up}
Tell the person you are emailing your achievements and why they should take you on for work experience.
{Send photographs}
If you want to be a photographer and you are applying to a photographer then send photographs. They don’t need to be Vogue worthy, but you need to show your passion and talent :) They also don’t need to be wedding photographs if you’re applying to a wedding photographer. Set up a photoshoot with your friends, master self portraits, anything that can show you have knowledge on how to use a camera.
There are plenty of ways to showcase your work online.. Flickr, Tumblr, WordPress etc. It’s easier to send a link to your work than it is to upload tons of photographs to an email.
{Give dates}
Send over the dates you require work experience in the initial email.
I hope that helps in some way!
KP x