Explore Your Creativity. Gain Real-World Experience. Discover What’s Possible.
Hands-On Photography, Videography & Filmmaking Internships in Southern Pennsylvania & Northern Maryland
Sometimes the best way to discover whether a creative career is right for you is to experience it firsthand.
PhotoArtGraphy offers internship opportunities for select high school and college students who are interested in exploring photography, videography, filmmaking, acting, modeling, and related creative fields.
These are hands-on learning opportunities designed to give students exposure to the creative process beyond what they might experience in a classroom.
Depending on the internship and current PhotoArtGraphy projects, interns may have opportunities to observe and assist with photography sessions, video productions, independent short films, creative planning, equipment preparation, editing workflows, and other aspects of real-world creative work.
The goal is simple: to give motivated young people an opportunity to learn, explore, ask questions, gain experience, and better understand whether a creative field might be part of their future.
Learning by Doing
Photography, videography, and filmmaking involve much more than simply picking up a camera.
There is planning.
There is creativity.
There is technical knowledge.
There is working with people.
There is adapting when the weather, lighting, location, equipment, or circumstances don’t cooperate.
And there are countless decisions that happen before, during, and after a camera ever begins recording.
A PhotoArtGraphy internship is intended to provide exposure to that real-world creative process.
Interns may have opportunities to learn about photography and video equipment, lighting, composition, camera settings, working on location, interacting professionally with clients and subjects, organizing equipment, preparing for shoots, selecting images, editing, storytelling, and the overall process of turning an idea into a finished creative product.
The exact experience will vary depending on the intern’s interests, abilities, experience level, and the projects taking place during the internship.
Photography, Videography & Filmmaking
The strongest candidates will typically have an existing interest in photography, videography, filmmaking, or visual storytelling.
You don’t need to arrive as an expert.
That’s the point of an internship.
You should, however, arrive with curiosity, a willingness to learn, and an understanding that developing creative skills takes practice.
Depending on current projects and opportunities, interns may gain exposure to areas such as portrait photography, event photography, commercial photography, videography, video editing, filmmaking, independent short film production, and other creative projects.
Some experiences may involve observing. Others may involve assisting. And, when appropriate, interns may have opportunities to try certain skills themselves under guidance.
Interested in Acting or Modeling?
Not every PhotoArtGraphy intern needs to dream of becoming a photographer.
Students interested in acting, modeling, or on-camera performance may also be a good fit for certain internship opportunities.
Because PhotoArtGraphy’s creative work can include portrait photography, modeling and posing, videography, and independent short film projects, an internship may provide opportunities to better understand what happens on both sides of the camera.
For aspiring actors and models, that perspective can be extremely valuable.
Understanding lighting, camera angles, direction, composition, movement, posing, and the production process can help someone become more comfortable and confident when they are the person standing in front of the lens.
Opportunities in these areas will depend on the projects taking place during each internship period.
Real-World Creative Experience
One of the primary purposes of a PhotoArtGraphy internship is to provide exposure to creative work as it actually happens.
Photo and video shoots don’t all take place in one convenient location.
PhotoArtGraphy is an on-location photography and creative business based near New Freedom, Pennsylvania. Sessions and projects may take place at parks, farms, fields, trails, businesses, event venues, dance studios, clients’ properties, and other locations throughout Southern York County, Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland.
Interns must therefore be comfortable traveling to different locations as opportunities arise.
Some portions of an internship may also take place at PhotoArtGraphy’s base of operations at a private home in New Freedom, Pennsylvania. This may include activities such as creative planning, equipment preparation, learning about photography and video gear, reviewing images or footage, editing, or preparing for upcoming projects.
Who Can Apply?
PhotoArtGraphy internships are primarily intended for high school and college students who are seriously interested in gaining hands-on exposure to creative fields.
Interns must be at least 16 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and have access to their own reliable vehicle and transportation.
Because PhotoArtGraphy works at different locations, interns must be willing and able to travel independently to internship locations throughout the local service area.
Applicants under the age of 18 will require the involvement and permission of a parent or legal guardian before beginning an internship.
Above all, we’re looking for interns who are dependable, responsible, curious, creative, willing to learn, and comfortable working with people.
Official or Unofficial Internships
There are different reasons why someone might want to intern with PhotoArtGraphy.
For some students, the internship may be part of an official high school or college internship program.
When possible, PhotoArtGraphy may be able to work with a student’s school or college to help the internship satisfy applicable program requirements. Students pursuing academic credit or an official internship should provide information about their school’s requirements before the internship begins so we can determine whether the opportunity is an appropriate fit.
For others, the internship may be completely independent of school.
Perhaps you’re trying to decide whether to study photography in college.
Maybe you’re considering a career in video production or filmmaking.
Perhaps you love acting but want to understand what happens behind the camera.
Or maybe you’re interested in modeling and want to learn more about lighting, posing, photography, and visual storytelling.
An unofficial internship can provide an opportunity to explore those interests before making bigger decisions about college, education, or a future career.
A Note About Unpaid Internships
PhotoArtGraphy internships are currently unpaid learning opportunities.
Interns will not receive wages or other financial compensation for their participation. Interns will be expected to drive their own vehicles to photo/film shoot locations and spend their own money for gasoline, parking fees and food/beverage costs. If interns have their own camera/video equipment, they can utilize that equipment at their own liability and expense.
The purpose of the internship is educational and experiential. The primary benefit to the intern is the opportunity to observe, learn about, and – when appropriate – participate in aspects of photography, videography, filmmaking, and other creative work.
We want to be completely transparent about that from the beginning.
Internships also require a significant investment of time from PhotoArtGraphy. Providing instruction, answering questions, demonstrating techniques, supervising hands-on experiences, and helping a student understand the creative process all take time and attention.
For that reason, internship opportunities are limited, and not every applicant will necessarily be accepted.
The goal is to find situations where the experience is a good fit for both the student and PhotoArtGraphy.
Bringing Internships Back to PhotoArtGraphy
Internships aren’t entirely new to us.
PhotoArtGraphy founder Drew Jensen has previously worked with a number of college interns as well as high school students, providing opportunities for young people to gain experience and explore their interests.
Those experiences were generally positive, but meaningful internships require a substantial commitment of time and energy – not only from the student, but also from the person mentoring them.
As PhotoArtGraphy continues to expand its work in photography, videography, creative workshops, and independent filmmaking, Drew has decided to begin exploring internship opportunities again.
We’re starting thoughtfully and on a limited basis.
We’ll see how it goes, learn along the way, and hopefully create some meaningful opportunities for young people who genuinely want to learn.
What We Expect From Interns
You don’t need to know everything.
You don’t need expensive camera equipment.
And you don’t need years of experience.
But you do need to take the opportunity seriously.
We expect interns to be dependable, communicate clearly, arrive when and where they have agreed to be, treat clients and participants respectfully, handle equipment responsibly, maintain appropriate confidentiality when necessary, and represent themselves professionally while participating in PhotoArtGraphy projects.
We also expect interns to ask questions.
An internship isn’t particularly valuable if you’re afraid to be curious.
If you don’t understand why we’re using a particular lens, choosing a certain location, changing a camera setting, positioning someone differently, or filming a scene a particular way – ask.
That’s how you learn.
Every Internship Will Be Different
There is no single, predetermined internship experience.
A student primarily interested in photography may have a very different experience from someone interested in filmmaking.
A college student with several years of photography experience may be ready for opportunities that aren’t appropriate for a 16-year-old picking up a professional camera for the first time.
And the opportunities available will always depend on PhotoArtGraphy’s current schedule and projects.
We will do our best to shape each internship around the student’s interests while providing realistic exposure to the work taking place at PhotoArtGraphy.
Interested in an Internship?
If you’re a high school or college student interested in photography, videography, filmmaking, acting, modeling, or another related creative field, you’re welcome to reach out.
Tell us a little about yourself.
What are you interested in?
What would you like to learn?
Do you have any previous experience?
Are you exploring a particular college major or career?
What do you hope to gain from an internship?
You don’t need to have your entire future figured out.
In fact, discovering what you enjoy – and sometimes discovering what you don’t enjoy – is one of the reasons internships can be so valuable.
PhotoArtGraphy internship opportunities are limited and offered based on availability, current projects, scheduling, the student’s interests, and whether the opportunity appears to be a good fit.
If you’re interested, contact PhotoArtGraphy and introduce yourself. For applicants under 18, we encourage a parent or legal guardian to be involved in the initial conversation.
Come ready to learn. Come ready to create. And come ready to discover where your creativity might take you.