Work Experience

[N01Chris]

Hello I am a 17 year old student studying at st.josephs sixth form in hebburn, I do not study photography however I really enjoy it as a hobby and I've built up quite a collection of equipment, although i have sorted out work experience for what I want to go into (medicine) the placement times I have organised are not during the allocated week of work experience the sixth form has given us. This week however has to be filled otherwise i get given one, which would be something I would most probably find no benefit in, this is where I have had an idea to to work experience in something else that I love, photography. Now as I have very little knowledge in the photography industry I don't know where to go looking for work experience, this is where this forum comes into it, I assume someone on here knows a thing or two about where to look/ is it at all practical for me to actually do any, of course I would love to actually take photos during the work experience Im unsure if this will be the case. If anyone could at all give me information on companies or photographers that might be interested in taking me on it would be greatly appreciated and of course I'd have to contact them separately.

Also would I have to make up a portfolio? I do have a flickr page, would that suffice?
Would i need to list my equipment? anything else like that?


p.s. my flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/christianj-r/sets/ (I think it could do with a bit of a tidy up however)

 

[Alastair]

Based on experience, I've found offering students work experience placements when it's not their first choice (medicine, in your case) to be an unrewarding experience. You're opening post has possibly talked anyone reading this, in the business and local to you out of offering you a work experience position. Work experience isn't without costs to the business offering it (it occupies a lot of employer/employee time), they want to feel it's worthwhile to everyone.

If you want to do this, I suggest finding local studios and writing them convincing applications that get across the value to you of a week with them. Finding photography studios shouldn't be a hard task, if they're there they are advertising so that people can find them.

 

[N01Chris]

That's exactly what I was thinking, but for some reason I couldn't put it into words, I somehow didnt think that anyone would be interested considering I dont want to pursue photography as a career, I was just thinking how it would be a great experience for me personally rather than educationally. Hmm, im going to have to think about this :/

 

[Harvey_nikon]

Actually, a lot of pro's are put off work experience/secondments because they see them as a potential competitors a year or two down the line.

The fact that its a hobby and not their first choice might go in the OP's favour

 

[Alastair]

View my first post as a challenge, how about writing a couple of paragraphs to convince someone that having you around their workplace for a couple of weeks would be a positive experience for everyone involved..

 

[N01Chris]

I see, I think I'll give that a go, thank you for the different views on my situation. I appreciate your time and I'll let you's know how it goes