Internships: Why You Should Consider One

The summer of 2019, I had the incredible opportunity intern at a publishing company in Rapid City. My time there was incredible and gave me the ability to enhance my skills as an artist. This internship really truly was a dream come true.

In just over the two months I worked there, I published over 20 blogs and articles for Black Hills Parent, Black Hills Bride, and Black Hills Visitor (some online and a few published in the Fall 2019 Black Hills Parent issue!) I created 10 hiking videos that will be published next summer for Black Hills Visitor. I learned so much about studio lighting and created several time lapses, photographed on location, developed ideas for stock images and saw them through, and so much more.

Meet the EG Minis - Summer 2019 Interns

Tip:

Don't be afraid to take a leap. Sara Blakely, Founder and CEO of SPANX said, "Today is the day. You have what it takes, you know enough, you are enough, trust, let go, face the fear, develop the courage, be bold, make the decision and simply do it. Start a new hobby, end a toxic relationship, start a new one, sign up for something you would “never do” just for the story, start a business. Intention, Visualize, Action, BOOM. 💥 Life is NOT a dress rehearsal. If not now... then when?"

Remember this when applying for an internship. Don't be afraid to strive for your goal. As a nature photographer, work towards the internship of your dream, even if that means going across seas. In the last two years, three of my classmates have interned in three different countries - India, Haiti and South America!

Top Reasons to Intern:

The top reason to intern will always be because of the real experience you are going to gain, but here are four more reasons.

1. Internships help build confidence. It's like test driving a car. You are able to try your skills in real business scenarios and find what works for you.

2. Re-discover how to communicate. You may think that you're a smooth talker, but communicating differs so much from business to business. Collaborating with a team is entirely different than working solo, so developing a communication style can be tricky. Working as an intern can help you develop the lingo and common office terms.

3. Enjoy the opportunity to watch and learn from others. This one might seem a little silly, but it's a blessing that often gets taken for granted.

4. Networking - working in a professional scene, internships aid in building professional relationships in and out of the workplace. These connections are great after graduation when you're on the job hunt.

Internships can offer you a lot. One thing to remember is that it is a "get and give" relationship. You also need to put in effort and do the very best you can. If you are an aspiring photographer, journalist, or designer, consider interning at Evergreen Media!

(Image provided by Jesse Brown-Nelson, staff photographer at Evergreen Media)