My method when it comes to additional shooters on a wedding day has changed a lot over the past few years. It used to be that I wouldn’t even consider showing up to a wedding without a second shooter, but then my attitude swung more to the side of non-shooting assistants, rather than a designated second shooting photographer. And here I am, embarking on the beginning of year 4 of photographing wedding on my own, and I find things changing again.

As great as things worked out with having assistants over the past year, it was getting pretty frustrating when I found myself with a different assistant at almost every wedding. I had a few favorite gals to work with, but if they were already booked, it meant I needed to reach out to someone outside of my circle of preferred photographers, often resulting in a brand new assistant at each wedding. This meant I spent a significant amount of time on wedding days training new assistants in how I needed them to help me out. And they all did a wonderful job! But I’m at a place where I need more consistency than that- working with a different assistant almost every weekend was at times unreliable and, to be honest, a bit counterproductive.

Cue: the idea of “shooting interns.”

I recognize that I need more stability when it comes to my secondary photographers on a wedding day, but I’m also aware that it’s difficult to ask ONE person to reserve all of the Saturdays on which I need them, so I’m looking to hire two to three shooting interns for the 2014 wedding season. This is an educational experience as well as a paid position- I’m looking to find two to three photographers who are already accustomed to working their cameras, and to pour pretty much everything I know about shooting weddings into each of them. I’ll do my best walk you through what I do and why I do it, and during down time you’ll be able to ask as many questions as you like. AND, unlike in the past, I’ll work with each of my interns to curate images at the end of their time with me so that you’ll be able to use a handful of photographs from each wedding you shoot with me to get your own online portfolio started. In short, I want each of my interns to walk away from the 2014 season with me feeling empowered, able, and confident enough to get their own wedding photography business up and running in time for the 2015 season.

So let’s talk about a couple requirements/details:

• You’ll need to be available and ready to solidly commit several months in advance to 6-8 Saturdays throughout the year (we’ll divvy up my schedule between interns so no one’s having to commit to every wedding weekend)
• Applicants need to have at least some experience in photography to begin with. You don’t need to be a full-time photographer or a wiz with off-camera lighting, but you do need to know how your camera works. We’ll be jumping right in on wedding days and you’ll need to know how to use the equipment you have.
• The positions will pay per wedding day, and that rate will depend on experience and the amount of equipment you already own.
• Most of all, I want you to want this. I want you to have a desire to better yourself as a photographer, to have a passion for learning, to be teachable, and to be EXCITED! Because as crazy as wedding days can be, we’re going to have a lot of fun!
• Oh yes, and there will be a degree of travel involved for some of the weddings, so be ready for that as well! (You’ll know before committing to a weekend whether or not there’s travel involved)

So. If you think like this sounds like something you’re ready for, interested in, and excited about, shoot me an email at abby@abbygracephotography.com with a brief introduction, a link to your recent work (even if it’s a Facebook album), and your answers to the following questions (feel free to just copy + paste this into the email):

1. Experience- how long have you been shooting, both personally and professionally (if applicable)?
2. What do you LIKE to shoot?
3. What equipment do you already own?
4. Why do you want to shoot weddings?
5. What are you hoping to learn from being a shooting intern?
6. Are you generally available on Saturdays? (this one is really important!)
7. What does love mean to you personally? (I’m not looking for a fluffy, nondescript answer you think I want to hear, I really want to know what it means to you!)
8. Favorite Disney movie. GO.

I’m really excited to talk with you!

**Updated 2/1/14: You guys are incredible! I’ve received over 50 applications at this point, so if you’re stilling thinking of sending one in, I’m setting a deadline of 5 pm Monday, February 3rd. Can’t wait to hear from you!**

***Updated 2/4/14: No more applications are being accepted at this time- thank you!***