Via Melanie Huff

The National Geographic will again offer one photography internship to a student during the summer or fall of 2005. The program is an opportunity for a young photographer to experience first-hand the rigors of life in the professional world. It is also an opportunity for us at the Geographic to scrutinize the work of those in whom we may have further interest. We are proud that many of our regular “shooters” are former summer interns.

The internship is primarily for college students – undergraduate or graduate. While we will also consider someone not currently in school, the purpose of the internship is experience and encouragement to those who aspire to be a photojournalist. Interns must be US citizens or have appropriate student work documents.

The intern is expected to shoot pictures in the same way as National Geographic staff and freelance photographers. Assignments might be anything from single pictures for the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE to stories for WORLD and TRAVELER to chapters for one of the Society's books, or assisting NGS photographers on location.

The internship is for fourteen weeks at a salary of $480 a week. When on assignment away from the city, the Geographic pays all expenses. Transportation expenses to and from Washington at the start and conclusion of the internship are covered by the Society. The intern is responsible for his/her own housing.

To apply, send us a portfolio of recent work (no more than 30 images), a resume, and a letter of recommendation from a photography teacher or established photojournalist. We are interested in strong photojournalism and your ability to produce a visual narrative. Portfolios may be in the form of slides, prints or clippings of any combination, in color and/or black and white. CDs are nor recommended.

All PORTFOLIOS MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN JANUARY 31, 2005. You should expect to hear from us one way or the other by early March 2005.

Applications should go to:
Kent J. Kobersteen
Director of Photography/Senior Editor
National Geographic
1145 17th Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-4688

Oregon attorney Bert P. Krages who also happens to be the author of Legal Handbook for Photographers has a PDF that you may download listing out your rights as a photographer. Print it out and keep a copy of it, for whatever it is worth the next time you are out photographing a protest or Homeland Security comes knocking on your door. And of course, have your attorney's name and number on the back of your printout.

Photo District News announced that the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund has awarded a $5,000 Fellowship Grant to Kalpesh Lathigra for his project, Brides of Krishna: Indian Widows.

London-based Kalpesh is a friend. I am incredibly happy for him and proud of his achievements. Wishing him many more feathers in his cap. Congratulations!