is it possible to get a photography job in NYC for a 16 year old?

trexon

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Photography has been a serious hobby for me for about a year/a year and a half now. I do know that there are people with 10 times my experience who struggle to find a job but do you think I will be able to get an internship/job in the field of photography?

Some of my work

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Anything is possible. NYC of all places has more opportunity than most others, so I think that increases the likelihood as well. Judging by the set of photos you shared though, I can't really decipher what sector of photography you want to go into professionally. I personally shoot fashion and portraiture. I was lucky enough to score an internship with one of the top fashion photographers in the industry when I was living in NYC, and that really taught me a lot. Looking for an internship will help you improve and also give you insight into how things operate at a large scale professional level. Hypothetically if photographing people is your interest, I would recommend putting a lot of focus into the beauty industry, because knowing how to make someone look beautiful is a huge asset for a photographer who photographs people for a living. Pay attention to bone structure, and what lighting sculpts the features of the face and body in the most flattering way. The makeup technique called "contouring and highlighting" gives you some great insight into what flattering lighting will look like, as it mimics lighting that sculpts the best facial features. Again, that advice is hypothetical, as I can't really tell what your main interest in photography is. If you want to photograph people, I would cut anything else from your portfolio such as the pigeon photos and keep them for a personal gallery. It also helps to get real models in your portfolio. If you know anyone who is with a modeling agency (often times models get signed around age 14-16 so you may know some people), see if they would be willing to model for you in exchange for the photos. You might also be able to contact an agency and see if they would be willing to let you test with some of their new faces who always need photos for their portfolios. Get used to hearing "no" a lot, but don't let it stop you because eventually you will get a yes. Learning to collaborate will help you move forward and get more jobs as well. Do you know anyone who does great makeup/hair? Maybe they would be willing to do makeup and hair on a model for you. Same goes for anyone you may know who has a really good fashion sense; perhaps you can convince them to style their clothes on a model for you. A big part of being succesful as a photographer is often paired with your ability to work with others and collaborate with them. If you can show your potential clients that you can do this by having collaborative images in your portfolio, it will make you much more valuable to them, because often times you might have to work with an art director breathing down your neck, and you have to be able to deal with it well.
 
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Your work is really praiseworthy and app-laudable. You have taken care of all the elements with perfect mixture of focus and deliverable. Now coming back to your Question "do you think I will be able to get an internship/job in the field of photography" -- hmmm I guess it will be totally depended on how you represent your Work to them. Every company wants work and if you can give them they will for sure hire you.

All the Best!
 
I started working for a studio at the age of 15. At this age, I was the photographer's assistant and apprentice. I wasn't the guy holding the camera... I was the guy carrying the cases of gear, the lighting, holding the side-lights for weddings & events (off-camera flash on a mono-pod mast to create more pleasing "off camera" light but in a portable way because we didn't actually have to set up lights on regular stands. Oh... and I reloaded film magazines for the camera (Hasselblad cameras use detachable film magazines so you can shoot a roll, swap the "spent" magazine for a "fresh" magazine, and the assistant is unloading and reloading the magazine while the photographer keeps shooting without interruption. I reloaded a LOT of film.

It would be years before "I" was the guy holding the camera.

But two things:

1) You'd be amazed at how much you learn just being someone's assistant/apprentice. I learned a lot about the tricks of the trade, how to know what the exposure would be for a shot before even lifting the camera to my eye... how to light the shot... how to compose the shot... how to pose/model the subjects, etc. and what poses look flattering or unflattering based on the build/body of the subject, etc. and possibly most importantly... how to work with clients (the psychology of working with clients and making sure that a positive mood is captured in the shots and that the client is happy with the work is just as important ... if not more ... than then technical nature of the work.)

2) I also had access to the studio, the equipment, and was not only permitted to use the studio & gear in my off time... I was actually encouraged to. I wasn't typically allowed to take gear home... but I was encouraged to invite friends to the studio itself and to the outside park area near the studio to basically do practice shoots. My boss wanted to make sure that when it was my time to hold the camera, that I could produce the work at a level of quality that was expected.

While I didn't get rich as an apprentice, I learned a LOT.

There are often photographers who are looking for assistants ... but the risk of them is if the assistant turns out to be an unreliable flake. Remember that when they book clients, it is THEIR reputation on the line... not yours. They will typically be the ones in control of everything important. If you are reliable, professional, and understand that when you go to someone's wedding, you're expected to dress the part (we always wore business attire at a wedding... never showed up in jeans/t-shirt, etc.) A primary method for a photographer to grow their business is via referrals from happy past brides that you've done.

A lot of photographers complain that it's hard to find an assistant who is reliable, expects to be the "assistant" (not the photographer), and can behave professionally when they are around the customers.
 
Your stuff is good. your biggest challenge would be to get them to take you seriously.
Study up on Lara Jade...she was another child prodigy.
 

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