Would You Go On An Unpaid Internship To A War Zone?!

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Would You Go On An Unpaid Internship To A War Zone?!

(42 posts) (26 voices)

Started 2 years ago by Testing123
Latest reply from Mike Gunter
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NikoDoby

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A few months ago a professional combat photographer placed an ad looking for an assistant to go with him to Afghanistan for a commercial shoot. The fact that he was offering it as a "learning experience" upset a lot of other photogs. They felt that if he was making, presumably, big money on a commercial shoot then he could afford to pay for an assistant.

Just curious to know how many of you here would jump at such an opportunity? You would have to pay your way to Europe but then your travel and meal expenses within Afghanistan would be paid for but that's it. Would you risk your life to take photos for free in a war zone?

Posted 2 years ago #
PB PM

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Might be an interesting experience, but not for nothing, considering that getting travel insurance would be impossible or extremely expensive.

Posted 2 years ago #
warprints

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Would I do this now - certainly not. Thirty-five years ago, hmmmmmm - maybe.

Posted 2 years ago #
WaterEngineer

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If he were picking up ALL the expenses and the trip were say two weeks, I would jump at the chance.......hell of an experience......but then I collect experiences.

Posted 2 years ago #
Mike Gunter

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Hi,

I did it. Of course, it was during Vietnam, the internship was called 'the draft', and the choices I had were limit.

While I wouldn't trade the experiences, it's plain silly (ridiculous - any other adjective that serves) to put one's self in harm's way without underlying 'benefit'. There is too much to risk.

Experience is one thing, but it's not the only the thing.

My best,

Mike

Posted 2 years ago #
NSXType-R

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I wouldn't but I would imagine some people might go do it.

Posted 2 years ago #
Treckie

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I would have to know a few more details before signing on the dotted line.

Posted 2 years ago #
SkintBrit

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Does getting paid for the experience make it any less risky? Oh I hear many people say "yes but at least you're getting good money in exchange for that risk". So what? The way I see it is this invitation is aimed purely at people who have never experienced anything like it (and would not likely get the chance to do it for themselves). The trip is going to go one of two ways, either you're going to be fine, have a wonderful experience, and learn tons of new stuff, OR you're going to get kidnapped by the Taliban and paraded in front of Algezeera TV for the world to see before being killed (or blow up by a IED)! In the latter situation, what difference will the money make?

I agree that I would want ALL my expenses covered, and if I had a family, I'd want to make sure that I had great life insurance, but other than that I don't see why payment for the actual work done on the trip would be a deal breaker? Maybe I'm being far too over simplistic? I suppose there is a third option, coming home injured and unable to work. OK OK, maybe it isn't such a good idea!

Posted 2 years ago #
sevencrossing

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Not now, but 40 years ago the chance to work with the likes of Don McCullin would be too good to miss . That said I think Don worked alone

Posted 2 years ago #
andrewz

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Me too, 25 years ago I would have done it in a heart beat. I did do an unpaid internship at a small paper in NY when I was 20 yo. Had a great time and learned alot. But now older and wiser wouldn't do it. I only go to combat zones when the gov makes me but I get paid, bring a weapon and 5000 of my good friends in green with me. It's much safer that way :-)

Posted 2 years ago #
adamz

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If I wouldn't be married than YES. Right now, rather no.

Posted 2 years ago #
TaoTeJared

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Schleping around someone's stuff and being their gopher is not an "Learning opportunity." Being half way around the world though is worth something though. It would depend on what it all included and how much it would cost just to get their. There is allot of cost outside of just travel. That would be a tough one for sure.

Posted 2 years ago #
Correlli

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I don't think I would do it (neither now nor when I was younger). I think that there are better places to get experience than a combat zone. Don't misunderstand me: I do see the need for documentation of wars. I just don't think I could go there, take pictures of victims of a war and then go back to my regular life. But that is just my point of view...

Posted 2 years ago #
rbid

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Neither I will... my life is more valuable and important than an opportunity for learning about taking photos of a sad tragedy others are suffering.

In the past I was near to suicide bombs exploding and rockets falling next to your home.. and believe me.. that is not a nice situation I would like to wish to nobody.

Posted 2 years ago #
studio460

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A network news cameraguy I know told me he gets $100 extra per day, hazard pay, in Iraq/Afghanistan. We both laughed. A technical contractor there makes $1,000/day from the moment you board the first plane, until the moment you return home. Work there for a year, and it's $1,000/day, tax-free (that's $365,000 USD, tax-free!).

Posted 2 years ago #
shigzeo

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Quite agree with this.

SkintBrit said:
Does getting paid for the experience make it any less risky? Oh I hear many people say "yes but at least you're getting good money in exchange for that risk". So what? The way I see it is this invitation is aimed purely at people who have never experienced anything like it (and would not likely get the chance to do it for themselves). The trip is going to go one of two ways, either you're going to be fine, have a wonderful experience, and learn tons of new stuff, OR you're going to get kidnapped by the Taliban and paraded in front of Algezeera TV for the world to see before being killed (or blow up by a IED)! In the latter situation, what difference will the money make?

I agree that I would want ALL my expenses covered, and if I had a family, I'd want to make sure that I had great life insurance, but other than that I don't see why payment for the actual work done on the trip would be a deal breaker? Maybe I'm being far too over simplistic? I suppose there is a third option, coming home injured and unable to work. OK OK, maybe it isn't such a good idea!

Posted 2 years ago #
studio460

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The devil's in the details. A friend of mine recently took a job in one of those areas. He took a calculated risk. He evaluated the amount of time he would be at risk (mainly, the time while traveling to and from the airport), and the majority of the time, he would be at very minimal risk. He grossed $90,000 in his first three-month stint.

That said, if the majority of time you're going to be there, you would be on the ground, outside a U.S. base, embedded, or not, I wouldn't take that job for $100,000 a day, let alone for free. I spoke briefly to one of the filmmakers of Restrepo--besides being insanely committed to their craft, those guys are the real deal (in addition to our own Mike Gunter).

However, nothing seems more adventurous or more romantic than having that highly specialized experience as a combat photographer. In my earlier days, I probably would've jumped at the chance of an assignment in a war zone. Once in a while, I run into famed AP photographer Nick Ut. He still shoots for AP, here in Los Angeles, on assignment for some of the most trivial and mundane subjects.

Posted 2 years ago #
NikoDoby

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I think you guys missed that this assignment was for "commercial" purposes. From what I understood, the intern wouldn't be taking photos for a news organization etc. He would be assisting the photographer as he shot images to be sold for profit. The unpaid intern would be keeping track of gear and meeting with fixers to locate photo ops and taking care of logistics. They would also be responsible for keeping track and backing up all of the photographers images and maintaining his files.

The photographer offered to give "pointers and critique" any images the intern took on his own time while they were in Afghanistan for about two months. I've seen this "trend" on the wedding circuit too. The "pros" offer you "experience" but what they actually want is just free labor.

Studio I know a guy who worked in Iraq as a "contractor" and He too told me he made a little over $100,000 for about three months of work. One day he was driving in a vehicle when they felt a big sudden bump in the road. It turned out to be an IED. They thought they were about to be ambushed so they hurried to turn the truck around and they ended up running over it again as they sped off!

Posted 2 years ago #
Godless

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NikoDoby said:
Would you risk your life to take photos for free in a war zone?

Never. It is simply stupid to work for free, especially if you are going to be in any hazard zone. No money, no work. This slave labor thing has to stop. And working in a war zone has to be at least three-four times the usual rate.

Posted 2 years ago #
casperwb

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adamz said:
If I wouldn't be married than YES. Right now, rather no.

I would have though that being married you would say yes.

Posted 2 years ago #
casperwb

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okay okay, however, what about if they said at the end of the time you would get to keep three of the lenses that you used, as a bonus for going

your choice of :

Nikon 300mm 2.8 VR

Nikon 400mm 2.8 VR

Nikon 600mm VR

Nikon 14 -24 af-s

Nikon 70-200 VRII

would you go?

Posted 2 years ago #
adamz

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I would :) the first three please : )

Posted 2 years ago #
TaoTeJared

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This topic stuck in my head this weekend and a resounding thing continually bounced in my head - Unpaid. IMO I would not work for anyone for any real length of time for free. I have found those who want people for free rarely have a second though for others safety, needs, or concerns.

Help a friend, follow someone for a weekend to learn a new technique, maybe a week to learn video (Which i have yet to touch) or a specialized shooting situation I would do that. Go halfway around the world to a place that has a real potential of going wrong very fast - I don't think so. In the back of my mind would always be "If he wouldn't pay for me, how much did he pay that guide to keep us safe?"

Posted 2 years ago #
elvishefer

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Mike Gunter said:
I did it. Of course, it was during Vietnam, the internship was called 'the draft'

:D

I don't think going anywhere to be someone's gopher for free is an ideal learning situation, unless you want to learn to be a hungry gopher.

If you are being paid to be a gopher, then it's totally worth it, as you could spin what you learn into essential skills when you go to the same place to shoot. And you'd have money for food, too. ;)

Would I do it? Not for free. Paid? The timing is wrong but if I was still in my twenties, definitely.

Posted 2 years ago #
warprints

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Why do so many of us say we'd go, or at least consider it, if we were still much younger? Willing to take riskes before we've invested decades in life experiences? Acknowledgement that we're kind stupid when we're younger? Interesting.

Posted 2 years ago #