James Nachtwey: An Opportunist or An Opportunity

nachtweyThis weekend I became somewhat frustrated with the photographic community. To be more precise; I became frustrated with a small, vocal, fraction of the photographic community. Attention was drawn to a blog post by an associate of James Nachtwey. Nachtwey, if you don’t know, is one of today’s premier war photographers. He is a turn-of-this-century version of Robert Cappa. The man is a virtual legend in photojournalism spheres. This past weekend Jamie Rose an international freelance photographer based in Washington, D.C wrote a blog post stating that James Nachtwey was looking for an intern. Now you would think, young wannabes photojournalist would jump at this opportunity. The requirements for this position were short but detailed. At first read the list seemed intimidating. But after reading it over again I realized the list was specialized, but not that difficult to find in today’s photographic world. Here is what he asked for:

“Typically we ask for a 2-3 day, 3 month commitment. Tasks vary from day-to-day, and while some might be menial, all are vital to the running of very busy and small studio. The candidate should be well versed in Photoshop (non-destructive editing, layer masks, spotting) and the ability to use a Wacom tablet would be a big asset. Some knowledge of digital asset management and basic office skills would be valuable as well. School credit is available if applicable.”

Here is the catch: it is an unpaid internship. Now what could be wrong with an internship like this? In my mind nothing. I remember in university looking through the posted journalism internships and wishing for a paid internship. They were few and far between. But, the fact that it is unpaid seem to bother a whole host of photographers and blog readers. They seem to think an unpaid internship was tantamount to slavery. Seriously, one person actually wrote, “at one time slavery was common & legal. Doesn’t make it right. We’re judged by what we do in spite of what is common.” Please, give me a break.

Let’s put this in perspective. James Nachtwey could actually put an ad in any photographic magazine or any publication, for that matter, and tell people he’s charging X-thousand dollars to allow someone to come and work with him three days a week for three months. A workshop of sorts. He would get it in a heart beat. But here, he’s offering to allow some young upstart to work with him in his studio for three days a week for several months and to soak up his knowledge and experience and people are griping and complaining that it should be a paid internship and that he is some sort of slave master. This is ridiculous.

I remember years ago during my father complained that these “young people today” expect things to be handed to them right out of college. I remember when there was a big fuss how graduates could not get jobs that paid them enough money to buy a new house right out of university. My dad told me how long it took him to buy a nice home. His point: people don’t want to work anymore. I think this may be what’s happening here. I don’t think these photographers are hungry. I mean really hungry to learn and to sit at the feet of masters of the craft. This I think, is where the democratization of photography through the digital medium has hurt us. We’re all equal. Well I got news for you, we’re not. There are good photographers out there and there are great photographers out there and there are crappy ones. The 5D MKII in everyone’s hands doesn’t make anyone a great photojournalist or even a good photographer. There are hungry photographers out there that will work for nothing for a time and then there are others that will sit back and wait for opportunity to come to them. I put my money on the hungry ones.

Yes, it would be nice if it was a paid internship. But give me a big fat stinking brake break, it’s three stinking days a week with one of the worlds best photojournalists and people want to turn that down because they want 15 bucks an hour. It’s time, to wake up and smell the developer. It’s a cold cruel world out there; you want to get good at your craft ? You better take everything that comes your way and stop your complaining and start packing your lunch and tightening your belt.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 12:31 pm and is filed under Opinion, Photographers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

  • i did unpaid internships all throughout uni (in the field of marketing & adverts). It was very much labour intensive and slave-like at times. We called it "co-op".
    Three years later, the experience I got there is much more valuable than anything I've learned whilst getting paid.

    I think it's a great model, in any field, and surely those that take advantage of it reap the benefits along the way.
  • Thanks for your input. Always good to hear a personal testimony of sorts.
  • As as an amateur photographer who simply has put his camera out there, I have seen the easy greed in making money for pictures. The more I think of the subject, makes me more perturbed about the issue. I'm glad he made it without pay, because it will draw a photographer who really should reap the benefits of such an internship, namely someone less greedy.
  • Cathy Platin
    I SO agree. What I would give to learn from a man like James Natchwey! Just being around him would be quite an honor. If I were 20 years younger, I'd apply. Now I just get to be in awe of his images in INFERNO and the tremendous contribution he is making to photojournalism.
  • Agree whole heartedly with your sentiments, Matt.
  • I saw those comments as well. could not agree with you more on this issue. It seemed for a second like a legitimate cry and a moral question about Nachtway as a person, but when you consider the opportunity it is really nothing to cry about. It is not meant for someone who needs to support a family, but for a beginner who is looking for a fantastic opportunity to learn form on of the best out there. Shame it came to this kind of remarks.
  • Jeff Donovan
    Sounds like supply and demand. Unfortunately for photographers, with digital cameras and the ease of traveling today, the supply of photographers and good images is increasing and with the weak economy and death of print media the demand is decreasing.


    I predict this trend will only continue in the future.
  • Amen. Many, many, many top tier internships are unpaid. It's a shame that Nachtwey isn't offering a stipend of some sort, but there are a million ways to earn enough money on the side to support yourself while spending three months applying your knowledge to a collection of work from one of the greatest photographers in the world -- while learning. Ever heard of university? Remember paying for those classes? I guarantee you'll learn more with JN.
  • CPlante
    Time got a $30 cover because there are a giga-zillion amateurs out there with decent digital cameras creating fantastic images. Since the hobby is subsidized by a "day job", it affords them to sell a photo for cheap. The thrill is getting published.


    btw, I like the "frightened animal" analogy.
  • CPlante
    CF, I was thinking the same thing. James went wrong in offering unpaid internship. He should of offered a workshop in which a participant pays him $1200 per week. ;)


    Seriously, people pay good money to spend time with good pro photographers. They pay for workshops, mentoring, and such. I think 2-3 days a week is a good compromise allowing the "intern" 4-5 other days of the week to work a paying job to feed and house themselves.



    I have a difficult time with any full-time internship. To me, it's financial segregation. The regular guy/gal cannot afford to offer a full week unpaid. They need to feed and house themselves somehow. That means, perhaps, that there is good talent out there that just can't afford to take a full-time internship. The movie "Pursuit of Happiness" comes to mind. Interns should not be homeless. They need to put in their time but they should also have the basic neccessaties such as food and shelter.



    Anyways, that's my two bits.
  • iomarch
    It's called taking the initiative and asking questions. They don't state that they will teach the intern anything, but I assume they would not be so cruel as to refuse to answer any sort of question.
  • Hey, that was awesome, thanks for sharing!
  • William Sessions
    Had Jim or his studio placed this as a call for a volunteer (not an intern), there would be no question about the arrangement. Law firms use volunteer lawyers all the time. By placing an advertisement for what is normally a paid position, they did cross a line.


    But in any case, reading the posts brings up the old Malcolm Forbes adage, "the higher you are on the mountain, the stronger the wind." Unfortunately, digital photography and photoshop seem to have empowered any schmuck with a camera to imagine themselves a "photojournalist." What is particularly disturbing is that they didn't get the memo - you can't make a living anymore as a photojournalist.
  • Wow! A lot of opinions here. Insults are way out of line - yes. My thought is that the world is changing. Internships for photogs are a somewhat old-fashioned concept, but I don't feel they're bad, even if unpaid, but you do have to be in a financial position to afford one in that case.


    Working your butt off for Jim and not getting paid for it may be unfair, but if you get knowledge in return then it's great. If you can throw countless questions at him about whatever you want, that would make it worth it. It could be one of the most valuable career experiences one can possibly have, as some have said it would be similar to a workshop.



    I have read in the original post though that people had bad experiences as interns for Jim, that of course would really suck, but there is no real solid evidence, so we have to believe in Jim's integrity.



    The bottom line is Jim has been a very successful photographer. Like him or not, there is always a benefit in being around successful people and trying to understand how they got to where they are. There are other ways of becoming successful so if someone doesn't like the internship idea, no one is forcing you - find your own path.
  • tonyrath
    Nice.
  • tonyrath
    Regardless of whether it is defined as a "job", "internship", "slavery" or whatever, why is there even an argument? If you don't like it, don't apply. Where do we as photographers get off passing judgment on what others offer? It may be the perfect opportunity for someone, let them take it.
  • Without taking sides, I only offer this: http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2009/12/14/the-gift-...
  • matt.. i dont know about the US of A, but in europe there is quite a difference between an internship and a job. and the commitment in time is not a criterion for that decision. it is wether someone spends time inside a company to gain some insight into how those things work or if he/she is doing a specific task.
    the studio in this example is asking for someone with profound knowledge to do a certain job, i'd say it is a scan-retouch-assistent from what they want the person to know. this is not an internship to gain insights, or an educational experience where you would be allowed to look at how others are doing their job, this is simply to get work done. "here's the scanner, here is your computer, go scan and clean the images." and that needs to be paid accordingly. if not.. well, then it is exploitation.
  • Mike - In the end I think there's some truth on both sides and I think it's important that you called out the word "choice". Natchwey had a choice in this, and we don't know the inside scoop. Anyone reading the ad has a choice not to apply. Imagine this from the other side. A well-known, well-respected photographer in any discipline has a couple assistants and a decent business. He gets 20 emails a month saying "I'd like to intern for you, do you have a spot?" At some point the easiest thing to do is make a position to fill that need. No, it doesn't pay, but people are clamouring. Is it exploitation then? Is he a nicer guy for just telling people he's too busy and to go look elsewhere? I'm not for a moment suggesting this is the case, but I think to write off unpaid internships as exploitation is unfair. They might in some cases be exactly that. But again, no one is being forced to take the gig. He's offering, that's all.


    Anyways, I'm just trying to be the voice in the middle that's calling for a little respect, kindness, and an end to the hyperbole. Offering a free internship might be cheap but it's not exploitation or slavery. We all need to go have a cup of tea and move on. And if change is what we want to see, and this is more than just a big gripe session, then I suspect there are better ways of achieving it. The griping isn't a very creative approach.



    Has anyone even offered Natchwey a chance to discuss this? Dialogue usually goes further than placards and witch hunts. Just curious if it's been pursued...
  • Nachtwey is, in essence, paying with his experience. One would take this opportunity with the hope that some of Nachtwey's experience would be a learning experience for them. That does not seem like a bad deal to me. In fact, I can't think of a single place that I could take internship money and go out and buy Nachtwey's experience. You get that by being Nachtwey. The next best thing might be working with him.


    If it were the right point in my life, I'd fight to do this internship. And I wouldn't really care if he was a jerk or not. I'd be in it for the knowledge and not for making a new friend. I could hold my nose for three months if I thought it would help me grow.



    I was lucky enough to have a paid internship when I did my masters program. Most of my colleagues had unpaid internships. At the end of the process there was zero difference between them. Being paid did not help me learn nor grow. It was a mere convenience. I learned a lot. I'd have gladly done it for nothing.



    I think that a lot of photographers are getting uptight because they are afraid. They see Time paying $30 for a cover, and it freaks them out. They respond by attacking Time, by attacking Nachtwey… by attacking. Frightened animals often attack. There is simply no reason that Time should pay more than $30 if they can get what they want for $30. Photographers aren't charities. It's up to us to provide a compelling service for which others will pay. Some will, while some will just complain (or maybe talk about the good old days).
  • Mike
    Matt,
    Child labor was quite common in this country at one time. Was it okay to do it because others did? Think of the banking mess. Some banks were essentially selling bets on bets as securities does it mean that every bank should? We should learn from our mistakes and be better for it. Unpaid internships for businesses (for profit) is an old tradition that needs to be stopped.
  • Mike
    Please forgive my poor choice in using the word "intern" in addressing Matt's post. That was an inappropriate word to use. Matt is attacking people in general. Calling them essentially lazy because they won't allow themselves to be exploited.


    I tend to agree with both of you to the extent that calling Nachtwey names is wrong. Also, the tone is emotionally charged. The respondents should take emotion out of it and look at the situation critically. But calling Nachtwey out for his CHOICE to continue the practice isn't wrong. He could choose to pay someone that works for him.



    The point is about being unpaid. If the corner grocery store were to advertise for an unpaid intern would they get any applicants? Think of the opportunity for someone wanting to own a grocery store. They would learn all of the back office stuff. They would learn about markup, product placement, turn....the list would go on and on. But it doesn't make it right. If someone works for you on this sort of a basis they should be paid. Note if you and Matt help each other out on occasion and don't pay that is different. Little League coaching is different. It's okay to work for free sometimes.
  • I feel the bigger issue here is what the photojournalism industry has become. Too many new and young photojournalists (and many of them good) fighting for a handful of places in an industry shedding its photo staff. With too much supply of photojournalists out there, media companies believe they can get one for the right price (often free).


    I recently graduated from Columbia's journalism school. Paid $50k in tuition. Now I can't even get a $25k photojournalist job at a community newspaper anywhere in the nation. Maybe my photos are lousy, you can be the judge by checking out my link. But to me they're decent and even though I'm willing to go to the smallest town and work from the bottom, there isn't even a job for me.



    That's reality. I look at Facebook profiles of friends from my graduating class. Almost 1 in 2 don't have any kind of stable, permanent, journalism-related job. Many took unpaid summer internships and everyone is struggling in freelance.



    Do I respect Nachtwey's work? As a photojournalist, of course. But I don't agree with him not paying an intern, because I believe he has the means to compensate. Would I still apply for it? I don't know, but maybe I would, because that's the reality of the photojournalism world today. To make it, one really has to start with nothing but clothes and camera, and start making photos that no one else can.
  • dakwegmo
    I read this and thought it was ridiculous too. I can imagine that if he offered a 5 day workshop out of his studio, teaching you his workflows and business practices, people would willingly pay thousands of dollars for such an education. This is essentially a private workshop, covering 24-36 days, spaced out over 12 weeks, so you have time to assimilate the information and apply what you've learned. All for free! -- Where do I sign up?


    And the cries of slavery and even exploitation are way over the top. It's voluntary, the intern enters the agreement knowing full well what the terms are, and if they don't like the terms then don't agree to it. Nobody is forcing them into this internship.
  • Well said. No need to add to that.
  • Ian, you can come work for me for free anytime! ;)
  • ianfurniss
    Fwiw, my 2p. Personally I think it's a bit of a tough call because I can see different sides to the situation, each of which sit fine with me. I think you hit the nail on the head when you talk about what the intern will get out of it. For me that's the clincher.


    Again, personally, I wouldn't take it because although I can look at his photos and know the guy knows his stuff, his work has no real appeal to me. It doesn't fire me in any way. If I was to apply for that job, i'd want a salary because of that. Having said that, if it was yourself offering the position and my circumstances were different (I lived a bit nearer for one lol) then i'd be prepared to do it for free. Reason being simply that what i'd get out of it would be adequate compensation for what I want to do in the future.



    It's all a matter of balance or trade really and money isn't the only currency. By the same rule, if I was offering a position of that sort i'd probably offer a wage. At the risk of picking up splinters, i'll stay on the fence with this one and the simple thought that sometimes the path that leads to where you want to get isn't always paved in gold.
  • To be clear, @Mike, that last paragraph is not in reference to you, I'm back to talking generally about the comments on the initial post again.
  • If you all are going to gripe at Nachtwey, maybe you should vent at National Geographic as well. Their interns work 40 hours a week unpaid!


    "The intern must be an enrolled or registered college student who is eligible to receive college credit for their service as an intern at Adventure. This is an unpaid, full-time (40 hours per week) internship. Any published illustrations created by the intern will receive an illustrators credit." http://bit.ly/8S201Z



    or how about the Atlantic:

    "Beacon Press offers part-time, unpaid internships in editorial, marketing, publicity, production, and business throughout the year." http://bit.ly/5Mmt7G



    or CBS News:

    "Students who are currently attending an accredited college and have achieved junior or senior status are eligible. Students majoring in journalism, broadcasting or communications are preferred; other majors will be considered. Participants must have good computer skills, excellent written and verbal communication abilities and knowledge of current events. A 3.0 GPA or above is recommended. Students must be able to meet the minimum time commitment. This is an unpaid internship. Students are required to provide official documentation on school letterhead confirming that they will receive credit for the internship."

    http://bit.ly/5n11R



    But wait, there's more! The University of San Francisco has a whole page of internships for their Journalism students and over 60 of them are unpaid. All this to say that unpaid internships are very, very common. Better to work for James Nachtwey Studios than "Inside Tennis Magazine". http://bit.ly/6uboPW
  • Paid or unpaid is not the point. I see validity to the arguments of both sides. More to the point is that the vitriol that got spewed by many of the commenters in the referenced article's comments comes off sounding less like a defense of fair business practice and more like professional jealousy, sour grapes and tribalism. True, there was some insider info shared that gives some support to the idea that, talented or not, Natchwey is looking for a free labourer, even that he's stingy and doesn't play well with others. Whatever.


    The moment this all became about Natchwey and not about business practice, it devolved. You can claim the guy is a jerk without being a jerk yourself. They might be right, for all I know, but from the comments I read I'd still rather take my chance with Natchwey than with the commenters.



    @Mike, Matt's not attacking the intern, there is no intern in this scenario, only stated requirements for what Natchwey is looking for in an intern. What Matt is attacking is a mindset. What the commenters are attacking is a person. If this discussion were only about ideas, that would be one thing. It got personal and ugly and Matt's appealing for some perspective.



    Attack ideas, if you must, but not people. I agree with much that got said about the concept of internships, but the presumption, and personal attacks. The minute you say "Don't be an a$$" but you do it while acting like a$$ yourself, you lose the high ground. And the minute you don't man up and put your name to the comment, even worse.
  • Mike
    Matt,
    It's interesting that you're attacking the intern while totally missing the point. The attitude from the photography community has nothing to do with the intern it has to do with exploitation. Why is the position unpaid? Because Nachtwey has chosen to exploit someone. He will choose the best, brightest and most hardworking candidate from the applicants for this position. Let's say this person does exemplary work. At the end of the 3 month term what would be the difference if this were a paid position? Some of Nachtwey's money would be in the intern's pocket. Hmmm, same amount of work just less money for Nachtwey. It is his choice to not pay someone to work for him. And that choice says more about him than it does the intern. There are as or more talented photographers who have the same needs but are less famous. Would they get away with this? Probably not.



    Of course if the comparison to slavery were intended (perhaps it was just an example of a horrible mistake that we as a culture have learned from) it wouldn't apply because slaves were forcibly removed from their homes and forced to work for rich privileged businessmen. The interns are free to come and go. The difference is freedom. The comparison wouldn't work on another level also. Slave masters provided food, shelter, clothing and medical care for their subjects. Nachtwey isn't providing any of that.



    What is James Nachtwey Studios? It is a for profit business. Why did Mr Nachtwey decide to put his time, talent and money into this business? Probably for the same reason all businesses do to make money. If another business were to try to have an unpaid intern what would happen? There would be a public outcry.



    So, Matt, please don't attack the community while supporting exploitation. It's time that unpaid intern positions are a thing of the past.
  • It's not an unpaid internship, its an unpaid job. Legally for it to be an internship the skills need to flow both ways but, this is not mentioned in the job description. That's the issue (apart from the fact this route maintains the status quo in photojournalism of predominantly white people from monied backgrounds)


    Plenty of the kids out there who can take amazing photos, produce stunning multimedia and photoshop most professional photogs out of the park, many of them willing to give their shots to magazines for free to see them printed and would kill to accept assignments for free. Great ... magazines no longer need to pay professional photogs.



    Never heard a photographer complain about that ...
  • Sorry for not posting the post I was referring to. Here it is: http://bit.ly/6B0Y2f
  • jberkenbosch
    Good blog post Matt. I agree with you on most parts.


    I wouldn't mind doing an unpaid internship for three months. I would mind, however, if I didn't learn anything from it. The sole reason for internships is learning. In the comment section of the blog post (I'm not sure why you didn't include a link to that blog?) there are some very discouraging posts about the amount of learning people do when doing an internship at Nachtwey.



    Of course, it's unwise to accept them all as truth, but still.



    Anyway, if it were in Amsterdam in stead of NYC, I'd probably take the internship in a heartbeat.
  • hebervega
    Well done Matt.
    You put the dots where they belong to.

    I wish I'd have an opportunity like this one... these are a bunch of whiners.

    In life you either see things as problems/struggles or opportunities/challenges. The people that has made positive changes to this world has seen the later.
  • I have also been following this story. Until reading your post I had forgotten that when I met Jim a few years ago at the first VII Seminar in LA I offered to work for him FOR FREE setting up a lecture, workshop, museum opening...whatever I could do...to help bring him to Santa Fe, NM.
    I knew a lot of my friends wanted him to come and I was willing to help make it happen. Figured we could raise money for a good cause along with his visit. It hasn't happened yet but my offer still stands.



    Some are complaining that only Nachtwey will gain from the internship but I can't imagine that being true.
  • I saw the original post over the weekend and couldn't believe the amount of hostility directed Jim's way.


    Using that $15 per hour figure, that's $360 a week for an 8 hour day x 3. As a workshop charge, it's ridiculously cheap. I just paid about $400 for a one-day workshop with Joe McNally, and that's not including flights and hotels in KL. I consider it an investment in myself and my business. That's what this internship should be seen as. An opportunity to learn from the very best for a less than the price of a Canon 1DMkIV or Nikon D3s.



    I bet that while all the debating is going on, some young, switched on photographer quietly takes the opportunity offered, and then a year or two later finds him/herself in PDN's 30 under 30 list.
  • bbluesman
    That "entitled" state of mind pretty common across social media networks. Nothing wrong with "paying your dues" and learning your craft. That model has worked for thousands of years.
  • Thank you. But, a misspelled word does negate my point.
  • sj
    maybe you should learn to spell break
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