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Travel Photography Internships and Volunteer Opportunities Abroad

Robin Van Auken | Hands-on Heritage
Written By
By Robin Van Auken
Writer
Volunteer Forever - Travel Photography Internships

Updated for 2023-2024

Do you take great photos? Do you write amazing stories? Are your friends and family constantly complimenting your artwork and articles? Maybe it’s time to turn your hobby into a career. Hit the “digital streets” on a photography and journalism internship abroad.

If you have a camera and are willing to travel, you can use this opportunity to create a unique portfolio – one that no one else in the world has! An internship in the field also provides a way for you to evolve from being a hobbyist to being a professional.

You’ll learn to work as part of a team, researching and producing content with an end-goal, whether that’s with a PR agency in Bangkok, an events management company in Bali, or a conservation program in Africa. And if you think about it, your skill with the video camera could help save endangered species, such as lemurs and sea turtles in Madagascar.

If you want to get someone’s attention – and keep it – show them a gorgeous, colorful photograph or film. In 1911, newspaper editor Tess Flanders suggested that journalists and publicists “Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words.” Since then, the phrase has been quoted and misquoted, but it still rings true.

There are reasons why we need professionals in the visual arts field. People are hardwired to respond to photographs and video. Your brain makes sense of the world primarily through vision, and 20 percent of your brain is used for that purpose. Along with vision comes the ability to see color, which increases recall of information by up to 82 percent! There are photography internships for high school students, volunteer opportunities for the practiced artist, journalism internships for college students, and more. One of the most exciting opportunities to check out is African Impact’s photography volunteer projects, which places you on safaris near amazing animals such as elephants, lions, antelope, and more! This is an excellent opportunity to develop your skills in landscapes and animal portraiture and increase awareness of conservation.

If you’re currently a college or grad student, you’ll definitely want to check out the internships offered by Intern Abroad HQ. From media and communications in Greece to event management and PR in Bali, they offer cutting edge internships worldwide for students and young professionals who want to take their career to the next level.

If you’re a high school student or teen, consider a trip with Global Leadership Adventures. This organization includes a hands-on learning experience with professional photographers on its community service projects. You’ll attend lectures, take part in workshops, and shadow photographers while abroad. Opportunities with this organization take you to Cuba, Peru, or India.

While we love animals, it’s people where we really connect. As babies, the first things you focus on are the faces of your family. This is because the brain has a circuit for recognizing faces called the fusiform face area. In fact, you have brain cells that react to celebrity faces, lighting up when you see photographs of your favorite movie star! When you join Global Nomadic in Argentina or Thailand, you’re working one-on-one with people in busy cities, where there are ample opportunities to capture candid photographs of people at work and play.

Or, if you’re into sunsets and beach scenes, consider an adventure internship with Frontier. These placements take you to Belize and Madagascar where you can work underwater or stay on dry land. Imagine the videos you’ll take of vividly-colored tropic fish at the world’s second-longest coral reef! This kind of internship combines video with blogging – vlogging – and will have you capturing content and producing videos of volunteers working on conservation projects that help to save threatened sea turtles and other fragile ocean life.

Whether you’re looking to be a volunteer photographer, journalism intern, or even fashion design and reporting intern, take a look at the volunteer programs and internship opportunities below and find a destination and subject that suits your interests – then challenge yourself with an adventure abroad!

Great Programs for Aspiring Travel Photographers

Intern Abroad HQ

Volunteer Forever - Travel Photography Internships

With affordable international internships in Central America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, Intern Abroad HQ (the sister organization of International Volunteer HQ) focuses on experiential learning and community engagement. Interns gain hands-on experience while building relevant skills for a successful career – and whether you’re passionate about business, health, conservation, law, education, engineering, or economics, Intern Abroad HQ offers flexible, entry-level opportunities for personal and professional development year-round. Internships include a resume-boosting reflection program to build skills that are universally transferable across employment settings.

Marketing & Media Internship in Bali

Travel to the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia, where you will have the wonderful chance to work in marketing and media for an NGO, tourism agency or resort, a tech firm, a startup, or another local organization. Through intern abroad HQ, you will be able to pursue an internship that relates directly to your education and your career path. If you are interested in travel photography, this could be an amazing experience not only to hone your photography skills but also to learn about marketing and communications. A few activities that you may engage in during your internship include photography, creating graphics for social media, developing event materials, designing marketing proposals, and much more. Be sure to let Intern Abroad HQ know that you specifically are interested in photography so that your placement suits your goals! This program starts for eight weeks – learn more here!

Event Management & Public Relations Internship in Bali

Another wonderful placement that brings you to Bali places you in the field of event management and public relations. This is another flexible and customizable internship with a wide variety of opportunities to learn and work with different entities in Bali based on your interests and your skillsets. A few activities that you may engage in during your internship include communications campaign brainstorming, managing social media, competitor analysis, communication strategies, and much more. If you are interested in photography as a career path, this is a great way to learn about event and festival photography, and how it ties into greater marketing and communications efforts. This program lasts a minimum of eight weeks – learn more and apply here!

Media, Communications & Public Relations Internship in Greece

If you are passionate about environmental issues and you are interested in travel photography, then check out this placement in Greece with Intern Abroad HQ! Through this program, you will help with environmental education activities, including creating educational materials, posters, leaflets, animations, documentaries, and much more. You will work with an NGO to assist with all areas of their media, communications, and public relations activities. Through this internship, you will have the chance to focus in on your interests and skills in photography to make a real difference in protecting the wildlife and the natural habitats of the Aegean Sea. This program lasts a minimum of four weeks. Learn more and apply here!

African Impact

VolunteerForever

African Impact is an award-winning, responsible travel organization that offers volunteer and internship opportunities in 7 countries across Africa. It was founded in 2004 and has since hosted over 35,000 volunteers. African Impact has over 20 different projects, ranging from teaching in Zambia to marine conservation in Zanzibar. The organization is known for its long-term objectives and measurable change. It is also recognized as a trusted specialist on volunteering and interning in Southern Africa. African Impact offers internships, as well as group, family, and high school projects. The minimum age requirement for their projects is 16, making African Impact a great option for teen and high school volunteers. 

Wildlife Photography Volunteer Project

Join the creative experts of African Impact and gain practical experience photographing wildlife, people, and landscapes in the Greater Kruger Area of South Africa. This volunteer project supports wildlife initiatives in South Africa, while you work alongside professional photographers to develop and enhance your skills.

African Impact’s photography projects allow you to build a brilliant portfolio of photos that showcase your talent and increase awareness of conservation. You’ll gain experience in pre-visualization, production, and editing of photographs. You’ll also learn about South Africa’s animals, their behavior, habitats, and challenges while on this project, as well as its people. Photography is only one part of your work – you’ll also spend time editing the best of the photos you’ve taken and tweaked that award-winning picture.

You’ll stay at a spacious, thatched lodge just minutes from the world-famous Kruger National Park. Located on 18 hectares of land, the property is home to impala, warthog, bush pig, nyala, and a great diversity of birdlife. You can relax with other volunteers and staff, watching movies or playing board games at the lodge, and cool off in the large swimming pool. Spend weekends on a day or overnight trip to nearby attractions, including the world-famous Blyde River Canyon. The cost of the project varies depending on the length of stay. Learn more and sign up here!

Volunteering Solutions

Volunteering Solutions has many volunteer and teach abroad programs

Founded in 2007, Volunteering Solutions has hosted more than 17,000 volunteers to date. The organization is known for affordable, high-quality and impactful service projects, 

With 150+ projects across 27 countries, Volunteering Solutions has a variety of programs, including internships that will improve your photography skills. For instance, you can volunteer on the Sun Bear Conservation Project in Malaysia and use your photography to help with monitoring, data collection, and conservation efforts.

Below are two more internship abroad programs offered by Volunteering Solutions that will enhance your photography resume.

  • Note: Before you book a trip, be sure to check out Volunteering Solutions’ travel insurance. It’s only $12 per week.

Journalism Internship in Chiang Mai, Thailand

A perfect intern abroad program for media and journalism students, this project in Chiang Mai offers you a role in one of the following areas: 

  • Editorial 
  • Multimedia design
  • Print media designing
  • Marketing

You’ll get to work in a cross-cultural environment and learn Thai as you improve your reporting and travel photography skills. Plus, Chiang Mai offers a ton of nature and cultural activities during free time. 

Fees start at just $1400 for 4 weeks ($2300 for 8 weeks). Click here to apply.

Wildlife and Environmental Protection in Greece

Make your way to the majestic Mediterranean and help restore the ecosystem of the region. As a conservation volunteer, you’ll put your photography skills to good use while monitoring wild cats on the Ionian Sea, mapping seaweed, looking after monk seals, and more.

While not a standard photography internship, this volunteer project will enable you to use your talent for environmental initiatives. This will certainly build your resume.

Fees start at just $1228 for 4 weeks ($1960 for 8 weeks). Click here to apply.

Projects Abroad

Volunteer Forever - Travel Photography Internships

Projects Abroad was founded in 1992, and currently sends more than 10,000 travelers overseas every year. As a large and established organization, Projects Abroad volunteers and interns have the opportunity to assist with a very wide variety of programs including agriculture, teaching, sports, archaeology, and much more, with projects open to teens, gap year travelers, university students, and professionals. Projects Abroad works with more than 600 staff to support volunteers in 27 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, and the South Pacific.

 

Journalism Internship in Mongolia

The Journalism internship in Mongolia is a unique opportunity for journalism students to gain practical work experience, build their portfolios, and boost their journalism and marketing skills. You can choose from three specializations: print, radio, or television, and actively create content; the print and television specializations will definitely appeal to photographers!. The program runs throughout the year, and you can join for a minimum of 4 weeks. You’ll work with experienced journalists and have a supervisor to guide you. You’ll have the opportunity to pitch story ideas, conduct interviews, create and edit content, and learn from professionals. The internship is located in Ulaanbaatar and you’ll live with a host family during your stay. Use your free time to explore the city and the surrounding areas.

Journalism in Romania for Teens

Open to high school students aged 15 to 18 years old, this program brings you to Bucharest, Romania to learn about what it takes to pursue a career in journalism. This two-week experience places you at “The Village” magazine, an English and Romanian language publication for expats and locals. A few assignments that you might take on include conducting interviews, writing articles, reviewing events, taking photos, and more. This program costs $3,605 for two weeks – learn more here!

The Intern Group

Volunteer Forever - Travel Photography Internships

The Intern Group offers professional development placements for travelers throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Founded in 2011, this award-winning company has a mission to develop an innovative and culturally sensitive new generation ready to address the issues that affect the world today and tomorrow. It works with students and other individuals to develop customized internships with renowned NGOs and more than 1,000 leading employers globally. With more than 2,000 placements annually, the Intern Group selects only the top applicants from a field of 30,000. It’s been featured in Forbes, TIME, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and CNN. The organization provides assistance with visas, developmental workshops, career training, social and cultural events, quality housing, and in-country support.

Photojournalism internship in Madrid, Spain

Explore the world as a photojournalist on a journalism and media internship in Madrid. Gain hands-on, professional experience and get your photography noticed in this industry, which is experiencing rapid growth and change. On this placement with the Intern Group, you can work for Guidepost, Madrid’s leading magazine focused on the large international community within the city. Take time to learn a new language, visit hidden gems within the city, and train with the best as you work alongside media industry professionals. While in Madrid, take day trips to museums, cinemas, and restaurants. Enjoy dinner and a Flamenco show, and attend an event at the Real Madrid Stadium. Make time to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Toledo, known for the medieval Arab, Jewish, and Christian monuments in its walled old city. This placement lasts six weeks to six months, with a program fee beginning at $4,558. Keep reading and apply here!

Television & Film Internship in Medellin, Colombia

Improve your practical skills and grow a network of international contacts as a television and film intern in Medellin, Colombia. This opportunity with The Intern Group is an excellent way to break into this popular industry and open your eyes to a brand-new professional culture. You’ll be inspired to learn how your photographic work can be transformed into multimedia as you learn more about casting, production, writing, directing, prop management, and cinematography. Improve your Spanish-speaking skills while in Colombia, as you work behind the camera at a company like Telecinco, a production house in Medellin. Spend free time on a walking tour of the city, learning about the culture and history of this mesmerizing country. Enjoy a day trip to el Peñon de Guatape, a landmark rock formation in Colombia. Take in cinemas, museums, restaurants, and more. Fees for this placement start at $3,620 for six weeks. Click here to read more and apply!

International Fashion Internship in Hong Kong

If you’re interested in photographing fashion, check out this international fashion internship in Hong Kong. As this industry changes, it needs people with initiative, passion, and a creative mind. The Intern Group can pair you with a company that lets you explore fantastic opportunities and develop your skills as you learn the ins and outs of this dynamic industry. Interns learn all aspects of fashion including design, merchandising, buying, showrooms, fashion week organizations, and fashion public relations. While in Hong Kong, you’ll spend a day in Macau, the “mini Las Vegas of Asia,” and take a tour of Lantau Island. Dine at The Peak, and enjoy a panoramic view of Hong Kong. You can stay four weeks or longer and program fees start at $4,919. Read more and start your application today!

Art, Photography & Graphic Design Internship in London

Think outside the box and bring your innovative ideas and creativity with you when you travel abroad on an art, photography, and graphic design internship in London. Sign up with the Intern Group and choose to work with magazines, fashion companies, or marketing firms that will jumpstart your innovative career. Learn creative styles from an international team and gain valuable experience that will let you stand out in this competitive industry. While in London, enjoy cultural events such as Afternoon Tea service, a cruise on the River Thames, and climb high in the London Eye Ferris Wheel. Spend the evening in the West End at the theater, grab a pint at a pub, or wander Piccadilly Circus. Program fees begin at $4,852 for six weeks, with stays up to six months. Learn more and apply here.

Global Leadership Adventures

Volunteer Forever - Travel Photography Internships

Global Leadership Adventures provides meaningful volunteer opportunities abroad to teens and high school students, including many photography volunteer opportunities. Its service-learning adventure methodology combines community service with adventure and hands-on learning, immersing young people in topics of social and global issues and teaching them personal leadership. Founded in 2004, Global Leadership Adventures sends thousands of travelers to 23 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America every year. Its five-point safety system ensures students’ safety and health and provides parents with peace of mind. With more than 2,000 references to the impact of its programs, Global Leadership Adventures is a trusted international organization, and its co-founder was even recognized by President Barack Obama for making a positive impact in Africa.

Volunteer in Cuba: A Culture in Focus

When you join Global Leadership Adventures in Cuba, you’ll go on photo tours in Havana, exploring hidden gems and reveling in the colorful street scenes. This program helps you develop skills as it places you in photography workshops and lectures, and gives you feedback on your snaps by local photographers. Learn how to take landscape photos and create work for a photo contest – a great way to get feedback for photography jobs abroad.

Beginning in 2015, travel restrictions for Americans were eased, and Cuba is becoming an excellent destination for travelers interested in gaining an immersive experience to learn about Cuban history, culture, and day-to-day life. At present, the Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issues general licenses for 12 categories of travel to Cuba, including journalistic activity, educational activities, and support for the Cuban people.

While in Cuba, you’ll take part in a community service project, learning about restoration and social projects in Old Havana, where an art organization has transformed a struggling barrio into a People’s Art Gallery. You’ll also travel to the countryside and volunteer at a social enterprise that’s a part organic farm, part family-run restaurant. Don’t forget the adventure part of the placement! While in Cuba, you can take salsa dancing lessons, go snorkeling and play volleyball in the Cuban Keys, and go horseback riding. All cultural activities, lectures, and weekend excursions are included, as well as secondary medical and travel insurance. Lodging and meals are included as well, and you’ll stay at a safe, restored, locally-owned hotel in Havana with roommates. Share an ensuite bathroom and enjoy community meals. This placement lasts 10 days with a tuition of $3,999. Click here to sign up!

Volunteer in Peru: Service through the Lens

Refine your photography skills and storytelling techniques on a volunteer adventure trip to Peru, and experience a thrilling trek to mystical Machu Picchu with Global Leadership Adventures. While in-country, you’ll be able to photograph the daily life of the indigenous Andean communities and participate in workshops with award-winning photojournalists. You’ll take day hikes to the Inca citadel in the Sacred Valley, surrounded by snow-capped mountaintops. Spend hours photographing the people in their colorful traditional garb, and interviewing them as they perform everyday tasks such as farming and weaving. One community service project you could partake in is creating a school yearbook, collaborating with your peers on taking portraits of students. There’s also a community development project that you can be a part of.

You’ll enjoy the hands-on learning aspect of this trip when you shadow professional photographers at work, tour a photography studio in Cusco, and take workshops. Your ongoing assignment is to continue refining your vision, learn how to use camera gear, and explore lighting and composition with your photos. At the end of the program, display your best work in an expo. Break a sweat during your adventure days, when you go on a hike from the Moray ruins to the while salt ponds of Maras. Enjoy off-road bike rides and a day hike to Machu Picchu, walking ancient pathways to this cultural and natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. Constructed in the 15th century, Machu Picchu was most likely an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472), according to archaeologists.

Recreational and cultural activities and excursions, as well as workshops and lectures, are included in the program fee. Secondary medical and travel insurance, lodging and meals also are included. You’ll stay at a community-built and operated hotel in the Sacred Valley with shared rooms and communal meals. Tuition begins at $3,899 for two weeks and $5,399 for three weeks. Click here to learn more and to register!

Volunteer in India: Capture Their Story

When you travel to India to capture their story with Global Leadership Adventures, you’ll immerse yourself in the vibrant colors of the spice markets, the rolling landscapes of the tea gardens, and the ancient Himalayan monasteries that echo the prayers of the Tibetan devotees. You’ll live in Dharamsala at the foot of the Himalayas, and your community service portion of the trip will place you as a volunteer at an underserved kindergarten to advocate for education.

Gain hands-on experience as you learn about photojournalism, ethics, and getting published by industry experts. You’ll visit rural and urban areas not frequented by tourists, capturing a unique view of India. Throughout your stay, you’ll develop your own body of creative and editorial work for a capstone project. While in Dharamsala, home of the Dalai Lama, visit the city’s spiritual sites. Learn how to dance Bollywood-style, and take an Indian cooking class. Tackle Hindu lessons to connect with its residents. Trek to Kareri village to meet the semi-nomadic Gaddi people, and view the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Wrap up the trip with a visit to the Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world!

Lodging is in the summer residence of the King of Kangra, located in the foothills above Dharamsala. You’ll share same-gender rooms with other volunteers and enjoy home-cooked meals. All educational materials, cultural activities, lectures and weekend excursions are included. Students also receive secondary medical and travel insurance. The tuition begins at $3,699 for two weeks and $4,999 for three weeks. Learn more and sign up here!

Agape Volunteers

Volunteer Forever - Travel Photography Internships

Agape Volunteers is a registered UK charity that offers high-quality, low-cost travel experiences throughout Africa. This organization specializes in volunteering, tourism, and development work in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, and Maasai-land. For 10 years, AV has supported humanitarian efforts and environmental conservation – projects range from medical volunteering to teaching, to volunteering with wildlife, and program costs include registration and administration fees, as well as travel insurance, in total making Agape Volunteers the lowest-cost option if you want to volunteer in Africa.

Wildlife Encounter in South Africa

Grab your camera and travel to South Africa for a wildlife encounter in the spectacular landscape of the Marakele National Park. This wildlife conservation project invites you to get up close and personal with some of Africa’s iconic Big Five, as well as its big cats! Combine your passion for photography with your love for wild animals in the Marataba section of the park, renowned for its natural beauty. Work side-by-side with naturalists who support endangered species, and gain hands-on experience as you contribute to the protection of lions, rhinos, elephants, leopards, cheetahs, buffalos, and hyenas. Your duties may have you monitoring game, patrolling fences, or even conducting invasive plant removal, restoring roads, removing the trash, and bush clearing. Other tasks include a major tracking project that has you checking and recording animal sightings with camera traps. Spend your Sundays relaxing or sign up for the optional microlight to observe and photograph the reserve from overhead. Duration and costs start from two weeks at £1,530. Read more and sign up here.

Frontier

Volunteer Forever - Travel Photography Internships

Frontier provides inspirational internships, volunteering opportunities, and gap year placements in 60 countries worldwide. Since 1989, Frontier has partnered with NGOs to offer 400+ capacity-building programs that combine community development with conservation. Frontier’s origins are in scientific and conservation research, and it works in ecosystem protection to save endangered wildlife and build livelihoods for under-resourced communities.

Media & Journalism Internship in Madagascar

Define your journalistic career with a media and journalism internship in Madagascar. Work with Frontier’s NGO partner as a field journalist, integrating yourself in day-to-day reporting and documenting the work and cultural activities of volunteers and staff onsite at this remote location. Depending upon your skills and qualifications, your tasks will include:

  1. Article production (written and online journalism)
  2. Photography
  3. Videography
  4. Graphic design
  5. Blogging or vlogging

Madagascar is a dramatic country with forest landscapes and gorgeous coastlines, and is home to species found nowhere else on Earth! You’ll see lemurs, chameleons, and turtles, and immerse yourself in the Malagasy culture. Bring a laptop and camera/video camera with you to highlight projects taking place here, both through written articles and photography. You’ll also film and produce videos, highlighting interesting aspects of life on the project.

You’ll live on the idyllic beach camp of Ambalahonko on the island of Nosy Be alongside other Frontier volunteers and staff. Camp life is simple and fun, sleeping in communal, local-style dwellings, known as “bandas.” Bathing requires only a bucket of water and you’ll cook your meals over an open campfire. Volunteers run the day-to-day camp activities, taking turns to collect firewood, purify water, and perform other camp maintenance duties.

Spare time gives you opportunities to swim in waterfalls, play football and beach volleyball, and socialize around the campfire. Play board games and cards, or just relax in a camp hammock and stargaze. You can also sign up for scuba diving courses and take river rafting sojourns. Fees start at $2,595 for eight weeks. Read more and register here!

Media & Journalism Internship in Belize

Spend a summer or longer on a media and journalism internship in the Caribbean with Frontier. Travel to Belize, the biodiversity hotspot of Latin America, where pristine subtropical forests are a refuge for exotic wildlife, and conceal ancient Mayan ruins. You’ll spend part of your time documenting the volunteers who help to conserve the world’s second-longest barrier reef and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – renowned for its spectacular snorkeling and diving. Immerse yourself in authentic Belizean culture at the beach camp on Caye Caulker, and gain professional journalism experience and references.

You’ll need to provide a resume/CV of your skills and qualifications for this placement and bring your own laptop and camera/video camera. You’ll spend your time interviewing and reporting on the activities of the volunteers and staff on the project. Duties include writing articles, taking photos, capturing video, and posting content on the internet.

You’ll live in a beach camp alongside other Frontier volunteers, at a research station with living space, toilet, shower facilities, and communal living and cooking areas. Camp life is unsophisticated but fun. You’ll sleep indoors on roll mats or hammocks. In your spare time, you’ll be able to swim and snorkel, play beach volleyball, watch the sunset, and spend your nights learning the constellations. On weekends, visit San Pedro, Caye Chapelor, and the wider area of Belize City. Scuba dive at the famous Blue Hole, learn to kitesurf, windsurf, and sail, or take sunset boat tours. Internship fees start at $2,595 for eight weeks. Learn more here!

GoEco

Volunteer Forever - Travel Photography Internships

Since 2006, GoEco has offered affordable volunteer abroad programs and internships in over 45 countries throughout AfricaAsiaAustralasiaCentral AmericaEurope, the Middle EastNorth America, and South America. With more than 170 different programs, GoEco is a great organization to check out if you’re looking for a variety of impactful trips to choose from, from wildlife conservation to teaching English. GoEco was recently recognized as the Top Volunteer Abroad Organization from GoAbroad, Top Eco-Enthusiast by Greenmatch, and has been recommended by Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and more. As a volunteer, you will have 24-hour support from the GoEco team, from start to finish.

Greater Kruger Area Wildlife Photography and Conservation

Another wonderful adventure that you can embark on with GoEco brings you to South Africa, where you will help with a program aimed toward raising awareness of conservation efforts and preserving the African environment. As a participant, you will help contribute to vital conservation efforts through creating a photographic database to be used as an educational tool and for animal identification. You will start with the three-day wildlife photography course, and can even take basic Zulu language lessons if you’d like. In the first four weeks of your stay in South Africa, you will learn how to improve your photography skills while working alongside professional photographers, take pictures of wildlife on game drives, learn to identify different types of plants and animals, assist with creating a photo database, raise awareness in the community about conservation, and much more. You also can choose to stay on the project for an additional two to four weeks. This program starts from $3,100 for four weeks, and you can sign up here.

Global Nomadic

Volunteer Forever - Travel Photography Internships

Founded in 2009, Global Nomadic has placed more than 10,000 people on meaningful volunteer programs, internships, TEFL courses, and research projects in 40 countries worldwide. This organization offers projects that range from environmental conservation and wildlife rehabilitation to human rights and social sustainability. Global Nomadic specializes in helping young professionals develop internships and research projects that enhance and further their careers. Check out their different summer photography internships and journalism internships.

Photography & Journalism Internship in Thailand

The creative arts industry is booming in Southeast Asia, and this photography and journalism internship offers you an exciting place to launch your portfolio and even your career! Join Global Nomadic in Bangkok, Thailand with a leading PR agency that will give you valuable hands-on experience in a multicultural city. Ideal for journalism and media professionals, this is a serious internship that targets Asian creative markets and offers you additional advantages such as Thai language lessons, luxurious accommodations, access to exclusive business networking events, and more.

You’ll start with a one-week language course to prepare you for the phrases you’ll use during your placement, and for life in Thailand. Next, you’ll begin working on important skills for photojournalism internships. You’ll assist in the photo department, preparing photographic material for campaigns. You’ll select subjects and equipment, review photos that were taken, and edit pictures with Photoshop. You’ll also write professional articles, and be encouraged to write creatively. You’ll work in collaboration with the company’s sales team, getting to know the content production process, from customer acquisition to pitching ideas.

Upon arrival, you’ll be escorted to your high-standard accommodation, with its fitness center and a pool. Be prepared to live and work in a city that never sleeps! Bangkok is a huge metropolis where historic temples and buildings are juxtaposed next to modern Western-style architecture. There are endless opportunities for creating your photographic portfolio here. On weekends, travel out of the city for a relaxing day at the beach, or discover the rural areas north of Thailand. Duration is two months or longer and internship fees begin at $940. Learn more and apply here!

Journalism & Photography Professional Placement in Argentina

Join a dynamic NGO in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to gain hands-on experience in communications and marketing. This Global Nomadic internship is perfect for art and journalism students who want to work in a community-based organization, researching, producing, filming, and editing videos and photographs.

Intermediate knowledge of Spanish is required for their journalism and photography internships, and lessons are available through Global Nomadic. You should also have previous experience and knowledge of video editing software and photography. Bring your own camera and laptop for editing, as well as enthusiasm and interest in the project. You’ll work around 20 hours per week as part of a team with your coordinator and fellow volunteers in the communication department. You’ll perform a variety of tasks, including:

  1. Producing videos, conducting interviews, editing photographs, translating texts
  2. Updating and maintaining a YouTube channel
  3. Visiting all NGO projects to collect info and photos, and to create videos
  4. Interviewing other volunteers to document experiences
  5. Managing publications and references in digital media
  6. Organizing meetings and get-togethers for other volunteers

Stay in a newly-built guesthouse where you’ll have access to the internet, a communal kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, library, and more. There are housekeeping services, and you’re close to local transportation. Explore Buenos Aires in your free time, sightseeing the exquisite architecture and local sights. Buenos Aires has an exciting and varied nightlife, a rich musical and arts scene, and world-renowned cuisine. Program fees start from $790 for two months, or $1,710 if you require accommodations. Read more here!

Launch an Adventurous Career

A career as a photojournalist is an exciting way to share your creative expression. You’ll travel to exotic destinations, meet diverse people, and learn a technically demanding profession. Photography is in demand because people are visual creatures with appetites for information. Photographers are needed in areas of portrait, commercial, scientific and industrial, aerial, and fine arts.

It can be a lucrative career when you consider that photographers work in nearly every industry, from aerospace product manufacturing to medical and diagnostic laboratories, from motion picture and video industries, to scientific research and development. These are the top-paying industries for photographers today, with annual salaries topping at nearly $80,000!

Internships are an opportunity to engage in workshops and fieldwork, allowing you to explore the technical and creative aspects of photography in a studio or on location. Pick one today and launch your new career!