APA Design Internships

Africa Photo Academy

Position: Project Development and Marketing
Number of available positions: 1
Duration of internship: 10-12 weeks

The APA international summer internship is the perfect way for photography and design students to employ their unique skill sets for a good cause.

"The Africa Photo Academy is a professional photography school based in Cape Town, South Africa. We teach participants the art of taking professional-quality photos through the process of experiential learning. From day one you will get outdoors and take photos. And more photos. Through this process of repetition, you will of the Africa Photo Academy acquire the techniques essential to transforming a photo from a mere snapshot to a work of art. You will learn to take photos that exude energy and life."

Internship Description:

The perfect venue for a creative internship, Africa is quite simply one of the most diverse and stimulating photographic locales in the world. Everything from colourful shanty towns to grand Clifton manors, verdant wine estates, wide open Kalahari vistas, serene ocean views and indigenous forests are simply waiting to be discovered and immortalized at the click of a well-aimed shutter. The unique fusion of ethnic groups that make up Madiba’s Rainbow Nation also provides plenty of opportunity for compelling portrait studies.

African Photo Academy was the brainchild of a few individuals that recognised the need for amateur photographers to gain access to the exciting world of on-site photography in Africa. The school is based in Cape Town, South Africa and aims to introduce each student “the art of taking professional-quality photos through the process of experiential learning.”

While other design internships may concentrate on theory and studio work, the team at APA believe in getting participants out and about from the very first day. Cape Town and her surrounding Winelands boast a wealth of photographic opportunities, as well as mild weather conditions, so there really is no need to stay cooped up inside all day long. The aim is to get outside and take photos, photos and yes, you know it, more photos. The instructors and African Photo Academy have found that this process of repetition is the most effective way to instil in their students the techniques necessary to transform a simple happy snap into a balanced, polished, publishable work of art.

In this case the point is not merely to document, but to highlight, communicate and comment. A course at African Photo Academy will transform the participant from a casual observer to a skilled, involved interpreter and critic of their surroundings, breathing life and energy into the very photographs they take. In a time when the prevalence of print media has jaded us to even the most captivating images, it is up to the new generation of photographers to find an approach that will once more capture the imagination of the masses.

The APA international photography internship is a suitable option for candidates that have:

1.    A portfolio of relevant coursework AND/OR
2.    Proven work experience in one or more of the following creative areas:
   *  Marketing
   *  Writing
   *  Advertising
   *  Photography
   *  Graphic Design
   *  Web Design

Participants who sign up for the design summer internship will be expected to bring creativity and enthusiasm to the table every single day. They will be working as part of a team that designs and implements innovative programs that strive to alter the way international students perceive and experience the continent of Africa. Depending on the particular skill sets of the individuals in question, they will be working on major marketing and/or design projects. (Please note that although this international summer internship incorporates aspects of design and marketing, participants should foremost have a well-developed passion for photography.)

View photos of previous Africa Photo Academy interns at our Cape Town internship gallery.