Photography and Design Intern

IMPORTANT: Internships are unpaid, therefore interns must be eligible to receive academic credit during the Fall 2024 semester for their internship. If you are a student, contact your career counselor for more information. 

We expect all interns to work 2-3 full days per week, though half days are permissible on a case-by-case basis to accommodate school schedules.

All applicants should submit a resume and cover letter, and photo portfolio (if available). 

Observer is a premier online editorial platform. For the past two decades, we have captured a loyal readership through witty, irreverent and opinionated coverage of society, technology and innovation, real estate, arts, culture and entertainment. Although the New York Observer has been discontinued as a print publication, its legacy endures through our digital platforms.

Observer has published many of the nation’s top journalists, critics and essayists over the years, including Joe Conason, John Heilpern, Rex Reed, Andrew Sarris, Robert Gottlieb, Ron Rosenbaum, Susan Faludi and Peter Bogdanovich. In the mid-1990s, the New York Observer published “Sex and the City,” Candace Bushnell’s column on Manhattan’s social life that inspired the hit television series and subsequent films.

Observer is currently seeking a photography and design intern, available two to three days a week. This internship will be a great opportunity to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment alongside experienced writers and editors to acquire invaluable skills.

The intern will work closely across all verticals, and job duties will include but are not limited to: photo research and acquisition, scanning, photo retouching and organization. The ideal candidate will have a background in photography, strong organizational skills, and some familiarity with Mac OS, Adobe Photoshop and InDesign. We also send qualified interns on photo assignments for features, events, and openings—a great opportunity for a photographer to get their work published and seen by a large readership. 

Observer’s newsroom boasts a unique and tight-knit team culture that benefits from the energy of its reporters and the experience of its editors. Though much of the team is remote, we have daily meetings and frequent check-ins. There are also opportunities to come into the office and cover events in-person. Interns are fully integrated into this hybrid environment, where they have the opportunity to gain invaluable online editorial and in-person newsroom experience. 

Observer runs three internship sessions a year: Spring (early January through May), Summer (June through August) and Fall (early September through December). Photo interns can work remotely but have the option to come into Observer's office in Manhattan and participate in in-person projects/events. Former interns have gone on to be hired full time at Observer, as well as at The New York Times, New York magazine, The New Republic and many other publications.