Feel the Burn, Intern

No false advertising here.

All right, at this point you have read the internship page and the spiel about how being an intern at Outside Bozeman is hard and that you have to have thick skin. Think your skin is thick enough to make it through the internship? WRONG.

Let me tell you, I was excited for the no-filter, let-me-have-all-the-criticism, rip-me-a-new-one approach. I thought it was going to just roll off my shoulders. I thought I was tough. I thought I had thick skin. Do your worst, O/B! I can take it all.

Let me say it again. WRONG.

I have heard Mike say on more than one occasion how many interns don’t make it through their time with Outside Bozeman. Did I cry several times because I messed up an assignment, or my communication wasn’t good enough, or I had to re-edit a load of photos because the “white balance was off,” or I asked a very dumb question? Answer is, you bet your bottom dollar I did.

Words of advice: do not ask questions. Go and figure out the answer some other way. Even if it takes longer than just asking. Trust me. Go figure it out yourself.

I’d also suggest getting really good at taking criticism. Chuck your ego out the window. Know that Mike and the gang have been doing this a helluva lot longer than you have, so 9.8/10 they are right.

You can get upset about getting scolded and having to do an assignment over, maybe even get a little defensive; but you better realize they were right. Best way to get the most out of this internship. Oh, and very true when they say what you put into this is what you get out of it. You want to get rad shit and gear? O/B will hook you up if you hook them up with completed assignments.

I re-read the spiel after completing the internship and everything was right-on. So feeling sorry for oneself is not an option. They tell you exactly what you're getting yourself into. Believe it!

Good luck and happy internship.

Morgan Pellowski
Photo Intern, Fall '23 to Spring '24