[jinxy]

hi everyone

i have been MIA lately but back again just been really busy
anyway i have something i have been thinking about and thought that this would be the best place to find out the answer.

i posted a while back that i wanted to do a photography course this year and found a really great one to do by correspondence. after counting down to finishing the current IT course i am doing at the moment i only have 6 more weeks to wait till i start so i am getting really excited.

anyway to the point, because i am doing this course from home i am wanting to get back working and was thinking of trying the local Kodak developing store so i could learn more while working in an area that i love.

BUT does anyone know if you need any special qualifications to apply for this kind of job? i have searched every where for this information and cant find it. (i was going to ring but didn't want to sound silly asking)

[P-E]

I would call them jinxy I don't think you will sound silly........or do what i would do and get someone else to call for me

[stepheno]

As P-E says, give them a ring. But...if it's a developing store the chances are you won't learn much about developing as everything will probably be automated, push-button.

[Dabhand16]

If you are talking about the 'mini lab' type of store that deals with film processing as well as digital, I think you will find that the process is automated and run by a computer. All you will need to know is how to load the machine and press theapprpriate button.

The digital process is now often a DIY operation for the punters to do themselves, but for those who can't do it, you might have to make the frame, size and finish selections etc.

I'm not trying to belittle the job, but I can't imagine that you need anything other than a dose of common sense and some interest.

If you want to go a bit deeper you could always try some of the local pros to see if they want n assistant. I think the pay will be minimal, but you would learn a lot more.

Good luck with the job and the course.

Edit: That Stephen is so quick off the mark.....

[jinxy]

i was referring to a mini lab as there is one located a few streets away from where we are. i dont think you were belittling the job in any way Dabhand as i was thinking the same thing regarding common sense, pushing a button and customer service. i never thought about a local pro but i think that is an avenue worth exploring.

[sejanus]

There's probably a lot worse places to start than in a minilab. I learned an awful lot of important lessons when I worked in a photographic shop, admitedly, a very long time ago

If you want to earn money from photography, the ability to take decent pictures is a given. Things like how to find customers, keeping good records, salesmanship and many other little things, make the difference between playing at being a pro and actually being one.

I'd go for anything that gives you a foot in the door, if you're really keen, and remember the old saying: if you don't think there's something more to learn, you don't realise how little you know!