FAITH 21 PHOTOGRAPHY

Are you Christian and interested in learning the art of Photography and Photojournalism? Do you like American history, experiencing Americana and seeing life in both small town and big city America? Does the prospect of sharing your journey of growth with others as the subject of a travel blog sound appealing to you? Welcome, we are Faith 21 Photography. Our company is launching a digital blog/vlog focused on increasing the number of Christian and conservative voices in media and photojournalism. We will use this platform to encourage Christians who aspire to be photographers, photojournalists and other creative media professionals and teach them how to work towards becoming professionals on a budget. We are searching for 3 individuals who are interested in sharing their love for Christ and documenting their journey of becoming an accomplished photographer/photojournalist. No experience necessary, all welcome to apply. If you think this sounds like an opportunity that you may be interested in, please read the F.A.Q. and apply below.

Employee Owner F.A.Q.

I have no Photography, Photojournalism, Blogging or Business experience and I do not own a camera. Can I still apply?

Absolutely. We encourage and welcome all to apply. We are not focused on who you are or the skills you have today. We are focused on who you can become tomorrow if given the opportunity to thrive. If you can meet the job requirements, this position is a fantastic opportunity for an aspiring photographer, journalist, content creator or entrepreneur. For accepted candidates who have little or no experience, we offer a comprehensive training program that will prepare candidates for success in the photography and photojournalism industry. If you do not own a camera, a high quality professional camera system will be provided for use when you are shooting. This unique offer is intended to provide an opportunity for a striving professional to break into the journalism industry who would not otherwise be able to afford the high cost of education, press accreditation membership fees, software costs, travel expenses, gear & equipment costs, and the multitude of other expenses necessary to build a quality portfolio.

I have extensive Journalism, Photography or Photojournalism experience and I own a high quality camera. Where do I apply?

We know and understand that you have worked very long and hard to learn the skills you have acquired. You are a highly trained professional, and you deserve to be treated accordingly. As an Employee Owned company, we offer a highly competitive compensation package, including a $500 signing bonus. Our requirements for immediate hire are simply the industry standard. Candidates must meet one of the following criteria:

Three years recent professional experience as a Photojournalist
Bachelors Degree or higher in the study of Journalism
Bachelors Degree or higher in the study of Photography

If you meet these qualifications, please click here to submit your resume. Be sure to include your professional writing/photography/photojournalism portfolio and your salary requirements.

Are there any special requirements for eligibility?

There are no experience, educational or vocational criteria necessary for consideration and the requirements for the position are minimal. However the requisites for the job, which are not only expected company wide of interns but of veteran Photojournalists alike, are vital in achieving success within the journalism industry. Candidates must:

18 or older
Have a strong work ethic
Committed to learning & mastering your craft, including both photography and learning how to sell your work
Able to be on your feet for long periods and physically fit enough to fulfill the job duties of a Photojournalist
Able to handle the travel rigors & erratic schedule that the photography/photojournalism industry demands
Able to handle working in all climates and environments, day or night
Able to work calmly as a team in high risk environments
Able to stay focused on a project long term despite extended periods with breaks in work
Able to respect client privilege, protect all news sources identities, adhere to legal Non-Disclosure Agreements and refrain from social media while on duty
Able to follow direction well
Located within one hour of Bloomington-Normal, IL or able to provide your own transportation to that radius

What kind of compensation is included?

We are proud to offer an excellent compensation package to owner operators who complete training. Included is:

$100 cash signing bonus
Serious earnings potential. As an Employee Owner, accepted candidates will earn an equal portion of all net revenues company wide!
Paid sponsorship into the National Press Photographers Association
Paid Credential Badge(Press Pass)
33% employee discount for candidates and immediate family members, 20% for extended family & friends
Two free prints of your choice every Christmas to keep or give as gifts
Complimentary premium coffee, bottled water & snacks during studio & office hours
All training expenses covered including travel to and from training locations, photography, lighting, set-up, equipment, editing & retouching costs all provided

How does the employee owner program work?

As an employee owned company, all revenues are divided among the staff equally, with the C.E.O. retaining a leadership role. The business is structured as an L.L.C., meaning all employee owners are part of what constitutes the company board of directors and have the ability to cast their vote at the annual board meeting. Every Employee Owner has clear cut roles, tasks and individual contributions that they are responsible for spanning from administration to marketing. Upon completion of training, once an employee owner shows a proficiency within the industry including a good understanding of the inner operations of the business, they will have worked towards legally earning their own portion of this business and a spot on the board of directors of this Limited Liability Corporation at absolutely zero financial cost to them. By sharing the profits and investing in our employees, we are able to offer opportunities that other companies may not be able to offer. We will be able to utilize this business model to our advantage, helping to reduce our overall operating costs. By not hiring hourly employees or relying upon third party contractors, our labor & employee tax liability is lower (which are tremendously high in the state of Illinois) and we are then able to divert those savings into additional profit generating projects & revenue streams. Most importantly however, this model affords us the opportunity to hand select our staff, and by doing so, we are able to build a highly reliable, immensely talented collection of aspiring photographers & business partners. We are able to hire only those aspiring photographers/photojournalists who are driven and like minded. It ensures that everyone involved is ambitious, has the long term vision to see what this business can become and wants to be here building something big. No constant new employee merry-go-round, no hard personalities to deal with. Be warned however, small business ownership is not for everyone. It takes tremendous will, dedication and hard work, qualities that most people simply do not posses.

What exactly will I be doing?

This answer is fairly straightforward, although there is more to the art and skill involved in the process than is properly represented in a brief Q & A blurb. Additionally, to share every detail on a forum such as this would expose vital future production subject matter, which we can happily share at a later date upon further interactions. Essentially, accepted candidates will be responsible for two basic tasks as owner operators:

First, begin learning and mastering true life, still life, street, action, event & documentary style photography by shooting with our award winning nationally accredited photojournalist, with whom you will accompany to various locations around central Illinois & the local greater metropolitan midwest. This will include various fairs, carnivals, parades, tourist spots, restaurants, holiday events and other public activities and festivities. You will apply the skills and tools you learn to take photos of the subsequent events. You will be photographed while covering and participating in the event, which will serve as about half of the content on the site. When possible, we will work with business owners, event organizers and other clients to create content with. Our writing staff will then create, edit and graphic design the subsequent content that appears with your photos and the photos of you covering the event on the website.
The second and almost equally important task is to assist in promoting our work using various methods including online marketing strategies and small market advertising tactics.

Both tasks have a symbiotic relationship with one another and are essential for success. Without capturing intriguing, competitive photos & subject matter I.E. providing our visitors with a high quality product, no one would care to visit the site. Likewise, even if you did capture the greatest travel content of all time, it is worthless if no one knows that our work exists I.E. without proper promotion and marketing of the site.

How will the business make money and earn revenue?

The business model is a classic advertisement revenue format and is as tried and tested as any business model within the Content creation industry. However, we have a major advantage. To be blunt, the in-depth answer would include many of our industry trade protected secrets. However, in the interest of total transparency and without sharing too many sensitive details, we can provide a basic description of business operations. The following synopsis is our model in a nutshell. First, we capture high quality, newsworthy activities and events on film and post those photos on our website. Next, individuals from multiple demographics from aspiring professionals to parents to other media companies of all sizes visit our site. Some will visit to find inspiration and learn how to better master their craft from our informative content. Others will visit to learn about fun, family and budget friendly events to bring their families out to. And then other will come to utilize our photos for personal or teaching purposes. All will have one thing in common, that they will do this while viewing our advertisements posted throughout the website. Finally, every time our website visitors click an advertisement or make a purchase from our gracious sponsors, we receive Ad & Sales income. It is that cut and dry. And while this is certainly a simplified explanation as there is always an element of nuance when business decisions are involved, this is a completely accurate description of business operations. Most importantly, we have already secured a long term advertising agreement with an established fine wall art printing company. Also, we will have additional revenue streams such as ad supported photography books and merchandise revenue, which we can safely detail more in depth as candidates progress further into the hiring process.

It sounds like a great opportunity, but no job is perfect. What's the catch?

The catch is you will have to work hard to succeed. Yes, traveling around to different places and events researching, scouting, planning & photographing subjects can be extremely fun. Being early on the scene of a major newsworthy event or disaster & recovery effort on the rare occasions that they happen is exciting and full of adventure. However, anything worth doing is not often easy. As a general rule of thumb, both photography and business ownership have many difficult aspects to overcome. It will take a significant amount of time to produce a quality body of work, promote it, build a strong following and turn it into profit. It will not happen overnight. However, If you are able to outlast the competition and set yourself apart from the crowd, the end result can be very rewarding. In closing, below we have included just a few eye opening statistics compiled from the the Small Business Administration and U.S. Census Bureau that help illustrate the unique and specific challenges that accompany small business proprietorship:

26% of all business fail within the first year.

47% of all businesses lose money in their first fiscal year.

The median time for a business to reach financial solvency and turn a profit in the U.S. is 20 months.

If any if these statistics or possible outcomes are facts that you cannot handle, business ownership likely may not be suited for you, and furthermore you may want to reconsider submitting your application.

What if I begin training but then decide that a career in photography or journalism is not for me? Am I financially obligated in any way or am I liable for anything?

Absolutely not, you have zero commitment of any kind when accepted into the training program. You may walk away at any time whatsoever for any reason at all. You simply forfeit any portion of the compensation package that you have not yet earned, that's all. For example, let's hypothesise a scenario in which you have begun training, and four training sessions into it you decide to exit the program because photography isn't for you, or perhaps you have a personal/family emergency and need to delay training for a few months. First and foremost, as an owner operator you own the copyrights to any photos you take while training, they are yours and you may use them in any manner you see fit. Additionally, you are entitled to keep and are not obligated to repay any food stipend money that we have already paid you, any hard prints that have already been produced or any travel, admission, photography, lighting or editing expenses incurred. Obviously however, you will not receive the cash signing bonus, a paid sponsorship into the NPPA w/Press Pass, the employee discount, free Christmas prints, the certificate of completion or any hard prints for any shoots that did not yet take place. After conclusion of the program, both parties will have the option of differing without further commitment or obligation, allowing an unprecedented amount of freedom for all individuals involved.

I am from a smaller town that is distant, and I cannot afford the high cost of travel or it may be difficult for me to secure transportation to your office in Bloomington. Are there any options for me?

Yes, in fact there is. We are proud and blessed to be able to extend this business opportunity for everyone who is interested from every socioeconomic background and class. With this in mind, for the right candidates we can happily accommodate a reasonable travel distance for a limited but extended period of time. If you reside in or can get to anywhere in the general radius of this map we are able to provide partial and in many cases full transportation. If you believe you will need transportation assistance, simply indicate this aspect while applying. There is absolutely no penalty against any Candidate for requesting to use this service and in no way will it affect a Candidate's eligibility for employment.

It's not the opportunity for me, but I know a friend or relative that will be interested. How does the referral program work?

Simple. Tell your friend or relative, and if we hire them we will pay you $50 cash, check or paypal. It's that easy.

I have a full-time job, children or other time commitments that prevent me from starting full time. Am I still eligible?

Certainly. For the right candidate, we will gladly accommodate a part-time schedule.

Who are you, what is your story? Why are you extending this offer?

Great question, it's not everyday that someone just offers an ownership position with a new division of their company. To comply with contractual obligations and standing non-disclosure agreements, we can happily share the how's and why's here publically, but not the who's and where's because we must protect client and employer identities. The short answer is we are a core group of three photographers, one full time nationally accredited Photojournalist, one part time stock photographer who travels internationally and one part time utility collaborator, all based out of our fifth floor office in Historic Downtown Bloomington. The more in depth answer is that like many Christians post 9/10, we have been deeply moved by the horrific and tragic events of Charlie Kirk's assassination. With the rise in Anti-religious and politically motivated violence, it has affected every Jesus loving, Bible obedient Christian. In particular, the hatred, lies and pure evil espoused from so many individuals in mainstream media and society at large has signaled a change in the social fabric of our country moving forward. Thus, we have decided to launch a Christian themed travel bolg, but with a unique twist. Ultimately, the goal of the blog is to inspire like minded Christians and conservatives to enter the Photography, photojournalism and content creation field, and help expand Christian and conservative representation within the media industry. We will need a few hard working, talented individuals to help accomplish this goal. Certainly, our work is cut out for us. Looking past the extreme hate from those who do not spiritually or politically align with us and setting it aside, there are many other emerging new challenges rising on the horizon such as five years of rapid Inflation, Artificial Intelligence eliminating positions, the state of world affairs and the contraction of the news industry as a whole. However, with teamwork, accountability, strong leadership and good financial decision making, we are sure that our start up company will thrive in this hostile business market.

I have strong political positions and refuse to work with, give a platform to or cover people who do not share my political views. How will you be able accommodate me?

In short, we won't accommodate you. This is one of the most common questions we receive among young applicants. We cannot accommodate such narrow thinking. Truly, if this is your stance, we advise against your applying with us as you are not likely a good fit for our organization, or for the integrity of photojournalism in general. You will eventually cover something on the job that repulses you, makes you furious or simply offends you, no matter what your political position or affiliation. You will have to cover Political topics from opposite sides of the isle as these are necessary, newsworthy events. For instance, you may have to cover both pro-life and pro-abortion rallies with as un-biased of coverage as possible, no matter your position on the subject. Or perhaps you will cover both pro-Left wing or pro-Right wing political rallies, always acting in a professional manner regardless of how you vote. It is more than possible that you may be on scene around people who have just lost everything or even a loved one in a recent tragedy, and to treat them less than or refuse to share their story because they voted or think differently than you is long on the spectrum of evil, short on compassion and at absolute odds with the essence of what journalism is.

I have had legal/disciplinary issues or I have said some things on social media or have videos or pictures of/or about me online that stigmatize me. Will that prevent me from qualification?

No, not at all. You are a human. Humans make mistakes. We believe in second chances and in most cases, third or fourth ones too. It's O.K. to have said or done things that you regret, that have been misconstrued or are unpopular. We're really not concerned about the silly anti-Obama or anti-Trump tweet you made, the embarrassing whatever video or any other speech or action deemed offensive by some. Just be honest and tell us. Disclosure is key. We will address any concerns we may have directly with you one on one and evaluate your situation fairly, on an individual basis. To error is a human quality, to forgive and accept does not seem to be.

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