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Richmond, VA Culture & Politics Since 2005

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RVA Magazine Is Seeking A Marketing & Graphic Design Intern For Spring 2020

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Please email applications to [email protected] when ready. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Are you an aspiring marketer who wants to help promote all the arts, music, restaurants, entertainment, and culture that Richmond has to offer? It’s that time again — RVA Magazine and GayRVA.com are seeking an intern for the Spring 2020 semester.

Since 2005, RVA Magazine has told the cultural story of Richmond, VA. As we continue to connect with local businesses and expand partnership opportunities, we are seeking a Marketing (and Graphic Design, where applicable) for the Spring 2020 semester to work alongside our marketing team and promote new partnerships, events, and in-house initiatives in the new year. Internships are for-credit for a full class, and can be applied to any regional college or university program.

For journalism and writing internships, please see our Spring 2020 listing here.

As a marketing intern, you will be working directly with management on marketing goals and initiatives. You will be expected to take ideas and use a variety of skills to develop them and learn how an independent publication works in the process. 

With a target start date in January, you will work with our team 10+ hours a week on designing developing sales materials and social media strategies, posting online content, communicating directly with clients, and assisting in distribution. We believe that marketing interns needs to know basic design and communication skills along with a willingness to learn.

Junior or Senior Undergrads or Post-Grad students with relevant coursework are encouraged to apply. This is an exciting career opportunity for a future professional with an interest in marketing, communication, and design. 


Learn objectives and areas of focus:

• Provide general support and ideas in execution of RVA Magazine/GayRVA’s Marketing Plan
• Gain a deep understanding of marketing metrics across all channels
• Understand and execute initiatives on the RVA Magazine/GayRVA brand strategy and messaging
• Learn how our readers respond to content and develop strategies that grow that readership
• Learn why and how distribution of online content and the print edition are important 
• Update the RVA Magazine/GayRVA Events Calendar weekly

Required Skills/Qualifications:

• Undergraduate Junior/Senior in a Marketing, Communications, or Business course track
• Strong work ethic, team player, results-oriented, strong organizational skills
• Software-savvy and analytical
• Ability to take direction and follow-through
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Ability to take ownership with a focus on details
• Desire to learn and strong initiative
• Understand SEO and Google Adwords strategy
• Basic knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
• Basic knowledge of spreadsheets
• Understand email marketing campaigns

To Apply:

Please send your resume, cover letter, and relevant work samples or experience to [email protected] in an email titled “RVA Magazine Marketing Internship” to apply. Start date January 2020.

Thanks for your interest. We’re excited to hear from you!

–The RVA Magazine Team


Pursuing Passion

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Joey Wharton started taking pictures of bands because he enjoyed it. Now it’s his career.

Joey Wharton has earned himself a reputation as one of the most productive and dynamic freelance music photographers in Richmond. However, his path towards the music photography business was nontraditional – especially considering it was never a career he had his sights set on.

How exactly did Wharton become a music photographer? Well, he turned an idea into a passion, and then a passion into a career. “I took a camera to shows to help me learn its functionality, and walked away with what is now a lifelong passion,” Wharton said. 

Wharton graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts with a BFA in Graphic Design in 2010. During his college years, Wharton did not have a specific interest in photography, but he was fascinated by how visual arts can be used as a form of communication. After graduation, he moved to Washington D.C and worked as a print designer for an engineering company. However, after two years in D.C., Wharton found himself missing life in Richmond and decided to move back to the city. 

Joey Wharton at work; Photo by Mike Edmonds (via Joey Wharton Photography/Facebook)

After moving back to Richmond, Wharton worked various jobs, including part-time design work at Virginia Living Magazine and the Richmond Navigator. At the Richmond Navigator, Wharton eventually took on the role of Creative Director, and it was through this position that he began to develop a serious interest in photography. 

“During my time as Creative Director, I was not seeing the imagery needed to make the magazines reach their full potential,” Wharton said. “So I stepped out of my comfort zone, picked up a DSLR and began to figure out what all the miscellaneous buttons meant, [in order] to create the images I needed on my own.” 

Wharton wanted to challenge himself while learning how to use a DSLR camera, so he began to shoot music shows. 

“I wanted to learn the ins and outs of a DSLR quickly,” he said. “I figured that the hardest thing I could possibly photograph were concerts in low-light scenarios.”

Comrades at the Broadberry; Photo by Joey Wharton (via Joey Wharton Photography/Facebook)

So, without any prior knowledge or training, he took his DSLR camera to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery and began shooting various musicians. Through this method, Wharton learned how to think and move quickly, developing a knack for anticipating the movements and actions of performers. And the more he did it, the more he loved it.

“I couldn’t get enough,” Wharton said.  “There was a certain thrill of getting ‘the shot’ and showcasing the energy and vibrancy of the band before me. I wanted to show who this band was and what they were about through stills.”

Despite the need for post-production work in professional photography, Wharton feels that the most important aspect of music photography is catching the perfect moment. 

“Capturing the photo at the right moment is first and foremost,” Wharton said. “Sometimes I find that photo in the first 50 images taken. Sometimes it takes 1000.”

For Wharton, deciding which elements qualify for the “right moment” varies from show to show. It all depends on the lighting, the energy of the band and crowd and the concept that he’s attempting to capture for each individual show. 

Illiterate Light at Friday Cheers; Photo by Joey Wharton (via Joey Wharton Photography/Facebook)

Then, after the right photo is captured,  the post-production work begins — a process Wharton calls a “mental battle.”

“Choosing colors is a tough battle for me,” he said. “I don’t think there has been a music photo put out to the world where I haven’t manipulated the colors in some manner.”

There are various aspects to the profession of music photography — and for Wharton, all of them are compelling. He enjoys “the thrill of the moment, the energy conveyed by the band and audience, the time limit you have to get the shots needed based on the band’s set,” and, one of his favorite parts: “Visualizing energy through a still image.”

Wharton is now focusing on tour photography. In the past he has toured with numerous musicians, including American Aquarium, Angelica Garcia, and Sleepwalkers. He is currently on the road again, this time with Illiterate Light. In addition to documentary photography, Wharton also hopes he’ll be able to set aside time to develop some videography skills during this tour.

“I love being a road dog,” he said. “Hopping in a bus or van and experiencing life on the road in close quarters with individuals who trust me to capture their life is a special kind of reward.”

Wharton calls touring with musicians a “humbling” experience.

“The fact that these folks allow me to be in their personal space for anywhere between five to 30 days at a time is remarkable,” he said. “It’s humbling to know I’m accepted as a part of the crew and trusted to do my job with no questions asked.”

Neko Williams of People’s Blues of Richmond; Photo by Joey Wharton (via Joey Wharton Photography/Facebook)

Wharton’s first solo photography show debuted on July 5 at the Camel. The show consists of 24 images printed on either metal or canvas, which act as representative examples of his work in music photography. One image currently on display at The Camel is one of Wharton’s favorite shots in his career so far. 

“I ate a good portion of a pot brownie and was higher than gas prices when I took one of my favorite photos of all time of Erykah Badu at the Richmond Jazz Festival,” Wharton said. “I’m still amazed I pulled it off.”

Wharton choose the photos he wanted to display in the show by picking ones that he would hang in his own home. “These are photos I am proud of,” Wharton said. “While I am proud of hundreds, if not thousands of other images, I could only hang but so many for the show!”

The music photography of Joey Wharton is currently on display at The Camel, located at 1621 W. Broad St, and will remain on display through the end of July.

Top Photo: Reggie Pace, by Joey Wharton (via Joey Wharton Photography/Facebook)

Internships With RVA Magazine

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Work With Us

Do you have the writing chops to seek out and deliver compelling stories on the latest in music, art, food, beer, politics and current events in Richmond? Well, you’re in luck, because RVA Magazine and GayRVA are opening positions for editorial, graphic design, and video interns for our upcoming Spring 2019 season. 

Launched in 2005 as a zine to promote the bubbling revival of Richmond’s underground, the RVA regional brand started with RVAMag. RVA Magazine and GayRVA are now Virginia’s largest independent media and the region’s voice for arts, entertainment, and cultural news. We are always seeking to diversify our newsroom: LGBTQ and minority students are very much encouraged to apply. 

Opportunities

Both publications have several openings for writers and creatives who are passionate, hard-working, and excited to learn under the guidance of Virginia’s largest independent media outlets right here in Richmond.

We welcome your ideas, and will open doors to interview artists, musicians, politicians, and local influencers with opportunities to pitch your own ideas as well. Writers can attend and cover shows, write features on artists, and report on musicians, craft beer pros, restaurants, films, theater, fashion, politics, and more — right here in the River City and across Virginia.

Ideal candidates will:

  • Attend college and be in need of 1-3 credits through their scholastic program
  • Work on 1-2 articles per week (depending on credit need), and be able to meet deadlines in a professional editorial environment
  • Be able to work remotely and attend a weekly editorial meeting, with the freedom to attend events in the evening for possible feature pieces
  • Have a laptop, digital camera, digital voice recorder, and/or smartphone
  • Be willing to work hard
  • Understand responsibilities involved when committing to a project
  • Be able to write hard news and features, with ability to bring interesting elements in stories into articles through interviews and drafting relevant questions
  • Have an open mind, with the willingness to cover issues and topics that might be altogether new to you

Juniors and Seniors studying Journalism will receive first priority consideration. Internships are unpaid and for-credit if requested, with potential opportunities for contributors following the internship. 

Attending a college program is not required, but those not in a program should be able to show a history of successful writing or commitment to a long-term project.

 

Editorial Internship Details: 

  1. Writing –  Interns will draft 1-2 articles per week: News writing, event previews, interviews of artists or musicians, album reviews, features on new businesses and local stories, political updates.
  1. Interviewing – You will be speaking to lots of different people. The voices of the city and state help define the publication, and you will be seeking out those voices.
  1. Pitching and developing long-form stories – We want to help you get published, we want to see you succeed. We’ll help you get there in any way possible, and provide guidance to continue your professional career in any different facets of the media industry. We can help with career counseling and help you build your resume to move forward into a media environment.

The Internship (And What You’ll Get): 

  • Interns work remotely on 1-2 articles per week, interviewing sources in person or via phone on feature pieces.
  • Get access to shows, parties, and events of your choice throughout Virginia.
  • Have your name published in Virginia’s largest independent media, with long- and short-form writing experience.
  • Have the independence to cover stories and issues that interest you. Pitch your ideas and don’t hold back your creativity: We want to hear your voice and uplift the voices of our community that aren’t usually heard.
  • Multimedia web-based project experience.
  • Editorial jobs are mostly performed remotely, with a once-weekly editorial meeting to update projects.

What we need from you:

  • Cover letter detailing why you want to work with RVA Magazine and what you can bring to the editorial team
  • Resume
  • 2-3 article writing samples for editorial applicants (both feature and hard news if applicable)
  • Website (if applicable)
  • Availability from January–May 2019 
  • Specification: If you are applying to work with RVAMag or GayRVA (or both)

Editorial interns can apply to RVA Magazine or GayRVA separately, or apply to work with a mixture of both. Please specify in your application which publication(s) you would like to work with.  Send application materials to Caley Sturgill at [email protected] in an email titled “Internship Submission.”

 

Multimedia (Video/Graphic Design) Internship Details:

We are looking for several individuals to join the team in multimedia, ranging from filming artist promotional shoots to storytelling in various pieces. Multimedia jobs are remote, and assignments will be sent to interns as needed once branding needs are established in a meeting.

Internship Duties:

Video: Ideally pitch, shoot, edit and produce compelling video on breaking news and feature stories with RVAMag, GayRVA, and social media across either.

Graphic Design: Design weekly article images, amount depending on required credit hours. Weekly work is flexible for multimedia interns — tell us what you’re looking for.

Candidates should be studying journalism, graphic design, film, or other related fields, but all applicants with video or multimedia experience will be considered. Must have strong narrative storytelling skills, ability to meet deadlines, and ability to work with video team. Those who own or are familiar with a DSLR camera will be considered first. Experience with Final Cut Pro, Final Cut X or similar video editing software a plus.

What we need from you:

  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • Film or graphic design samples for multimedia applicants
  • Availability from January-May 2019
  • Website (if applicable)

 

Please send applications to Caley Sturgill at [email protected] and write “Internship Submission” as the subject line.

Deadline for submission is December 28 (flexible if needed — send an email letting us know beforehand if you plan to submit a late application).