My name is Ian Kee and my interest in photography began in high school, when I lived in China. After high school I studied photography at Taylor University. After graduation I really wanted to continue my lifestyle of traveling. Getting paid to travel around the world on a cruise ship seemed like the perfect way to go.
I did some research and found out that you need to apply to a concessionaire company, as the cruise lines themselves do not hire photographers. After applying to five different companies, only one asked me to come in for an interview. So, off I went to Ft. Lauderdale to have an interview aboard the ms Noordam with Holland America. I soon found myself working on the ms Ryndam in Alaska. After spending three months in Alaska, the ship did a repositioning cruise to the Caribbean by way of the Panama Canal.
Working on a cruise ship isn’t for the feint of heart. You will be expected to work 7 days a week for eight months straight without a day off. You’ll probably average nine hours a day of work. Giving up your time is a small price to pay however for all the excellent benefits that come with working on a ship. I consider my first contract at sea to be a great success. I was able to visit many countries while significantly developing my photo, sales, and people skills. I also made a very good income along the way. Probably best of all, I made friends from all over the world.
I plan to carry on working on cruise ships for awhile. I am still young and free and I appreciate the ability to travel the globe. As a photographer I also deeply value the freedom I have to express myself through my photos. My passion in photography is photojournalism and street photography, which I am able to do in my free time.
To follow along with Ian, please visit www.iankee.com. Also check out his recent study in humanity entitled Discover Life here.
Working 7 days a week, 9 hours a day?! Working on a cruise seems like a cool experience, but not something for me