For the past two months I have had the pleasure of interning at a commercial still-life photography studio in the Flatiron District on New York. This comes after deciding that I would naturally fit into and thoroughly enjoy a career in the field of photography. And, as with most careers, one must start from the bottom. As the present moment, I am seeking to educate myself in the mystical art of assisting a photographer while on the set while also picking up whatever details I can about light, equipment, and business nuances.

I will shortly reflect on the past two months. I will also attempt to post a series of personal projects as time goes on.

Any time you flip through a magazine, browse the web, watch TV, or even walk outside you will inevitably see a photographer’s work. But, you never really know it, or at the very least comprehend the amplitude as such until you begin looking for it consciously. I also failed to realize how much work went into the industry as a whole – camera and computer hardware and software; owning or renting as well as staffing a studio and office; multitudes of agencies;  specialized equipment such as lights, stands, power packs; general items of usefulness which mainly involves tons of paper, plastic, and quirky objects to be used on the set. Much of the inventory of our studio comes from local retailers and some of the more intricate and carefully selected items are typically rented from manufacturers and artists whose base of operation is in New York.

Not long after distinguishing myself as having entered a bees’ hive of economic activity did I then also connect the photography industry with the near endless amount of roles it fulfills for other industries. The most obvious example can be found in magazines that one may purchase at a news stand to gawk at celebrity fakenews. Within these publication you will undeniably find adverts for a wide range of products such as the latest line of chemical treatments for frizzy hair or pale skin. Advertisements have been for quite some time a necessary part of procuring funding for magazines and newspapers but has perhaps even more aggressively become a cornerstone of the internet. You may, in fact, even realize that there are few places left in an urban setting where you are not in the proximity of an ad of some sort. Bus stops and trains are littered with muscular men sporting little more than underwear. Walking on the sidewalk will likely reveal billboards and large posters within viewing distance portraying a perfectly captured bottle of beer. Advertisements and, by a necessary extension, photography are virtually inescapable. But a photographer’s work is not found only in adverts but also in company websites, buyer’s guides, and a host of other tactfully designed uses of said work.

While the process of creating images can be daunting from the perspective I described above, it is surprisingly simple. The photographer, much like a captain of a vessel, runs the show with a complete comprehension of that is necessary to get the job done. His assistants will typically be responsible for maintaining the studio area, ensuring quality control, and simply being aware of the state of affairs. Meanwhile, art directors from a magazine or fashion brand will be confirming that the results are as requested. Stylists will also be present to handle any merchandise with care and to display them according to the art director’s instructions. (This dynamic is unique to my own experience in the past two months while working with a single photographer and is likely to differ substantially with respect to the situation.)

My co-workers are without question some of the most wonderful individuals I have ever had the chance to work with. I take this as a sign that the industry is a good place to be and I see myself being for quite some time.