Internship Journal - Essay Example

INTERNSHIP JOURNAL SCHERLEY BUSCH STUDIOS Company Profile Scherley Busch Studio is a company that is registered by the government of the United States under the industry category of Photographers-Portrait. The contact person of the company is also the owner, Scherley Busch. Located in Florida County, the company is situated along Pamona Avenue in the city of Miami, Miami Dade County. As an entity, Scherley Busch has been in the photography business for approximately 34 years. The owner started out as a still photographer, but with time has begun writing, interviewing, shooting and directing multimedia and video productions for the Florida Women of Achievement (FWA) series. The productions are to be shared on the internet, and it offers the outfit an opportunity for growth. Scherley Busch under the umbrella Amaranthine conducts an internship program for female students who are involved in the arts. As an intern, a variety of tasks have to be conducted that all work together to make the photography experience successful. The tasks involved include, but are not limited to, shooting, sound-recording, post-production, editing, and research. Shooting and Video production In photography, shooting involves taking of multiple photos so as to identify the best photo for the purpose intended. The “model” in a photo shoot does not always have to be a person, it can be another creature, or feature. Shooting can either take place indoors or outdoors, and is done for a variety of functions. Shooting at Scherley Busch includes photo shoots for celebrity portraits, editorial photos, documentaries, video production, family portraits, lifestyles, products, architectural shoots, fine art and exhibit prints. Scherley Busch has been highly recognized for the unique photographs of Florida’s women leaders. According to Sun Sentinel, these photographs do not merely capture their images. The photographs go further to reflect the world inhabited by these women, and their very successes. The Coconut Grove Times also testify to the high quality of Children portraits by Scherley Busch, and they consider it “a sensitive portrayal of innocence”. When shooting is done for still photography, it usually involves a photographer working together with a stylist or assistant. Video production on the other hand, involves team work since a variety of functions have to come into play. There is needed a person for lighting, styling, stage management, and other functions. Sound recording has also been included in the aspect of photography according to Scherley Busch because of the aspect of voice and own words are powerful in telling a personal story during video production. Video production at the studio was an exciting experience because Scherley Busch oversees all the fine details. Working on video production, therefore, means that one works hand-in-hand with the remarkable Scherley Busch. A video helps the interviewee to connect, not only with the interviewer, but also with the audience through conversation. It is enlightening to listen to those who have been awarded, respect their accomplishments, and get the opportunity to appreciate what has meaning to them. Photo editing During the internship period, I was able to gain a deeper appreciation for photo editing. The entire process of editing in photography is aimed at developing an image of far better impact than the original one. Editing achieves in the photograph, what the camera was not able to capture during shooting, especially due to shooting constraints like light and exposure. Photo editing is done by using computer software to remove the undesired factors, or alter the outcomes of a picture. This is normally known as post-production work. In order to successfully use photo editing as a technique, it is important to have fundamental knowledge in computer software used for editing (Busch, 2013). Editing is an important skill because it helps a photographer to produce works of art that are individually unique. Amongst the software used to edit photos are Photoshop and CorelPaint shop. Photo editing adds digital components to an image so as to make photos more attractive, and make a picture appear more realistic. Other editing techniques include Layering and HDR; which make the photography to appear realistic and lively. Photoshop, as I was able to learn during my internship period, is a choice for image editing used by photographers for general purposes. It makes use of a variety of latest versions of plug-in, and this makes it easy to adjust colour space profiles, exposure, white balance, image resolution, sharpness, brightness, shadows, and luminance. It also helps in noise reduction in photographs and adjustment of colour depth. During colour depth exposure, different bits per colour channel are used (Busch, 2013). Final Cut Pro is a technique that is used to add still images and graphics into sequences for the purpose of improving the quality of a production. If the video produced is to look of superior quality, then the images and graphics used should have a high resolution and of above average complexity. When the graphics and images are great, even though a video was shot on a lower quality camera, they can be adjusted to come up with a superior quality video. In contrast, cheap and boring graphics shot by superior quality camera, will make only for an inferior quality video. Research For a photography house to remain relevant in the field and stay on top of competition, it is important to engage in constant research. Research will help a photographer to remain relevant in the field because first, the needs of the clients are constantly changing. Client feedback is usually, though not always, given first-hand to the photographer. In other instances, however, clients will make their opinions known on avenues such as social media. A photographer should, therefore, research client feed-back on all medium possible such as social networking sites where groups on photography have been created. Constant research will also help a photographer know of networking opportunities with others in the same field. These opportunities will include exhibitions, and also competitions. Exhibitions are very important events to a photographer because they help a photographer know of developments in techniques to be used. Exhibitions also provide a forum where photographers meet and interact with clients on a personal level. A photographer is able to gauge if the techniques they have been employing are producing the desired effect in the audience. Competitions will help give the photographers exposure to the audience, and also to manufacturers who will desire to work more closely with the photographers. In addition to these aspects, competitions offer a platform where constructive criticism to photography occurs. This will cause an overall improvement in the final product. Another important function that is served by research is that it helps in discovering new techniques developed to improve on photography. With more techniques, a photographer is able to improve the outcomes of photography. In addition to new techniques, new equipment to be used is developed with each passing day. The new equipment serves more and better functions, and produces better final products. For the past several years, Scherley Busch has used Canon equipment and Dynalites. Even with sticking to the same brand, it is necessary to remain in touch with the latest developments on the same. Though not considered by most persons, research also helps identify new and emerging fields in photography; and also fields that show potential for improvement. This is especially beneficial when photography is used as a source of income. Photographers are given a variety of fields to venture in, and explore. It is only through exploring the various possibilities in photography that developments in the field can be made. Switching from analog to digital At Scherley Busch, photographs are done in both film and digital forms. This switch has taken place gradually over the decades. Scherley Busch who started photography in the 1970’s has witnessed changes from the analog era of photography to the digital age. With the digitalization of techniques, video shooting which has led to movie making and making of documentaries has opened new frontiers for photography. Aperture is used to organize digital images at Scherley Busch, but systems have not yet been integrated to connect them to the analog archives. Real-life experience vs. College Scherley Busch has continually engaged with students, and draws her interest from the time she used to teach at University of Miami. This is why the company conducts an internship programme so that student apprentices can get the chance to be mentored and learn from working with a team of experts. Through the Amaranthine foundation, Scherley Busch becomes affiliated with educational institutions so as to be able to award scholarships to young women in arts. Having undertaken internship at Scherley Busch Studios, the experience has brought in new perspective to the information attained from the classroom situation. The information gained from the classroom is beneficial in passing exams. But to be able to succeed in the photography industry, a combination of classroom knowledge and technical knowledge are essential. The experience has enabled me to learn how to apply book-knowledge to real-life scenarios to be able to produce remarkable photographs. The internship has also helped to instil work ethics that, even if taught in class, are applied in the field. Work ethics help an individual work ethically as part of a team, achieve set goals, and also manage to set deadlines for various tasks. This experience further helps in identifying the different fields in photography that can be pursued for specialization. Photography has grown both in technology and possibilities, and it is only by active participation in photography that an accurate decision can be made. Of all the experiences attained from the internship at Scherley Busch, the most insightful was learning of the FWA. Scherley Busch founded the FWA in 1992 starting with 12 original portraits. The artist intended to conduct a one-time documentary exhibit to celebrate Women’s History Month. The exhibition generated significant response from the audience and society that it turned out to a mission of archiving achievements by different women. Over the last 20 years, more than 100 portraits of historic leaders and trailblazers from Florida have been photographed. An advisory committee consisting of volunteers identifies exceptional women on the basis of their accomplishments in politics, business, education, science, sports, and medicine. The women who are recognized are a reflection of the diversity of culture and ethnicity in Florida. Amongst the women who were recognized in the FWA 2013 was Sister Jeanne O’Laughlin, who has been an honorary chair of FWA for over a decade. According to Scherley Busch, Sister Jeanne is exceptional and was published in the ASMP Bulletin to exemplify the works of Scherley Busch. Sister Jeanne has worked extraordinarily to unify a culturally diversified community. Her commitment to education has made Sister Jeanne to remain dedicated to education and community, and has even helped to set up a university in Kenya. She has also mentored and helped others to make their dreams come true. The internship experience can be summarized by the words of Scherley Busch, “Everyone and everything has a special aura. I record images from the core. When I look through my lens, I connect with my subject, it’s Zen-like.” Photography is all about the photographer connecting with the subject. There are times where it takes a lot of patience before the right picture can be captured, and in some instances it happens instantaneously (Amaranthine). Either way, the photographer helps the world see the subject as they, the photographer, see it. References Amaranthine. (n.d.). FLORIDA WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT. Retrieved from AMARANTHINE: http://www.floridawomenofachievement.org/Florida_Women_of_Achievement/About_us.html Busch, D. D. (2013). David Buschs Sony Alpha NEX-7 Guide to Digital Photography. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Read More