Limonata Creative Prop Up Shop Intern

Limonata Creative

During my Studio Lighting class out professor took us to a Prop Up Shop, called Limonata Creative. A Prop Up Shop is a prop house full of props and a studio that people can use for various projects. The owner started out in corporate work. After working in that world for a while, she decided to make a creative change and became a prop stylist and created her own prop house.

After the tour, I told the owner how inspired I was from her story and asked if she needed an intern. She said yes and told me to email her, after that everything else fell into place.My responsibilities included helping the owner with styling the props during photoshoots. Also, during these photoshoots, I learned different skills from the photographers that I meet and even made some connections. I also worked with the in-studio photographer who photographed the inventory and uploaded it to the company website. When I worked with him I got a closer look at the ins and outs of photography and gained more experience with photographs, as well as a more in-depth explanation of the business side of things. Through him I learned more about lighting, Capture One, editing, and how to create a payment plan for customers.

The best part of the internship are the people I got to meet and the connections I created through them. I am most proud of being able to take a set forward into my career and learning important things that will help me take a bigger step towards that. The most important ting I have learned is the ins and outs of commercial photography. I also learned about Capture One, which is another photo software that is widely used in the photography world. This internship helped me understand how to achieve my goal of being a commercial photographer.

P.F. Prep Illustration Internship

I was made aware of the opportunity via my professor, who directed me to somebody who was willing to provide an internship opportunity involving the freelance comic industry. After a few email exchanges, I went inside the studio and had a brief chat. It took about one semester after, before I was able to actually get the internship, when I showed him a mini comic I completed.

My supervisor is a freelance pre-press technician, who formats comics, books, posters which aren’t print ready. He cleans up formatting issues, or lettering issues and adjusts space in between.

During my internship, I had other small jobs, but mainly to scan various files in his inventory, which he plans to use for an archival project. Later, I was assigned to be a flatter for a middle grade DC graphic novel at a base pay rate, which I’m most proud of. 

I learned many things such as the inner workings of freelancers in the industry, a new perspective on the lives of such people, their financial experiences, their history I was never aware of in such a small community. I learned a lot about flatting, what pre-pressers are looking for in an artists file organization, and etc.

I definitely feel a lot more secure in my future/career, now having a resource, and people to fall back to when I have questions, as well as a realistic perspective. It helped me understand what I should do in order to be financially stable, and that comic artists/writers/editors come from a wide background, and that I don’t need to limit myself to pursue it part-time.

Barefoot Books - Children's Books // Illustration internship

I found this opportunity when I reached out last year to a MICA Alum whose most recent position was at MacMillan, but completed the Barefoot Books internship in the past. I wanted more insight into the publishing industry and she had indicated that the program was a valuable experience. I submitted my website portfolio, made it through the final interview rounds where I highlighted my improvement over the year within my work, how I have researched the company and what I could contribute to them all while highlighting my passion to make a difference in the publishing industry. I got my offer letter about a week later.

Barefoot Books is an independent children's book publisher based in Concord MA whose mission is to publish books that open kids' hearts, minds and worlds. There is a strong encouragement and advocacy for more representational diversity and educational concepts within the books they publish.

My responsibilities included designing graphics for marketing and promotions, along with printing out advertisements. I assisted with the design and production of our semi-annual catalog, designs for new books and products, and editorial work. Projects I worked on consisted of marketing sell sheets, social media graphics, product trailering, updated design of book reprints, and initial interior layouts.

I am proud of being able to keep up with the fast-paced nature of the work and being able to level up in the projects I was allowed to take on in a short time period. I was able to successfully showcase and grow my skills on art-direction and have the last project I took on to exhibit those strengths. My biggest take-away and thing I learned was how to conduct myself professionally when I advocate for myself, projects I want to take part of, and raising concerns that improve quality of work (illustration or representation). I feel like I got a good insight on what it is like to work in children’s publishing and all the parts it takes to make sure that a title goes out into the world. I really enjoy the atmosphere and how easily I can track how other departments are doing. I also like the routine work and appreciate the flexibility of hours. I can see myself continuing in the publishing industry as a day job and see my practice of illustration adapted in my off hours.

Wide Angle Youth Media (WAYM) // Graphic Design Internship

I found out about this internship opportunity through the junior pin-up which was held by the Graphic Design department for juniors. I was approached by a senior designer at Wide Angle Youth Media (WAYM). We talked briefly about my work and they told me that they was interested in my work and we had discussed a potential internship opportunity. They emailed me, and I eventually accepted the offer.

WAYM is a Baltimore Youth-based organization whose mission is to make space for creativity and instill confidence in young people, supporting them to navigate school, career, and life. Within WAYM is a design studio with young designers, and they mostly take on local work around Baltimore. They do a lot of branding and re-brand work. 

My direct supervisor role's was to assist other designers and help them with their directions. I spent most of my time working on rebrands and other branding work and spent the rest of my time giving feedback and helping other designers with other small projects. I mostly worked on some internal stuff for WAYM, a personal project: redoing my portfolio, ABF branding, and a cover for Baltimore Beat. 

I’m most proud of the pitch I gave for ABF Coaching. I really loved my design and I’m very proud of all the type mixing I’ve been doing. 

My biggest takeaway was that no job is “below” you. Initially, I had dismissed working for WAYM because I wanted to work for a more well-known, NYC design studio or agency. I’m glad that I decided to go with WAYM because I really loved the people, I truly learned a lot in a comfortable environment, and I felt like it was the perfect push for growth but also a very welcoming and fun place to work. It’s like the perfect in-between of design school and the professional, instead of the more fast-paced/competitive design studio vibe in NYC. 

Through this internship, I learned how to navigate working with and talking to clients, how to work in a design studio setting, how to mix type in a visually compelling way and work as a team with other designers. This internship made me realize that I do want to work for a design studio/agency post-college, and despite loving WAYM, I do want to be in NYC post-college.

Universal Studios // Graphic Design Internship

I had the absolute pleasure to be working at Universal Studios Orlando over this summer as a Graphic Design and Project Management Intern. I found out about this job while looking and applying for positions on LinkedIn. At first I got an email regarding a phone interview which then led to a one on one teams interview, the day after which I was told I secured the job. 

Universal Destinations & Experiences, a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal, which offers guests around the globe today’s most relevant and popular entertainment experiences. Its theme parks are known for immersive experiences that feature some of the world’s most thrilling and technologically advanced film- and television-based attractions. Universal Destinations & Experiences in the U.S. are Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort. Around the world, UP&R includes Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, a license agreement with Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa, and the recently-opened Universal Beijing Resort. 

My direct supervisor was the Assistant Director of Brand Standards & Project Management in Food and Beverage. My role specifically required me to work on big and small scale projects simultaneously.  I worked on brand books, illustrations, souvenir developments, and other graphics. The brand books were the biggest responsibility in terms of a project and I am really proud of how we managed to shape it into life.

Working with such a large group of people can be really chaotic, especially when collecting information or documents from all over. Being able to really reach out and get what you need from them as quickly as possible while also being considerate of their workload and time is really something else. I feel like I have been able to really learn so much about leadership and what teamwork really feels like throughout this internship. I have definitely gotten a lot better when it comes to separating my own style from what the job requires. It definitely gave me more clarification in terms of the different layers that exist in the form of roles in a small part of a larger organization which we are often not familiar with. After talking to so many people with such diverse roles I’ve been able to really filter out what I might be looking for in terms of future opportunity.

Internship at Night Owl Gallery

 I first found out about this opportunity through the Gallery’s instagram page. I was already following them because I had some artwork in one of their previous shows, and so I emailed them and said I was interested in the intern position that they had open. They asked for a resume and an interview, and I ended up getting the position.

The owner of the gallery was my direct supervisor, who organized all of its events and coordinates with artists in order to hold shows at the gallery. I also did some work with another supervisor, who handled a lot of the gallery’s more technical work involving spreadsheets and advertising. On slower days, I worked the front desk at the gallery, and helped talk to other artists and potential customers, and helped to sell artwork. I also helped some with setting up their website and stock-keeping. Additionally, I was able to help out with some of the remodeling and setting up for their latest exhibitions, namely, I helped to organize the resident artist exhibition, and made all the vinyl cutouts on the walls for the exhibitions. 

I’m very proud of the organizational skills I developed while working at this internship, and I think that I’ve helped the gallery to be more organized in its operations due mostly to all of my pestering. My biggest takeaway from this experience is that being an artist means networking and meeting the right people and knowing a lot about the area you live in. Baltimore has so many different galleries and artists that I’ve never even heard of, and somehow everyone still seems to know each other. As artists, we have to work hard to be a part of the wider community of artists, so that we can continue to give each other opportunities and uplift each other.

From this internship I’ve learned about creating websites, networking with other artists, and the more technical and proper ways to sell artwork. This internship has really helped me with my career goals, and I think I would be really happy working somewhere like this in the future. Gallery work and selling artwork is just extremely fulfilling for me. If anything, I know that I will continue selling my artwork at art markets, and searching for a job that lets me interact with new artwork and other artists.

Illustration Practice MFA at AARP

My journey with AARP began when I was actively searching for internships in publication design. I discovered the opportunity through a faculty member who taught designing for a diverse and mature audience. I secured the internship after a competitive application process, which included a phone call and an interview that tested my design sensibilities and understanding of AARP's audience.

My primary responsibilities included working on layouts for the upcoming issues of AARP's magazine, creating branding assets, assisting in preparing presentations, and providing support for social media campaigns. I was deeply involved in the conceptualization to final production stages of several key layouts, which taught me the intricacies of publication design in a real-world setting. I am most proud of a layout design I created for a feature article in the magazine. I’m eager to see the response of the readers.

The most important thing I learned was the significance of empathetic design – creating with an understanding of and sensitivity to the audience’s perspective. I acquired new skills in advanced layout design, typography, and digital publishing tools. My proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, especially InDesign and Photoshop, improved significantly.

This internship has been instrumental in clarifying my career goals. It reinforced my passion for publication design and my desire to work in a creative role that has a meaningful impact on its audience. It also opened my eyes to the vast potential and responsibility that comes with designing for diverse demographics. It was an opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects and grow both professionally and personally. 

Artist Internship

I learned about this internship through the Practice & Pie event. I was spotted by someone who told me that an employer liked my handknit sweater, who then directed me to them. She connected me with this artist after the event and I later introduced myself via email. My supervisor is a working artist who addresses and creates conversation around racism in America–with a focus on Baltimore, through craft. Many of her works are woven photography, repurposed ‘trash’ items such as plastic bags, caution tape, and more recently fruit bags. She uses various weaving techniques, hand-sewing, and other innovative joinery to create large sculptural works. My responsibilities were mainly to assist with making tests, or sketches, as she calls them. “Sketches” were like prototypes of larger works or playing around with materials. The sketches I created served as smaller models for larger projects, scalable measurements, potential joinery methods, and/or to learn about the characteristics of the material.

My biggest takeaway from this internship is how to look at art from both a business and passion perspective. It is not difficult for me to schedule around my art-making for class but I am amazed at the drive and discipline of all independent artists. I learned a lot more about project management and how to present your art than I did about artistic processes. Although, she did expose me to many new methods of art making that covered a variety of materials. 

From this internship, I have learned that I do not want to be an independent studio artist. I would argue that this realization can be just as important as learning that you want to be an independent studio artist. I deeply enjoy crafting, but I would like to work with sculptural textiles collaboratively. Designing for the Annual Benefit Fashion Show at MICA clarified that I want to design garments but that I definitely need a team to produce something more amazing. Kim also introduced me to the idea of becoming part of an artist’s team. In conceptual art and other collaborative projects, a team is needed to fully realize the idea. I often struggle with creating concepts for my work and, instead, focus mainly on the craft portion of an assignment. I would like to learn more about assistant fashion designers, co-direction, and collaborative art as a whole!

Baltimore Tree Trust Internship

This semester, I got to work with Baltimore Tree Trust as their communication design intern. I was lucky enough to meet my supervisor, the senior communications director at Baltimore Tree Trust, at the fall semester Practice and Pie event hosted by Career Development. Immediately, I became obsessed with Baltimore Tree Trust and the work they do for the Baltimore community. Baltimore Tree Trust is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that is focused on providing trees, environmental education, and career pathways in forestry to the Baltimore community. The bulk of what they do revolves around their team of Neighborhood Forestry Technicians – an awesome team of people born and raised in Baltimore who go out into the community and plant trees in neighborhoods that need it most.

Beyond just planting trees, Baltimore Tree Trust also provides educational resources on the importance of green spaces in urban environments and seeks to unite different Baltimore communities through city greening. This sort of work was super inspiring to me, so I reached out to my supervisor not long after the event, and somehow managed to impress the BTT team enough that they took me on. The bulk of my work at BTT was centered around helping the current communications team – which consisted of my supervisor and two other wonderful people – by creating email and social media graphics, print material, and fun graphics for fundraisers and events. Other than my supervisor, most of the team didn’t have a lot of graphic design education, so I was there to help create visuals for some of their messaging. Most of their communications revolved around environmental education and fundraising, and I was able to learn a lot about Baltimore’s native ecosystems through my research for the different campaigns and events they were involved in. I was able to create a lot of really great work that I’m super proud of (and which will definitely go into my portfolio), learn a lot about Baltimore’s environment and the importance of green spaces in cities, and create connections with great people doing important work.

This experience has definitely helped me realize that I want to continue doing work in the realms of activism and education, and showed me what my strengths are as a designer as well as gave me the opportunity to work on my weaknesses. I’m super thankful for the team at Baltimore Tree Trust for giving me the opportunity to work with them this semester, and for Career Development for not only having this for-credit internship program, but also for hosting Practice & Pie! If not for that event, it would have been a lot more difficult for me to secure this internship.

Prop Up Shop Internship

Originally I was going to intern for someone else, but I expressed an interest in product photography and they introduced me to the Prop Up Shop–a product photography studio. Then, I was interviewed and I’ve been working there for the last four months.  

The Prop Shop is run by a prop stylist and her husband who is a graphic designer. The studio contains a gallery of props that clients are allowed to rent out. My direct supervisor was the studio manager and his role was to help manage the cleanliness of the studio, helping clients rent props, as well as documenting studio prop inventory to show up on the Prop Shop Website. I was also tasked with helping my supervisor and the past studio manager style props for a creative shoot. The Prop Shop is run by my supervisor who is a Prop stylist and her husband who is a graphic designer. The studio contains a gallery of props that clients are allowed to rent out. I was also able to shoot their fabric collections and was tasked with helping the current studio manager style them. 

I’m most proud of getting the opportunity to style props for their website. The most important thing that I’ve learned is learning how to collaborate with other photographers. This internship has helped with my career goals of learning what goes into product photography and working with other photographers and how important styling is to photography. These skills will very much benefit me not only in product work but my portraiture work as well.

Photography Intern for Alex Heilner

I found this internship because of a class I previously took with Alex Heilner. I took his Environmentally Engaged Photography class fall of 2021 and his Moving Photography class spring of 2023. Since I knew Alex previously I emailed him asking if I could intern for him and he accepted. There were other Baltimore-based photographers that I emailed but they either didn't reply or they didn't need an intern. 

Alex Heilner is a fine art and documentary, multidisciplinary artist and photographer. His work investigates the relationship between artificial and natural elements within the environment and within our culture. His work currently focuses on the Colorado River and its surrounding areas, he is currently documenting how fast the river's basin is draining. Some of what I did with Alex included helping him find organizations on and around the Colorado River and Drone work. Alex also gave me lots of feedback on my thesis work.

With this internship, Alex also gave me the time to look for artist opportunities for both me and him. This allowed me to see what was out there and to know what to expect when I graduate. I learned how to use a drone for photography work and that's something I've really wanted to do for a while. I think in the future it’ll come in handy especially because my work is constantly changing and I'd love to see how this new skill fits in with my work.

Lucky Jefferson Intern

I found this internship from a Google search. I just uploaded my resume and my personal website. I don’t really remember how much time passed, and then I got an email that said they were interested in working with me. For the process, they sent me something that acted as a test that required me to finish a piece of work, almost like an audition. Then, after my work was reviewed, they would send an email back to tell me if they wanted to hire me. After that, they sent me the offer. 

They are a non-profit publisher organization. They don’t really have a lot of people, the only two people I knew were our direct supervisor, and another one being the Editor-in-Chief. My direct supervisor would give us work that we needed to complete in time before the deadline. She would also give you help if you were to have any problems as well as suggestions sometimes. 

My position was as an illustrator intern. I needed to finish the illustration for their specific work. The work would be an illustration of a poem. These illustrations would be for words or designs for tote bags. I think the biggest takeaway from this experience was working with other students. I needed to communicate with other people and give some suggestions. The thing that I am the most proud of is that my tote bag design was chosen by the clients for a festival. I also got the experience of how publishers work. All of this was very important and helpful in helping me figure out my next step. 

BEGA Intern

During my internship with my supervisor, a remote, creative, professional specializing in graphic design and website development, I engaged in a diverse array of tasks that enriched my understanding of the field. As my supervisors direct mentee, I collaborated closely with him on various projects, including creating website mood boards tailored to clients' needs and preferences.

Despite the logistical challenge of being in different time zones, I learned to manage my time effectively and maintain open lines of communication to ensure seamless workflow. Additionally, I had the opportunity to expand my skill set by mastering Prezi, an AI platform, to craft visually compelling presentations for client pitches and project proposals. Under my supervisors guidance, I gained insights into the nuances of graphic design within a professional context, learning not only the technical aspects but also the importance of effective communication and client management.

As I navigated the intricacies of remote work, I developed a heightened sense of adaptability and resilience, quickly acclimating to the company's preferred project management tools and collaborative platforms. Reflecting on my experience, I take pride in my ability to deliver consistently high-quality work amidst the challenges of remote collaboration. This internship has been instrumental in clarifying my career aspirations in graphic design, providing me with invaluable hands-on experience and equipping me with the skills and confidence to excel in the industry. 

I'm Fine Internship

I found the internship through my supervisor, someone who I have been involved with since I was in the sixth grade, and she has been helping me find new opportunities in the local art scene. I’m fine. is a non-profit art community that organizes workshops where people are invited to create clay masks, while also promoting the discussion of mental health. 

I did a little bit of anything that was needed, from creating masks, helping with demos, helping set up the gallery... etc. I am most proud of getting to connect with a handful of people and getting to hear their stories about why they are creating their masks. I got a taste of what it is like to work/run a nonprofit, community art group, which was very important to me. I learned to help a person with little to no art experience channel their thoughts and ideas into the thing that they were
creating. 

The main thing that I’ve gained from this internship was the various methods of how I could create a space that both invites people to talk about difficult subjects and use that to create something/interact with my own work. And I’ll be taking all of this and putting it towards my thesis (To Die In The Woods).

Studio Assistant for Tony Shore

Last semester, I was in Tony Shore's narrative painting class. I enjoyed his class and liked him as a person and artist. In January, he offered some gig work to help him move his then-current studio into his new one. I accepted and helped him for a few days while being paid for the time and effort. After working with him, he offered me a role as his studio assistant, which is how I got the internship.

Tony is a faculty member here at MICA as well as a practicing studio painter. While interning as his assistant, I worked in his studio. I made sure his studio environment ran smoothly. I continued to help him move his past studio into his current. I was organizing, inventorying, cleaning, and arranging his art supplies and objects in his studio. After the move was complete, I continued to assist with the organization and arrangement of the studio. Through this, I learned what it means to have a functional and organized studio while also being an artist who tends to take up a lot of space when working--a trait that Tony and I share.

Part of my role as Tony's assistant is to act as a sounding board and feedback source for project ideas and planning. This has been valuable to me as it includes me in the artistic process of a working studio artist. It allows me a look inside the world of art as a profession via gallery sales and commissions. This was inspiring to me as I aim to be an artist, supporting myself through my studio practice.

MICA RCCE E/Studio Internship

I was thrilled when my advisor introduced me to the RCCE E/Studio Internship that aligned perfectly with my interests in business and entrepreneurship. I quickly began preparing my application and polishing my portfolio to showcase my skills and passion for the field. This internship is eligible for credit which was another aspect that made it an ideal fit for my academic goals. It also provides hands-on experience and knowledge that will undoubtedly shape my future career in the business world, and I was eager to seize this opportunity to learn and grow. 

The Executive Creative Director at Andre Bean Brand served as our internship director at the RCCE E/Studio Internship. Throughout my time under his guidance, I gained insights into the world of marketing, drawing from his wealth of real-life experiences. The knowledge and personal stories he shared with us proved to be incredibly valuable resources, as they are not typically accessible within the confines of a traditional school setting. I deeply appreciated our director’s adept leadership skills, as he skillfully directed our team, fostering a collaborative and productive environment. Thanks to his mentorship, we were able to successfully tackle tasks for our clients and I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned from such a seasoned professional. I will carry the lessons I learned from him throughout my career in business and entrepreneurship. 

During my internship, I had the opportunity to take on significant responsibilities for both Oopsduck and ORA the Brand website deliveries. As a lead, I devoted much of my time to crafting engaging and user-friendly UI/UX designs for both projects, ensuring a seamless online experience for their audiences. Additionally, I contributed my photography skills to enhance ORA the Brand's visual appeal. Moreover, I collaborated closely with others, offering my insights and ideas for the motion graphics used in Oopsduck's captivating intro video. Being involved in these diverse aspects of the projects allowed me to gain hands-on experience and strengthen my skill set, making this internship an incredibly fulfilling and enriching experience. I am grateful for having had the chance to begin my professional journey at RCCE E/Studio and am enthusiastic about continuing to grow and thrive in the business and entrepreneurship realm.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO)

My experience as a Photography and Videography intern at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) was one I will never forget. The BSO is a non-profit organization that organizes orchestra concerts primarily in Baltimore. I found out about this opportunity through MICA’s photography department. More specifically, the former chair recommended I apply and connected me with the MICA Photo alumni who is the Art Director at the BSO.

My time as an intern at BSO was centered around working closely with the art director  as my supervisor and her colleagues within the marketing and communications departments. As an intern, I was able to learn about the passion and commitment that goes into managing the art direction of a large organization. This showed me how important it is to market as an entrepreneur as marketing is crucial in getting an audience to engage with created works.

Some of the projects I worked on included producing content that was used for the BSO’s social media. This included things like filming BTS videos of musicians unboxing a marimba, taking photographs of the orchestra rehearsing, and administrative tasks like organizing archival photo files. With these projects, my supervisor was able to show me how to utilize Adobe softwares, technical photo skills to edit photos, edit videos, and create storyboards.

I am most proud of how much I was able to push myself to try new things. Trying new skills often scares me but knowing I had the support of my supervisor and others in the department allowed me to trust trying new things. With this experience, I learned the importance of connecting with individuals and how it takes a team to achieve goals.

It has been a life-changing experience that has given me more clarity on what my life can look like post-graduation. I now have more insight into being a freelance photographer and filmmaker working with organizations. This experience has reminded me that my imagination can become reality and that with determination and patience I will thrive in my career.

ArtTable Fellowship at the Studio Museum in Harlem

I had the honor of being the ArtTable fellow at the Studio Museum in Harlem. The opportunity was presented to me by my program director. ArtTable is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the leadership of women in the visual arts. Through this organization, I applied to the Studio Museum in Harlem. The Studio Museum is the nexus for artists of African descent, locally, nationally, and internationally, and for work that has been inspired and influenced by Black culture. It is a site for the dynamic exchange of ideas about art and society.

The selection process was competitive and long. I had to submit a written application, and from there the committee at ArtTable decided whether to send my application through to the Studio Museum. Once my application was selected, I began the interview process. This entire process took 2 months.

When working at the museum I worked on two major projects. My first project was supporting the Curatorial collections team in the ongoing maintenance of digital records related to the Museum’s archive and collections. I worked primarily in the Museum’s two collections databases, NetX (digital asset management) and TMS (collection management), I researched, uploaded, and cataloged an assortment of digital material related to past programs, education events, and collections. 

My second project was more research-focused. I supported various ongoing projects at the Museum. I conducted research in the Museum Archives to support the Museum Archivist with internal and external reference requests, contributed to a historical timeline of the Museum's history in preparation for a major web development project, and researched early images related to the Museum so that they can be further cataloged.

My biggest takeaway from during this time is to be flexible, and it is okay to be upset when things don't go the way you wanted them to. There were a lot of obstacles I faced, like dealing with the housing crisis in New York and commuting issues. Regardless, I was able to work with and learn from the amazing curatorial staff at the museum. Unfortunately, the relationship with ArtTable did not pan out the way I wanted it to. However, I am still extremely grateful for this opportunity and the support I had along the way.

Miami Swim Week Shows (MSWS)

The DCSW (parent company of MSWS) is a leading luxury fashion show production company that specializes in innovative fashion concepts, production, and execution. Independent fashion designers present their collections to an international audience of press, retailers, stylists, industry influencers, and buyers at MSWS. 

The Director of Creative Affairs for Miami Swim Week Shows (MSWS) reached out to me through LinkedIn after seeing that I directed the Benefit Fashion Show at MICA. She was my direct supervisor throughout my internship. Leading up to the show I was in charge of design and social media such as editing graphics for brands, designing booklets to be printed for the show, and planning / editing social media content.

MSWS covered my flight and stay during the week of the show, where I was lead photographer for the sponsors and event. It was my first time doing commercial photography such as food, product, and events. My days were very long, every hour I would be moving to a different location, shooting a different model, celebrity, or product. I would end the night very late to ensure all the images shot throughout the day were delivered by the morning. Because commercial photography wants to have an impact, I had to adjust my editing style to be more punchy: sharper contrast, saturated colors, and overall defined details. Overall I am proud of how quickly I was able to adapt to the environment I was in.

This internship taught me how important it is to be punctual, consistent, and have open communication. It was vital for my supervisor to state what exact shots are needed for the videographer and photographer. I also learned when to be loud because during the chaos of large events, I needed to make my voice heard to get the shots I needed. I learned how to socialize and network with other designers and guests that I documented, which gave me the confidence to step outside my shy bubble. 

Working with a real fashion show production helped me realize the fast paced environment was not for me. I prefer the editorial photography space, where the artistic vision / editing is solely within the hands of the photographer. However, this fast paced experience was still an amazing experience.The creative team became my close group of friends and the designers I met were so beyond talented and inspired me with their visions. The show as a whole was a surreal experience that allowed me to experience Miami for the first time.

Submersive Productions

Submersive Productions is an immersive experience company based in Baltimore. Artists, writers, dancers, and musicians collaborate to make site-specific immersive experience productions. In their work, audience participation is centered as an important role in unfolding the narrative of a show. I found this internship through a professor of mine who introduced Submersive Productions’ work in her class and helped me get connected. When I had an opportunity for an interview with Submersive, then after I secured the internship.

I was able to experience various parts of Submersive Productions’ work—from idea devising, concept research, venue-searching, fabricating samples and props for an upcoming show, and material researching. I assisted in an idea for one of their projects, The Boundary, which is an immersive experience piece that deals with death and grief.

My direct supervisor was one of the co-artistic directors. They participate in collaborative devising works for immersive experiences and supporting artists in their production with administrative matters and more. My supervisor and I both had a great experience working together and I am proud that I got an offer to work with them for an additional month after my internship ended.

I was able to work with such a supportive, talented, generous, and creative group of people throughout my internship. The most important lesson I learned is that we should always proactively seek ways to build a healthy community where the artists collaborate in equal positions and can support each other when feeling vulnerable during the production process. I am grateful to experience a community where everyone is invested in what they create and genuinely cares about each other.

I had more chances to meet, talk, and collaborate with many people through this internship, and I feel less intimidated by networking and meeting new people. Also, I now have a better understanding of how to manage and plan a project in an organized manner. This skill is especially valuable because I will be able to apply this skill in various projects that require many people’s collaboration.

Through this experience, I have realized that I value a sense of community more than I thought. I value genuine and collaborative connections with people and it is important that I feel this connection in my workplace. I want to continue to find ways to pursue my interest in immersive experience art because I enjoy working as a team.