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.

IS Projects

This summer I was fortunate enough to attend an internship at IS Projects in Ft. Lauderdale FL. I discovered this internship opportunity through a printmaking faculty member. Upon figuring out logistics and transportation, I applied with a resume, cover letter, and 5 samples of my print work. The application was followed up by a phone interview during which Ingrid Schindall, MICA alumna and founder of the press, notified me of my admittance.

IS Projects is an ever-expanding printing press and shop that has much to offer for practicing artists and those who aspire to get involved with print media alike. Currently employed by IS Projects are Jess, Sammie and Melissa. Jess is the manager for Nocturnal Press, IS Projects’ in-house printing press. Nocturnal Press functions as a mainly commercial operation in which anyone can commission prints ranging from business cards, promotional material, to wedding invites and even commissioned pieces. Sammie is responsible for scouting and getting in touch with artist for visits and residencies at the studio, as well as for month-long exhibits in IS Projects’ gallery space. IS Projects also offers workshops that are open to the public such as block printing, etching, letterpress, screen printing, and other processes that are overseen by Sammie. Melissa’s is a hands on printing assistant that has an immense amount of printing experience, from traditional printing to screen printing and bookmaking.

I was involved in projects that span the scope of processes that IS Projects has to offer. My internship was initially kickstarted with a lesson in letterpress printing which I had never done before. The first project Ingrid set us up with was a pangram: a sentence or verse that contains all the letters of the alphabet. In this case, we were composing a poster as an ode to the late Jon Selikoff, who Ingrid had obtained much of the 100-year-old wood and lead type that makes up the bulk of her collection. The text block contained an early version of the chorus from “Take Me Out To the Ball Game” by Albert von Tilzer. The type we were using for the pangram was the font “Columbus” which is the font used for the Cracker Jack logo. Ingrid emphasized that for her, the research that goes into these projects was equally important as the print itself. 

Setting type was a toilsome yet rewarding process. Most of the handset type we were using was over 100 years old. Setting type of that age is quite tedious as different letters receive different wear, which fractionally varies the heights of each. This was particularly present with the lower-case vowels. In order to pull clean, consistent prints in which all of the letters print, much time is devoted to "makeready," the process of preparing the type for printing. This involves analyzing each individual letter and carefully adjusting the heights to flush. 

I also worked on a handful of artist books, assisting with binding, adhering additional elements such as pop ups, and curating the editions. The artist books showcased an array of binding styles including spiral bound, stab bound, glue binding and others. Along with learning letterpress using photopolymer, wood, and lead type, various binding styles I was able to engage with screen printing.

I was very thrilled that along with the exposure and experience gained through the internship, Ingrid encouraged interns to take on personal projects. Along with learning letterpress using photopolymer, wood, and lead type, various binding styles I was able to engage with screen printing once again! I decided to incorporate screen printing with bookmaking and have begun composing a four page panoramic accordion book.

My biggest takeaway from the experience was making the most of your resources, the significance of adequate planning, as well as networking with practices that overlap with your own. Probably the most valuable lesson was seeing how print can function in both a commercial and fine art setting when maximizing your materials and equipment. For example, the excess paper strips from prints are cut down and used to make business cards and monogram pads. Especially for artists beginning their own practice, it is an immensely useful to plan in order to maximize your materials and time management.

Having the opportunity to engage with homegrown press just a hop down the coast from my backyard was such a wonderful experience. Everyone at IS Projects was pleasant to work with and were open to making anything a teachable moment. I felt very welcome here and would definitely consider returning to see what projects and events they have in the works.