Our blog is to share and promote photography classes at Samohi, and is written by our Photo 2 Students...
Our first post is from Jenna P, who interned in the studio of Photographer Michael Grecco this summer.
Grecco is a very successful commercial photographer, author and educator.
“So if I asked you to bring me a C-Stand, you’d be able to go and get it?” my potential employer asked me during my interview.
“Oh, of course,” I smiled.
“Great! You’ve got that job.”
Next day in class: “Mr. Barnes!” I yelled. “I don’t know what a C-Stand is!”
My journey into the professional world of photography had begun. Mr. Barnes quickly briefed me on basic lighting equipment: c-stands, knuckles, arms, strobes, hot lights. It wasn’t nearly enough. On shoots there were 20/40 heads, header cables, power cables, packs, beauty dishes, softboxes – I had to learn everything on site. Before my internship, I had one semester of analog photography experience. Mostly I learned how to take a picture and print it in the dark room. I learned a little bit about studio lighting but not much. But suddenly, I was thrust into the world of digital photography complete with an Italian professional retoucher, Chiara, who, I kid you not, could create a scarf out of thin air. It was magical.
Generally, I worked on Thursdays for eight hours. Shoots were different. If they needed me, they would call me in for that day as well. I never said no. Honestly, I was too intimidated. I aimed to please them in any way I could, whether that be coming in at 8:00 A.M. the morning of a Friday shoot or driving a rickety old van to Glendale to drop off a plush red theatre chair they had used in a shoot the day before. I asked questions if I needed to, but the world of professional photography is fast-paced and I tried not to get in the way.
There wasn’t a whole lot of praise. If I did something wrong, I was told, but if I did something right I was quickly thanked if even that. You’re expected to your job and you’re expected to do it right. There isn’t enough time to thank and praise all the employees, especially on shoots. My skin grew thick.
Late one night after a photo shoot in Culver City, I saw an unopened copy of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty lying on my boss’ desk. Someone had sent him a free copy of the book based on the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit. I was at the office turning in my receipts from the day. It was just Michael, the photographer, and me. He saw me looking at the book out of the corner of my eye.
“Here,” he said. “Take it for the night. I’m not going to look at it.” I must have done something right.
The summer continued. Sometimes I liked going to work, sometimes I didn’t. There was a lot of running around town, doing the odd jobs that the photographer, studio manager and retoucher didn’t have time for. Lots of bank runs, going to the photo supply store or the post office and other little errands.
I learned a lot about photography, the working world, and about myself. I have no desire to be a professional photographer. I’m much more comfortable idly clicking through the aperture and shutter speed on my Pentax Spotmatic than adjusting the computer software to show me the highlights in my last shot. Michael was constantly teaching me, reminding me to get up close to the action. He encouraged me to take note of what he was doing or how he was setting up a shot. In the office, he would wave me over to look at what Chiara was creating with Photoshop and how she balanced the lighting and colors. He took me under his wing and showed me a whole world that I had only heard of. Me, a little old intern, and just sixteen to boot. I am forever grateful to Michael, to Chiara, to all the people I met for fostering the photographer in me. I might not want to take pictures for a living, but now I know I’ll never give it up. I’m hungry for more. Hungry to be behind the (analog) camera in a studio where there are beauty dishes and c-stands and the whole nine yards. I can’t wait.
