Thompson Studios from the Point of View of an Intern
- August 6th, 2009
- Write comment
This summer we had the opportunity to offer a high school internship to Schuyler Robinson who is preparing to spend his senior year over in Spain, but that’s a different story. As part of his Tampa Prep curriculum, he was required to conduct a 3 week intership inside of a small business. He wrote a report on his experience and we were blown away by what he wrote — his observations on what he experienced here were, we thought, worth sharing. Sometimes you have to see yourself from someone else’s perspective, you know? Enjoy, and thanks for the great work, Schuyler!
PS Here he is at the event he referenced in his writeup, getting to know some of the locals and hard at work!
Internship Paper
by
Schuyler Robinson
Business and the arts have always been fields of great interest for me. Over the summer, I was able to experience both during my 3 week internship at Thompson Studios, a photography studio in North Tampa. During my internship, I was able to participate in everything from the art of photo shoots to the general aspects of running a small business such as marketing and in-studio work. Experiencing this allowed me to further my knowledge of the business and provided me with a glimpse of what I may study further in college.
The first day of my internship, I immediately started with a first-hand experience in photo shoots. My sponsor, Bob Thompson, was doing the senior portraits for the students of Carrollwood Day School with his associate photographer Mike. Bob was a master of putting people at ease. He brought each student in individually and not only took their portraits but was also able to capture the personality of each student in his photographs. Many props were used to help each client express themselves. As I moved props and set lighting, I began to gain a better understanding of what makes a good portrait. This was my first opportunity to see some of the more technical aspects of photography.
For each person, everything from the background color to the complex lighting was dialed in to perfection to complement not just clothes the student was wearing, but also the personality they displayed. It really gave me a great appreciation for the artistic eye it takes to capture these small details which can turn a good picture into an amazing one. I learned to set up the photo equipment and was even able to help select pictures by eliminating ones that weren’t as flattering or effectively drawing out the individual’s personality.
Another element of photography I experienced was a commercial job at Raymond James Financial. Corporate photography was completely different from senior portraits in methodology. Lighting and poses were still set to perfection, but the photographer also had to take into account work schedules and time constraints so that he was able to get the shots within a work environment. The photographer had to work with the marketing representatives of the company to capture pictures that not only he liked, but ones that also would work for their new ad campaign.
As I walked throughout the halls of the huge financial building, I helped search for the perfect picture spots fitting the company’s marketing criteria. The models, although randomly picked from the company staff, were exceedingly good for their first time and were able to provide us with excellent poses. Although lighting proved difficult with the numerous windows and different architectural flourishes that inundated each floor, Mr. Thompson was able to take close to 30 portraits of the various consultants in time for the marketing representatives’ deadline. In addition, we were able to get an outdoor photo before it became unbearably hot.
The next opportunity I participated in with the photography business was a little different from my previous photo shoots. I traveled to the ranch of Tampa Bay Buccaneers pro football player George “Styles” White to help with his fundraiser for orphans. On Styles’ ranch off of North Dale Mabry, I helped set up the photo backdrop and lighting at the end of the red carpet for V.I.P. guests. As each of the 300 guests arrived, I was responsible for printing the photos for each person to take home as a fundraiser appreciation gift. It was a large event that had everything from a silent auction to a live jazz band, and it provided me with another chance to experience a different and exciting aspect of the photography business. As a part of the team at this event, I was able to conduct myself and work as a representative of Thompson Studios. I helped the guests in a professional manner with requests for duplicates or retakes and even managed to get a referral for Mr. Thompson from a local realtor looking to do business.
Over the years, photography has changed a great deal. Most photographers have made the transition from film to digital, and using this new technology can simplify their job until they run into technical problems. For example a new complex digital camera can produce amazing pictures, but it can also present challenges when it suffers from technical errors such as freezing or stored pictures with newly taken ones without warning.
Another issue that photographers sometimes have is with lighting set up. The devices used for lighting have become very advanced. Like digital cameras they can be the solution to a photographer’s problems, or at times, they can be the catalyst. An example of this is that lights are synchronized with the digital camera to flash when a picture is taken with a small device called a “slave” which is attached to the back of the light. Usually this works well, but sometimes there can be a lot of issues with trying to get the slaves attached to the lights to receive the camera signal simultaneously.
If one of the lights is not adjusted properly and does not flash, it throws off the photo. Artistically, photographers must have knowledge of how to adjust lighting for the proper effect in a picture. However, they must also possess technical know-how so the lights are at a proper angle to receive the camera’s signal. Possessing skills in both areas, has a successful photographer take great pictures, and cover all of the technological issues that may occur.
Being a photographer requires a great deal of versatility too. In addition to off-site photo shoots, I was also able to participate in many of the in-house photography and business aspects of operating a studio. In-studio photography ranged from family portraits to aspiring model photos, and with each, Mr. Thompson would take a different approach to get the perfect shot. There was even a close-up photo shoot of a company’s chemical solvents for production in their new catalog.
The photography business also has a less than glamorous side. The office and studio must be continually cleaned and organized to keep a professional appearance. They have to make sure that their business runs efficiently and productively as well as being able to manage many of the other small tasks that make up much of the business day. Tasks like paying bills, returning phone calls and dealing with customer requests are just some of the responsibilities that must be taken care of everyday.
On top of that, there are office tasks such as editing photos for the best level of presentation, which require a lot of detail work. Mike, the other photographer working at Thompson studios, worked for hours cleaning up pictures and taking them from great photographs to extraordinary ones. It was a time consuming job, but the end results were well worth the effort. Clients were very happy with their photos.
The lifeblood of any business is marketing. It allows the business to bring in new customers and to let the existing customers know of changes that have occurred. While working at my internship, my first job in relation to marketing was to travel all over Wesley Chapel and New Tampa replenishing business cards and marketing materials at the various stores. I had to map out the area to find all the local stores and after a few days of driving I had every store restocked. Not only did this experience give me some appreciation for the time it takes to do something as simple as handing out business cards, but it allowed me to see the interactions between different small businesses in the Tampa Bay area as well.
Using the internet, I compiled a list of local newspapers and TV stations to receive a press release. The news rooms would often put the press release in the newspaper or sometimes on TV allowing Thompson Studios to be advertised all over Tampa. Another list of medical clinics and private practice doctors was created for a mailing of new medical photography postcard advertisements. Compiling a list of hundreds of medical establishments within just my zip code was time consuming. All of this work was done to send postcards that may or may not be thrown into the trash along with other mail advertisements by the recipient doctor in the hopes of gaining a few new customers. I really learned to appreciate how much work is put into even the smallest marketing aspects of a business.
Photography can be an exciting field both artistically and technically. It was a privilege to be able to spend my internship learning about the profession and seeing the inner workings of a well run business like Thompson Studios. Small business owners must be adept in a variety of ways. Exposure to these diverse elements of business and the arts has broadened my view the business world, and will hopefully serve as a stepping stone for my own business success in the future.
The first day of my internship, I immediately started with a first-hand experience in photo shoots. My sponsor, Bob Thompson, was doing the senior portraits for the students of Carrollwood Day School with his associate photographer Mike. Bob was a master of putting people at ease. He brought each student in individually and not only took their portraits but was also able to capture the personality of each student in his photographs. Many props were used to help each client express themselves. As I moved props and set lighting, I began to gain a better understanding of what makes a good portrait. This was my first opportunity to see some of the more technical aspects of photography.
For each person, everything from the background color to the complex lighting was dialed in to perfection to complement not just clothes the student was wearing, but also the personality they displayed. It really gave me a great appreciation for the artistic eye it takes to capture these small details which can turn a good picture into an amazing one. I learned to set up the photo equipment and was even able to help select pictures by eliminating ones that weren’t as flattering or effectively drawing out the individual’s personality.
Another element of photography I experienced was a commercial job at Raymond James Financial. Corporate photography was completely different from senior portraits in methodology. Lighting and poses were still set to perfection, but the photographer also had to take into account work schedules and time constraints so that he was able to get the shots within a work environment. The photographer had to work with the marketing representatives of the company to capture pictures that not only he liked, but ones that also would work for their new ad campaign.
As I walked throughout the halls of the huge financial building, I helped search for the perfect picture spots fitting the company’s marketing criteria. The models, although randomly picked from the company staff, were exceedingly good for their first time and were able to provide us with excellent poses. Although lighting proved difficult with the numerous windows and different architectural flourishes that inundated each floor, Mr. Thompson was able to take close to 30 portraits of the various consultants in time for the marketing representatives’ deadline. In addition, we were able to get an outdoor photo before it became unbearably hot.
The next opportunity I participated in with the photography business was a little different from my previous photo shoots. I traveled to the ranch of Tampa Bay Buccaneers pro football player George “Styles” White to help with his fundraiser for orphans. On Styles’ ranch off of North Dale Mabry, I helped set up the photo backdrop and lighting at the end of the red carpet for V.I.P. guests. As each of the 300 guests arrived, I was responsible for printing the photos for each person to take home as a fundraiser appreciation gift. It was a large event that had everything from a silent auction to a live jazz band, and it provided me with another chance to experience a different and exciting aspect of the photography business. As a part of the team at this event, I was able to conduct myself and work as a representative of Thompson Studios. I helped the guests in a professional manner with requests for duplicates or retakes and even managed to get a referral for Mr. Thompson from a local realtor looking to do business.
Over the years, photography has changed a great deal. Most photographers have made the transition from film to digital, and using this new technology can simplify their job until they run into technical problems. For example a new complex digital camera can produce amazing pictures, but it can also present challenges when it suffers from technical errors such as freezing or stored pictures with newly taken ones without warning.
Another issue that photographers sometimes have is with lighting set up. The devices used for lighting have become very advanced. Like digital cameras they can be the solution to a photographer’s problems, or at times, they can be the catalyst. An example of this is that lights are synchronized with the digital camera to flash when a picture is taken with a small device called a “slave” which is attached to the back of the light. Usually this works well, but sometimes there can be a lot of issues with trying to get the slaves attached to the lights to receive the camera signal simultaneously.
If one of the lights is not adjusted properly and does not flash, it throws off the photo. Artistically, photographers must have knowledge of how to adjust lighting for the proper effect in a picture. However, they must also possess technical know-how so the lights are at a proper angle to receive the camera’s signal. Possessing skills in both areas, has a successful photographer take great pictures, and cover all of the technological issues that may occur.
Being a photographer requires a great deal of versatility too. In addition to off-site photo shoots, I was also able to participate in many of the in-house photography and business aspects of operating a studio. In-studio photography ranged from family portraits to aspiring model photos, and with each, Mr. Thompson would take a different approach to get the perfect shot. There was even a close-up photo shoot of a company’s chemical solvents for production in their new catalog.
The photography business also has a less than glamorous side. The office and studio must be continually cleaned and organized to keep a professional appearance. They have to make sure that their business runs efficiently and productively as well as being able to manage many of the other small tasks that make up much of the business day. Tasks like paying bills, returning phone calls and dealing with customer requests are just some of the responsibilities that must be taken care of everyday.
On top of that, there are office tasks such as editing photos for the best level of presentation, which require a lot of detail work. Mike, the other photographer working at Thompson studios, worked for hours cleaning up pictures and taking them from great photographs to extraordinary ones. It was a time consuming job, but the end results were well worth the effort. Clients were very happy with their photos.
The lifeblood of any business is marketing. It allows the business to bring in new customers and to let the existing customers know of changes that have occurred. While working at my internship, my first job in relation to marketing was to travel all over Wesley Chapel and New Tampa replenishing business cards and marketing materials at the various stores. I had to map out the area to find all the local stores and after a few days of driving I had every store restocked. Not only did this experience give me some appreciation for the time it takes to do something as simple as handing out business cards, but it allowed me to see the interactions between different small businesses in the Tampa Bay area as well.
Using the internet, I compiled a list of local newspapers and TV stations to receive a press release. The news rooms would often put the press release in the newspaper or sometimes on TV allowing Thompson Studios to be advertised all over Tampa. Another list of medical clinics and private practice doctors was created for a mailing of new medical photography postcard advertisements. Compiling a list of hundreds of medical establishments within just my zip code was time consuming. All of this work was done to send postcards that may or may not be thrown into the trash along with other mail advertisements by the recipient doctor in the hopes of gaining a few new customers. I really learned to appreciate how much work is put into even the smallest marketing aspects of a business.
Photography can be an exciting field both artistically and technically. It was a privilege to be able to spend my internship learning about the profession and seeing the inner workings of a well run business like Thompson Studios. Small business owners must be adept in a variety of ways. Exposure to these diverse elements of business and the arts has broadened my view the business world, and will hopefully serve as a stepping stone for my own business success in the future.
