Spring 2018
My name is Grace, and I had the pleasure of being Andie & Tony’s intern for Costola’s Spring 2018 internship! I graduated from high school in 2017, and completed my freshman year of college at CSM. However, I look forward to starting at Virginia Commonwealth University (where Andie went to school!) in the Fall. I tend to be a hopeless romantic, who just so happens to have a passion for photography (hence the love for wedding photography).
For years now, the photography industry has been a keen interest of mine, but I wanted to get hands on experience and work with people who take pictures for a living. I wanted to see if that was a profession I wanted to pursue. Now let me tell you, the medical field is also a passion of mine, but I always thought my life had to be either or; either photography or medicine. It took me awhile to realize it doesn’t have to be that way. I am going to VCU in hopes to get a degree in nursing, but I know that photography will always be apart of my life and who I am. As of right now, I’m not sure to what degree that means, whether I remain a hobbyist or I take that a step further. Though I do know that it will always be there, and that I love it so so so much.
Although I only got to work with Andie & Tony for a few short months, I seriously had the greatest time, full of learning experiences. Andie is incredibly sweet and fun to work with! She is one of the most driven and motivated people I have ever met, and she inspires me to work hard at everything I do. She uplifted me when I was insecure about making more independent moves. Here is a list of five things that I learned, and I believe future interns should know too.
One. Bring snacks.
Wedding days are long, and sometimes they can be far away. Bring snacks. Eat them when you can; you will be hungry.
Two. Wedding days are so much fun (and exhausting.)
Weddings can definitely be chaotic, but there is honestly nothing else like watching a beautiful couple be united as one, and it is even more fun to be apart of capturing those moments. Being apart (even behind the scenes) of the most memorable day of someones life, is such an honorable and humbling experience. Whether I was soaking wet from the rain, or my own sweat, that is nothing compared to the fun you’ll have on wedding days.
Three. Owning a business is hard.
Andie & Tony are willing to do so much for their bride and grooms, and it’s obvious how much they care for them. They work hard to make their experiences stress free as possible. They are always on the go, with wedding days being upwards of 12 hours, but that never slows them down. They are constantly working, whether that means they are editing, prepping blogs, youtube, traveling, marketing, etc. They kind of do it all, and it’s pretty cool to watch. If you’re thinking about going into the photography business, Andie& Tony are definitely awesome people to be mentored by, because they can show you how its done.
Four. Seize opportunities.
Every opportunity you are presented with a chance to expose yourself to more people. Say yes to important offers, and even the smaller ones too. These are the things that will get your name out there, and possibly bring in more creative work opportunities. Go to as many engagement shoots, family shoots, weddings as possible with Andie & Tony. You will be exposed to so many people, and different styles. Posing people is one of the things I struggle with, as I feel a little awkward telling people what to do. Watching Andie & Tony work, gives you an idea of what poses work, and how to direct people nicely. Every shoot is different, and I think it’s vital to experience as many as possible. Sometimes weddings can be tricky, (especially depending on the weather) but those experiences show you how to behave when the situation is tough! It shows you how to improvise, and get creative. So seize opportunties, and expose yourself to as much as possible; it is how you will learn the most!
Five. Be generous.
Andie & Tony give so much to their brides and grooms, and works to be the best in business. When you’re at a wedding, or photoshoot be generous, be helpful! Andie & Tony expell generousity throughout their business when they reach out to people, and through what they offer in their weddings. They shine a huge light over this industry, and I think it’s really important to take note of some of the sacrifices that they make, and implement those into your life. No matter whether you’re a professional photographer, or just someone who takes pictures for fun, be generous. Make sacrifices for the people around you. Be willing to help those around you!
I am so thankful for my time with Costola Photography. The lessons I learned are some that I will carry with me forever. If you’re looking for a photography internship, I promise this one won’t let you down. Besides learning about photography, I feel like I’ve made a really good friend. So thank you Andie & Tony for making me apart of this team.
xoxo
Grace
