The Visual Student

Stephanie Smith interned for photojournalist Ed Kashi during the summer of 2009.  Smith, a senior at Ohio University, will graduate in June 2010.  View Ed Kashi’s website here.

VS: How was your internship structured?

Smith: “My internship was structured like most studio internships; I worked 5 days a week, for 3 to 5 hours each day. I worked on a lot of the tasks that the studio manager would pass my way. There wasn’t any shooting involved, so I spent the majority of my time reading emails, updating Ed’s blogs and social networking sites, researching grants, finding requested files and model release forms, and updating information on contacts.”

 

Students from Bahirka, a collective town for displaced people from all over northern Iraq from the Anfal campaign, swing, play and wave the Kurdish flag on fallen Iraqi tanks in the town of Shera Swars.  Arbil, Iraq 2005.  (Ed Kashi)

VS: Who was your supervisor? Describe your working relationship.

Smith: “I had two supervisors, Ed Kashi and Kristin Reimer. Kristen is Ed’s studio manager, and while Ed is busy, either in the studio or traveling, she was my go-to supervisor. Kristin taught me how the studio runs smoothly and how to help Ed as best as we can. This included a lot of emailing and updating contacts. We were promoting his new book, Three, so I had a lot of fun helping with the release, everyone was so excited it was finally out.”

VS: What helped you get the internship?

Smith: “My friend and fellow OU Viscommie Sarah Mosher put me in contact with the studio the internship. She worked for Ed the previous summer, after meeting him while he was speaking in Athens two years ago. We exchanged several emails, and there was a small amount of interview-like correspondence, but it was all very relaxed. I didn’t even speak to anyone over the phone until I was living in New Jersey.”

In 1985, General Motors announced it would build a manufacturing facility to produce its line of Saturn cars in Spring Hill, Tennessee, population 1,000. Due to the building boom and rise of real estate values from the Saturn announcement, realtor Gordon Inman became a millionaire in only a few years.  Spring Hill, TN 1985.  (Ed Kashi)

VS: Did you set any goals for your internship?

Smith: “I didn’t set any specific goals, I just really wanted to get everything I could out of the experience. I wanted to learn a lot. I was actually sort of looking forward to a small break from shooting after the stressful school year, so I wanted to learn how the other half functions. Including all of the work and planning that goes into the grants, book publications, exhibitions, etc. I feel like I have a much, much greater understanding of the business of photojournalism now.”

 

VS: What was expected of you that you didn’t expect?

Smith: “I didn’t know what to expect going into the internship! I knew I would be helping out at the studio, that’s it. The only curve-ball thrown was probably learning the time-consuming work flow. But it keeps everything organized.

All of the curve-balls were gently tossed, and a lot of the time, if anything went wrong, I felt like we were all learning together. It was a great community in that studio, everyone is very close.”

Inmates at the Hamilton Aging and Infirmed facility gather to smoke in the designated outdoor smoking area.  Hamilton, Alabama 1997.
(Ed Kashi)

 

VS: What was your favorite assignment and why?

Smith: “My favorite assignment from the studio was probably going through Ed’s files to drag something out, and finding this huge body of work that was really inspiring. Simple day-to-day tasks were exciting because I felt like I was able to explore so much photography that I would not have seen otherwise.

I also had a blast helping to promote and release Three. One of the first days I met Ed he was signing books to be sent out to friends and family, and I was a little nervous, sealing envelopes. And he was just cracking me up. It was really easy to feel included and get along with people there.”

VS: Describe your personal and professional growth (visual, multimedia, other) during the internship.

Smith: “I think that any growing I did as a person and as a photographer kind of stumbled upon me. I had to deal with unexpected things, like a car accident, and feeling really isolated on the East coast. But everything worked out for the best, and I think I am stronger because of it.

One project that I pursued, and I think I grew a lot working on it, was to document my grandparents. My grandfather has dementia, and it has been increasingly difficult for him to stay present. It’s even harder for my grandmother to deal with it on her own. So I was visiting them in Long Island a lot, shooting and enjoying their company. And we sat down and did what turned out to be a four-hour video conversation-interview about their lives, from childhood to how they met to what they hope for the future and for their family. I know it is something my family will always treasure, and it brought us closer.”

VS: What was the most important thing you learned?

Smith: “I learned many things that I took with me. First of all, that I don’t think I want to be a studio manager. Kristin is constantly dealing with about a hundred tasks and is in contact with Ed every second of the day. I really respect all the work that goes into keeping things running smoothly.

I also found spot-news towards the end of the summer. I stumbled upon an apartment building fire one morning, and shot for an hour. Then I hurried into work all excited, and Ed helped me edit and send out files to a few papers in the area. I think that was my favorite experience. Not only was it exciting to have shot something that I thought was really relevant at that particular time, but I learned what to do when you have images that you know you can sell. It was an unforgettable lesson.”

Firefighters attempt to extinguish fire raging at 209 William Street in East Orange, New Jersey, on August 24, 2009. The fire began at 11:30 pm August 23 and was still burning the next morning. (Stephanie Smith)

VS: What will you do next?

Smith: “Right now I am finishing up my degree. And after school, who knows! Attempt to break into the world of photojournalism, little by little, as I am now. I’d like to look into the Kalish workshop or some editing internships, I think I am leaning more towards editing than being a primary shooter, but that is all up in the air. I’ll move home to Chicago, probably in with my parents for a bit, and continue to look for exciting, unique stories that need to be told.”

View Ed Kashi’s website here.

The Ed Kashi Studio 2010 Summer Internship is 20 hours per week with a $25.00 per day stipend.  For more internship information, please email:

Kristin Reimer
Studio Manager
Ed Kashi Studio
e...@edkashi.com