Outside of the Classroom: “Be a good person, be genuine, build a community, and continue to grow.”

Advertising Photography NYC Field Trip 2019

Observations by Will Moran, Molly Richardson, and Grace Walker

Will Moran
After returning home from a week-long trip to NYC, a class in the Advertising Photography Program, the excitement and energy of the city seems to have followed us back to Rochester. During the trip we had a jam-packed schedule of appointments meeting with industry professionals, many of which were RIT alums. The appointments created a space for candid discussions between students and professionals. We met with people working in almost every aspect of the industry, such as photographers, producers, editors, assistants, agents and so many others which really assured that there was something for everybody. The amount of information and experience that we encountered was truly incredible.

The network of RIT alumni is something we’ve heard about from the day RIT was a school on our college list. To see this network in person and feel what it is to be a part of it was something that really stood out on the trip. Most appointments had time for one-on-one discussions. This really allowed students to seek advice, ask questions and get input to further define how their transition may look into the industry. These conversations and encounters were truly invaluable, it was a bit surprising to experience the graciousness and genuine want-to-help-us from all the people we met.

There are so many great memories and experiences from the trip, I think a high point was meeting with so many alumni making noise in the photo world. This really inspired us and offered great reassurances as we move through our senior year which can be an odd time filled with daunting life changes that lie ahead. The long days and longer commutes all over the city were all eclipsed by the wealth of knowledge and experiences we got from so many people. Don’t be fooled by my article though. There was still plenty of free time between appointments to ensure we got the full NYC experience and for some probably digesting the food.

Upon returning it feels that we have completed a rite of passage within the program and are now more prepared than ever to make waves in the industry. This trip was truly a high point in my time at RIT and is something that I hope photo student will continue to experience for years to come.

Molly Richardson
The Advertising Photography New York City trip has been the highlight of my senior year so far. The week was full of meetings with industry professionals, each and every meeting gave me a token of insight and guidance on how to create a successful future in the creative field. A few of my favorite meetings were with Bernstien & Andriulli, Pier 59, and Sam Cannon.

We started the week out at Bernstein & Andriulli, where we met with Gregg Lhotsky, a global managing director. Gregg shared insights with us about what a creative management agency is and how it functions. More specifically, he shared portfolio books of some of the photographers Bernstein & Andriulli represents. Gregg encouraged us to keep following the work that inspires us and to just keep producing new content.

On Tuesday we got to see a couple of familiar faces at Pier 59. Sam Kang and Ian Hyland, recent RIT graduates gave us a tour of the beautiful studios and equipment inventory room. The most exciting part about this tour was that we got to see our friends who were in our seats last year or the year before on the other side working in the industry.

On Wednesday we started the day meeting with Sam Cannon. Sam is one of my favorite creative artists. Her work is ethereal and beautifully abstract. When we arrived at her studio we were huddled in a small two room apartment. To our surprise Sam revealed that she has shot all of her work in this space. If you were to see the space and her images and moving gifs you would think it were close to impossible. This was the most inspiring out of all of the meetings. The big beautiful studio spaces have their glamour and wow effect but to see a creative space that can transform within the bounds of the walls of a NYC apartment was more impressive to me. Sam reminded us that everything will be okay after graduation. Even though the industry is competitive and difficult, she assured us that everyone she knows that comes out of RIT makes it in their own way.

Three words were repeated throughout the week: persistence, relationships, and authenticity. Almost every person we met with talked about the hustle that comes with this career path and how important it is to not let the downfalls that will be experienced along the way defeat you. We learned first-hand during the annual RIT/NYC alumni event how important relationships are with RIT professionals and professionals in this creative industry. Above all we learned that the shift towards authenticity in advertising work and relationships is essential. I think that this trip was a good reminder to keep making work hard about what you are passionate about and to keep being kind and considerate to one another.

Grace Walker
The New York City Trip was so wonderfully overwhelming. We met so many amazing people in the industry and were exposed to so much in such a short amount of time. I am still trying to process everything I learned.

I noticed throughout the week that there were a few common themes that most people we spoke with brought up and emphasized considerably. It’s important to be a good person, to be genuine, to build a community and to continue to grow and maintain it.  It’s important to aggressively go after what you love and hard work is sometimes more important than talent. You should always know your precedents and always do your homework extensively. Be a student of your own work, find your ‘youness’ and exploit it, sit with your work, take risks with it, establish a visual vocabulary, and be consistent. And be smart with your finances.