Today, the photography internship of 18 students from Zespół Szkół in Ożarów, a Polish school named after Maria Skłodowska-Curie, has concluded as part of their Erasmus+ KA1 VET project at our agency in Sofia, ETN Business Lab.
Led by their mentors, ETN President Luciano Marino and Videomaker Claudio Miglionico, the students were challenged with key photographic techniques such as street photography and studio photography, after reviewing and analyzing the best shots from the greatest photography masters such as Martin Parr, Bruce Gilden, Paolo Roversi, Anders Petersen, Joseph Koudelka, Cartier Bresson, Richard Avedon, Sebastião Salgado, etc.
In fact, in these past few days, the students have been out and about in the center of Sofia capturing situations, people, and details of a city in the midst of celebrating Orthodox Easter. The shots obtained were then discussed with the mentors, analyzing the strengths and areas for improvement of each photo. This allowed each of their photos to improve day by day.
From this exercise in street photography, the winner of the first contest and the “People of Sofia” project emerged, which aims to tell the everyday life of the Bulgarian capital and the people who inhabit it. The shots portray people encountered on the street, of all ages, nationalities, and social backgrounds, in an approach that values diversity and inclusion, demonstrating how photography can be a powerful tool for documenting reality and bringing to light stories and faces that would otherwise be ignored.
Subsequently, the students visited Fabrica, an important creative venue in the city that hosts various sets for photography sessions, film productions, videos, concerts, art events, etc. Here, they spent an interesting afternoon with photographer George Todoroff, discovering and experimenting with studio photography techniques and the importance of light in this type of photo.
At this point, the students were ready to set up their own set and challenge themselves with portrait photography and professional editing.
But that’s not all. The mentors also had the students try their hand at creating photographic images with artificial intelligence software, allowing them to maintain an updated and modern approach to creating images and multimedia content. In an age where technology is becoming increasingly pervasive, having specific skills in this area can be a determining factor in standing out in the creative job market.
In conclusion, the photography internship at the Bulgarian agency ETN Business Lab has proven to be a formative and stimulating experience for the 18 students involved in the Erasmus Plus project.
Thanks to the attention and guidance of their mentors, the students had the opportunity to put their theoretical knowledge into practice and acquire new skills, discovering the facets of professional photography and learning to manage their own photographic project, from which their own portfolio emerged.
Moreover, staying in Bulgaria allowed them to immerse themselves in a different culture, discovering its peculiarities and opening their minds to new experiences and a new vision.
Undoubtedly, the photography internship has proven to be an experience that the students will not easily forget, enriching them both in terms of skills and personal growth.
