Name: Marie Machin

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Baltimore City Paper

Position Title: Photography Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s): Interdisciplinary Studies

Work Term: Fall 2016

Briefly describe your internship, co-op,  or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

A big portion of my internship right now is running around Baltimore City doing various photoshoots (events, products, people, places). I also make quite a few phone calls, letting people know I'll be coming and planning out when a shoot can be arranged between the two parties. It's a lot of work and communication but it's my favorite kind. I also spend a decent amount of time in the photo studio at the moment, preparing for the paper's "Gift Guide" issue.

Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.

I actually found this internship through networking in the city. I try to let the new people I meet know I am a photographer, because it generally opens up a lot of doors. I met the photo editor of Baltimore City Paper and he needed a new intern, and I got the job after submitting my portfolio and resume.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

Working on "Gift Guide" is a ton of work, but I get to go around the city to various neighborhoods, and go into independent shops and pick out fun gifts for the guide. Then, like a strange photojournalist Santa, I get to take the gifts back to the studio and photograph them. It's a lot of driving, planning, and talking, but those are all things I enjoy on top of taking photos.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I've been trying to make the photo editor's job a little easier. He has ton of work to do to keep that aspect of the paper going smoothly, and I try to be as helpful as possible. In the process, I have learned a lot about lighting. I feel much more comfortable using a flash with my camera (which is useful when shooting events), as well as using lights in a studio setting.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

I would say don't be afraid to talk about your favorite things with new people. Also, if you're nervous, you can't help but feel that way, but if this is a job you really want, challenge yourself to push out of your comfort zone. It's very helpful when you're out there with your camera asking strangers for their photo to remember to cheer yourself on.

Like the Career Center on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram

#UMBCintern

Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Friday!

The Baltimore Choral Arts Society is one of Maryland’s premier professional cultural institutions. The Symphonic Chorus, Full Chorus, and Chamber Chorus perform throughout the mid-Atlantic region, as well as in Washington, DC, New York, and Europe. 

When Cyber Monday was created in 2005, retailers wanted to target workers who were in their offices, in front of computers, and possibly “could be enticed by a few special deals,” explains Ant Ozok, associate professor of information systems, in Newsweek. According to Ozok, Cyber Monday has changed as consumers’ shopping methods have evolved, and it is poised to keep growing.

“[Cyber Monday] is no longer a day where shoppers look for electronics only or deals they missed during Black Friday,” he says. “Now Cyber Monday is a broad shopping experience spanning every product category imaginable.”

In 2015, about half of all product browsing on Cyber Monday came from mobile users, and nearly one third of items were purchased using a mobile phone or tablet, but the future popularity of e-commerce was not guaranteed in its earliest days. “Early researchers did not view mobile commerce as a replacement of computer-based e-commerce, but rather as a convenience tool for on-the-go purchases like concert tickets, and to carry electronic coupon codes rather than printing them for use at brick-and-mortar stores,” Ozok explains.

Smartphones have quickly become many Americans’ primary web surfing device, he says, adding that some retailers report that more sales are being made using mobile devices than using desktop and laptop computers combined. “We were proved wrong when the smartphone brought together a fully-functional computer and a high-resolution camera, along with touch-screen controls allowing zooming in on images,” Ozok says.

He anticipates that Cyber Monday will soon become the biggest shopping day of the year, adding that that growth will rely on Americans’ increasing use of mobile devices to purchase items on the go.

“It would be difficult to imagine Cyber Monday getting this big if not for the increased availability of mobile technologies,” he said. “Until only a few years ago, the year-to-year growth of mobile commerce was just incremental.”

Read the full article “Cyber Monday gives a big boost to mobile commerce,” in The Conversation. The article also appeared in Newsweek, SF Gate, and the Houston Chronicle.