Spring 2015, BFA Photography alumnus Anthony Rogers; Image Courtesy of Anthony Rogers
BFA Photography student Anthony Rogers has pursued fashion photography with passion. He realized early on in his college career his interest in both fashion and photography and tried to combine the two. He was an intern at Ford Models, did a work study as a fashion photographer for the School of Fashion’s Styling program, and worked as a freelance photographer to get his feet wet. Currently, he is creating a whole new field for himself by sustaining his work at 7×7 media and his own magazine, BobCut Mag.
Fashion School Daily: What prompted you to study photography at Academy of Art University?
Anthony Rogers: I wanted to study at Academy of Art University simply because the program had great accreditation and also for the fact that it didn’t have a portfolio entrance policy. My work was the worst when I first got here.
FSD: Your overall work seems to be focused on fashion. Is there any reason you decided to pursue fashion photography? Do you ever do other kinds of photography?
AR: I pursued fashion photography because it was the most engaging type of photography for me. I’ve been a big fan of the industry of both photography and fashion so marrying the two just worked. My work in the most recent months has moved on into fashion portraiture. So currently I’m exploring that and giving myself more freedom to create than I’ve had in other years.
FSD: What other internships or jobs have you had? Have they been all fashion related?
AR: I was an intern at Ford Models for a quick minute, a work study for the Academy of Art University Styling program and currently I’m an editorial assistant at 7×7 media. They have all had elements of fashion sprinkled through out but mainly content and media based.
7 x 7 Media office; Image Courtesy of Anthony Rogers
FSD: You’re currently interning at 7×7 Magazine. Can you tell us a little bit about the internship? What is your daily routine, what tasks do you handle? Is your internship just photography based or are you doing other things as well?
AR: Of course, I’m currently an editorial assistant at 7×7. I assist, write, proofread, shoot and fact check for the managing editor and for the CEO. As far as a daily routine, I come in, set up the blog promo’s (the overhead clickables on the site) and begin drafting posts for publication. I read 5 – 10 press releases a day and make the call on what is good for publishing and what we can skip on. I shoot for the site whenever we need better images for the story at hand or when we’re covering something exclusive.
FSD: Do you work alone or as a team? How much autonomy do you have in what you decide to work on?
AR: We work as a close knit team, I sit next to the advertising manager, diagonal from me is the managing editor, and across the way from me is the accounts receivable lead with the CEO in the next room. The team is very high profile and it makes me strive to work as hard as I can! 7×7 really values its intern’s opinions because when covering San Francisco happenings we need all hands and voices on deck to really bring light to some amazing people and places here in the city.
FSD: What is the 7×7 office like? Do you spend most of your time in the office or do you get to go out on shoots?
AR: The office is small but very warm (metaphorically) at the same time. We all get along very well and laugh, but it can be serious and super fast-paced when it needs to be. I work 9 – 5 three days out the week and when I’m not there, I’m working from home!
Anthony Rogers; Image Courtesy of Anthony Rogers
FSD: What is it like to work at a magazine? Is it how you expected, or do any aspects of the company surprise you?
AR: Working for a magazine has been really helpful for my professional life both in photography and writing. I’m learning to write editorially and learning to shoot for what they need. Working there has really helped me gain my voice in the magazine field. I’m also learning advertising and the business behind running a magazine. Great experience thus far!
FSD: What was the most challenging duty at 7X7 magazine? How did you handle it?
AR: Honestly, I can safely say nothing has been overly challenging! The managing editor (Sarah Medina) is so sweet and when I have questions she knows exactly what needs to happen and I get to ask her questions from my own curiosity as well, which makes the working environment more inviting!
FSD: What do you think the biggest takeaways from your internship are?
AR: My biggest takeaway is definitely the fact that running a magazine isn’t playtime. When choosing the thumbnail for a post, the right wording for an article or the links being opened in different windows it really dawns on you how to use the power of the internet correctly and effectively.
BobCut Magazine; Image Courtesy of Anthony Rogers
FSD: You worked freelance around the city with different magazines, clothing brands, and modeling agencies. What was the most challenging task to work as a freelancer? What tips do you have for photographers hoping to get freelance work?
AR: The biggest difficulty on freelancing is being on the hustle constantly because if I take a break then my brand also takes a break as well and in turn I lose jobs. I have to follow up, send email blasts, research more clients and constantly test. As far as my advice for photographers, always do test shoots and keep building upon your style. Do tests for lighting, do tests for backgrounds, do tests for location, studio, product and just keep building. The right clients will definitely fall into place and from there you gain credibility.
FSD: You are interested in Asian fashion and media, and are brushing up on your Korean language proficiency to pursue your work in South Korea. What sparked your interest in Asian culture, and why do you hope to work in South Korea among other Asian countries?
AR: I got really into Asian (specifically Korean media) because of the style they exude from their pictorials, photo shoots, videos and so on. Their sense of design is something I really identify with and also the culture itself as a whole intrigues me. I believe my voice in photography really amplifies with that market so I’m currently looking into relocating over there.
FSD: What is the most memorable lesson you’ve learned during your time at Academy of Art University?
AR: The most memorable lesson …Life happens. You never know what sources and leads you can get from common interaction so when I’m out and about either at work, at a client job, out with friends or networking I put my best foot forward at all times.
Bob Cut Magazine; Image Courtesy of Anthony Rogers
FSD: Where do you find your inspiration?
AR: I find inspiration mainly from media itself. And it may not be even from the content itself, it could be something that the person is wearing or what they are doing or the atmosphere. It’s hard to answer this question because I’m constantly researching and plugging ideas so inspiration is like a second nature.
FSD: How do you want to branch off further in the photography industry?
AR: Currently I run my own online publication, Bob Cut Mag, where it’s about culture and the idea of wanting to see and do more. We write, photograph, illustrate, and design articles once a week for our readers to digest whether it be about style, art, food, places, etc. In my head, I wanted Bob Cut to be another portfolio piece for me to present at job interviews, but it’s growing legs of it’s own so I’m now creating a whole new field for myself!
FSD: What is your passion? What is your ultimate goal in your career?
AR: I have a passion for creating content. I’m a photographer, a writer, an editor, a beauty fanatic and a tech geek. I have a little bit of all aspects in me. The ultimate goal would be able to sustain both my photography business and also have my magazine take in more opportunities.
FSD: What advice would you give to students hoping to get an internship at a magazine or in fashion?
AR: Be kind. Kindness goes a lot farther than cockiness. If you’re confident in what you’re trained in and are willing to keep learning, you’ll be offered internships left and right.
Written by Yuna Choi, BFA Merchandising