Photo courtesy of Wesley Shaw.
Wesley Shaw
2012 MBHS graduate Wesley Shaw spent this summer working in fashion photography in New York.
Wesley Shaw’s creative talent took her from the quiet, shady streets of Mountain Brook to the bustling and vibrant avenues of New York City, where she interned this summer at Seventeen magazine.
Shaw, a 2012 Mountain Brook High School graduate and a senior at the University of Alabama, moved to New York in May after finishing exams.
“It really hasn’t been as scary as I thought it would be,” she said this summer. “The biggest thing is the change of pace. Everything is so fast.”
When she left her Midtown apartment each morning, Shaw always packed a pair of sneakers in her purse so she can be prepared for any errand or assignment. On a typical day, she conducted photo research and gathered props for photo shoots as she learned about the fashion magazine industry.
She often found herself sifting through props at State Supply Equipment & Props in Upper Manhattan. After she sent pictures of props and supplies to her boss for approval, she put in an order so the props would be delivered in time for photo shoots. Although Shaw cannot reveal all of the details of Seventeen photo shoots, some of the props she has handpicked will be featured in future issues.
It may sound like something out of the 2006 movie The Devil Wears Prada, but Shaw insists that her experience was nothing like Andy’s miserable internship with Miranda Priestly.
“I’m so happy to be here,” she said, explaining that Seventeen employees hate the stereotype of the overworked, over-ambitious fashion magazine employee. “They definitely get their work done and they’re very serious about it, but at the same time they’re human.”
Shaw’s interest in fashion photography began in high school. “I started taking pictures on the first phone I ever had, and they were awful,” she said. “It kind of grew from that.”
After expressing her interest in learning about photography to her parents, they gave her a more professional camera, and she began to stage photo shoots with her friends in downtown Birmingham.
Over time, Shaw’s hobby grew into a job. As Shaw developed her skills by practicing with her friends and taking classes with Andy Meadows at Mountain Brook High School and at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, people began hiring Shaw to take senior portraits and eventually wedding photos.
Shaw describes her style as rooted in fashion photography, but with a classic twist: “I like to play with color a lot, but I also appreciate the vintage flair. I love old Hollywood vibes.”
In addition to her photography business, Shaw also maintains a fashion and lifestyle blog, “Have a Wesley Day,” that she began in March. Her internship with Southern Shirt Company during her junior year of college introduced her to the world of blogging.
“My job was to communicate with bloggers and to ask if they would be interested in us sending them products for them to style and put on their blog,” she said. “I became totally obsessed with blogging.”
On “Have a Wesley Day,” Shaw balances fashion photography with written content.
“One of my pet peeves is blogs that don’t have words on them,” she said. “I always try to include content that’s interesting to read.”
Shaw’s posts have featured clothing that has a story behind it, her experiences living in New York and internship advice for other girls with similar interests.
Shaw has received numerous sponsorships for her blog, from the local jewelry brand Ex Voto Vintage and the Pants Store to Kendra Scott.
In order to get an internship at Seventeen, Shaw had to start early and be persistent.
“I probably shouldn’t have emailed them until March, but I emailed them in December,” she said.
After five emails, the interviewer still did not respond. Shaw was going to New York one weekend for an interview in the same building, so she emailed her interviewer again: “I said I’m going to be in the building on this day and I’d like an interview. Here’s my resume and my portfolio, so get ready. It was one of the most gutsy things I’ve ever done.”
The interviewer thanked Shaw for following up and set up a time for an interview. A few weeks later, Shaw learned that she had received the internship. “I started crying,” she said.
Shaw said that she definitely sees herself in the publishing industry in the future, especially after her experience at Seventeen this summer.
Visit Wesley Shaw’s blog at haveawesleyday.com or check out her photography business at wesleyshawphotography.com. You can also find her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
