“In my experience with both mentors, what you get out of it is a direct product of what you put in. Everyone in this industry has a hectic schedule with travel, nights, and weekends. I found that coming to each meeting with an agenda and plan for what photos I was going to show, which assignments to talk about, and what questions to ask made each encounter easier and worthwhile. I had the benefit of building an in-person rapport with both of my mentors fairly soon into my six months.

With Marcio, I talked about career goals, portfolio, and navigating a path in the industry. He was more than willing to introduce me to contacts he had at the AP and encouraged me to capitalize on prior connections I had made at Getty Images to start freelancing for them. When we met zia Zoom during my senior year of college, we would review images, take feedback, and talk about how my career journey was progressing. I was lucky to cover an NFL game, the Rose Bowl, and the Super Bowl alongside Marcio as well. Seeing him at these events, he always introduced me to fellow AP staff and I got to see how they operate as an organization.

I worked similarly with Ari; we reviewed work and she was happy to utilize her network to broaden my horizons. We met periodically on Zoom until I started work in New York City with Getty Images as the photography intern. Then, I began covering Yankees games alongside her, and we have built a strong bond.

In all, the mentorship gave me two new perspectives that have already greatly shaped my career”.