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A Photography Internship

by Nathaniel Inzerillo

By SUNY Oneonta

December 11^th, 2025

MY EXPERIENCE

During the Fall 2025 semester, I worked as a Student Photography Intern with SUNY Oneonta’s Office of Communication and Marketing, documenting events and everyday campus life. The role helped me grow technically and creatively, from improving my communication with clients to becoming more confident and efficient behind the camera. This experience broadened my perspective and strengthened my skills while allowing me to build a diverse portfolio.

Fall Comedy Concert: Sal Vulcano

The Sal Vulcano comedy show was one of the first events I covered, and easily my favorite. The huge crowd and electric atmosphere made it an incredible environment to shoot in. I even got the chance to talk with Sal after the show and grab a photo with him, which made the experience even better.

Terps on Broadway

I had a great time shooting Terps—way more than I expected. All the dancing and movement made it a blast to photograph, and I’m really glad I went. Seeing everyone share the photos afterward was the best part.

Men’s Soccer vs Hartwick

I love shooting sports, and this was the perfect day for it. The soccer game against their rivals across the street was full of action, which made it a blast to photograph. I walked away really happy with the shots I captured.

Women's Battle of the Hills

This was my first time shooting basketball, and I had a great time. It was another rivalry game against Hartwick, so the crowd and atmosphere were awesome to work in. I ended up getting some amazing photos!

Men's Battle of the Hills

This basketball game was a ton of fun to shoot. The rivalry matchup against Hartwick brought out a huge, energetic crowd that made the experience even better. I enjoyed experimenting with different angles and using the crowd to capture some great shots.

Mens Basketball Media Day

Shooting the men’s basketball media day was a ton of fun. I loved seeing the team interact, joke around, and genuinely enjoy the photo session.

Reception - Carving Out a Life | Mary Michael Shelley

This exhibition featured works by Mary Michael Shelley, a self-taught artist based in Ithaca, NY, who has been creating acrylic painted bas-relief wood carvings since the mid-1970s. I really enjoyed talking with her and learning about her artistic process.

Painting Contest

The painting contest was a fun, laid-back event in the Fine Arts Gallery where students competed and were judged through anonymous voting. The vibe was super chill, with good music and food adding to the atmosphere.

Over Water | Scherezade Garcia & Kyrin Hobson

Over Water is a two-person show featuring new work by Scherezade Garcia (Brooklyn, NY/Austin, TX) and Kyrin Hobson (Chicago, IL), who met while in residence at the Golden Foundation this past summer. It was great meeting both of these wonderful artists and hearing how they express themselves through their work.

Organic Chemistry 2212 Lab Marketing Shoot

I was able to shoot a few classroom sessions this year, and I always had a great time. It was really fun seeing what students were working on and capturing those moments. I especially enjoyed setting up posed shots in the lab as well as getting candid photos of students in class.

Chemistry 1111 Lab Marketing Photography

I had a great time working with this group. We were able to pose photos using a variety of chemicals and machines available at SUNY Oneonta, which made the shoot both fun and unique.

Halloween In The Halls

I had a great time photographing families interacting with students during Halloween in the Halls. The event was packed, so I had to work around a lot of people, but I still managed to capture plenty of great shots.

Film-o-ween

Film-O-Ween definitely challenged me with how dark the room was, but I made it work and still came away with some great shots of everyone dressed up with their friends—and of course, with Red the mascot.

Study Abroad Fair

The Study Abroad Fair is a great memory for me because it’s where I met Red for the first time. I stuck with him for most of the event and got a ton of great photos. Now whenever I see him at other events, we always say hi—and he’s basically become my go-to model.

Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff: Parade of Nations, Fiesta, & Concert!

I had a great time shooting the annual Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff, which featured the Parade of Nations, live music from Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra, dancing with RITMO Latin Dance Club, and the Fiesta dinner. It was amazing to photograph an outdoor event filled with music, dancing, and so much energy.

Family Weekend & Spring Fling

Family Weekend and Spring Fling are special moments for families to reconnect with their students and experience campus life firsthand. I loved capturing everyone having fun—especially with the great weather and all the activities happening throughout the event.

Talent Show featuring Free Daps

I had a great time shooting the student talent show featuring Free Daps, an Orlando-based group known for their freestyle rap, music and comedy. The event was a blast, and Free Daps was incredibly talented and genuinely funny.

Sal Paolantonio ‘77: Virtual Talk

Distinguished SUNY Oneonta alumnus Sal Paolantonio ’77 has been a national correspondent for ESPN since 1995, covering the NFL for SportsCenter and much more. At this event, I was able to listen in and learn a lot about marketing and outreach, which was incredibly valuable—and I’m grateful that this internship gave me the opportunity to be there.

Veterans Day Celebration

It was an honor to photograph the Veterans Day celebration. I was able to capture the Signing of the 8 Keys to Veterans’ Success and take photos of Congressman Josh Riley, which made the event especially meaningful. Being part of documenting such an important moment was something I really appreciated.