Working At Sears / JCPenny Studios

This is part one of a two part thread: I am helping a Senior at Rider University with an assignment she needs to complete. One of the questions of the interview she needs to ask is related to work experience and how to succeed in photography. She had asked a question regarding Department Store studios. Having never worked in one, I can't answer her question intelligently.

Has any Pro out there ever worked in a Department store studio, and if so, was the job beneficial to your role as a Professional Photographer?

Any help would be greatly appreciated by this student (and me, so I don't sound so, well, DUH!)... second part of thread to follow later...

Thanks guys/gals,

I work at sears.. but not in the photo department. I hang around it alot though. They don't learn crap doing anything there. They just pretty much keep the same setup all day every day, same camera settings, same generic poses..

i worked at retail portrait studios for 2 or so years, and while its not exactly the same as a department store, i can say the education they give their photographers is minimal. You are required to go to "photography school" where they teach you a few poses and how to get people (kids) to smile, then they show you how to push a button. it seems as if the focus is on getting people in and out of the store as fast as possible instead of getting good pictures. All and all, working there is not a bad experience, you get a chance to learn things if you really want to, more so on the processing end of things id say, but i wouldnt say theres a huge benifit to a person aspiring to be a professional photographer other than being able to write it off as experience.

I have a photographer friend who recently moved out on his own. His last gig was in a larger studio (sorta like a local Olan Mills, but not a chain - just local). Prior to that, he worked several years in a couple of the department store studios.

Of all the gigs he's worked, he mentioned that the department store studios were not only the lowest in pay, but also the lowest in skills needed. He echoed what tjburns mentioned - you are basically just taught how to push the button once everyone is looking the right way and is smiling.

I remember he mentioned that most of the troubleshooting instructions (i.e. the lighting is uneven, a strobe isn't firing, the camera isn't transferring images, etc.) ended with the instructions to reschedule the remaining day's shoots and call the store's contracted technician.

I have a friend who got a seasonal gig at a JC Penny's studio. No previous photography experience other than P&S snapshots. They show you which button to push and ask you to make the hard sell.

It's more sales experience than photo experience. Worthless in the scheme of things.

I know people who have worked for Olan Mills. They have also said it's just a 'push the button' sort of job, with no real training in photography or lighting. They have picked up some good people skills though, which is essential in portrait photography.

As most people have already commented, Sears (and the like) studio photography is considered to be the lowest form of photography there is. I disagree since it IS photography and it requires special skills that I - and most people writing here - don't have. You need to be able to communicate and deal with hundreds and hundreds of customers and most of your subjects are little kids. In order to make a buck you also need to be showing the parents some good work, so there's a pressure to get better quick.

No you won't learn about lighting ratios and such since it'll be all set up. But you can go to school for that. Remember that all of the shooting/communcating/​selling skill sets you develop goes with you to your next job. You also get to shoot, and shoot and shoot; and NOT JUST TALK ABOUT IT!

Shooting school photography for one of the big chains is similar. Low paying and not particularly satisfying work. But you'll get more shooting experience doing this for a week, than most photographers get in a year. And THAT's the key. You are NOT sitting around talking about the relative merits of a 24-105 compared to a 24-70? You are shooting.

So as an entry level job Sears or school photography isn't a bad way to get some experience.

Thanks all for the input! She will be delivering her presentation to the school today.... I'll let y'all know how it goes. Thanks a bunch!