Communication studies major Alicia Lacasse ’19 helped capture some of love’s most magical moments while interning at Loon Weddings last semester. Working behind the scenes to get the perfect shots in front of her lens, Lacasse gained professional experience while preserving time so that couples could relive their special day.

Growing up in Newport, N.H., Lacasse developed a passion for photography. She originally chose to major in business administration with the intent of owning her own photography studio, but she switched to communication studies to gain hands-on experience with a wide variety of media. The smart decision meant she could take the opportunity to weave together her interests in small business and multimedia projects with an internship at Loon Weddings.

Based in Grantham, N.H., Loon Weddings specializes in photography, videography and DJ/MC services. Lacasse was especially interested in helping the new company grow their business. As photographer/editor intern, she edited wedding photographs and even a wedding video alongside fellow intern Chelsea Wasson ’19. Lacasse also transported equipment to the wedding venues and created social media content to attract clients.

“I really enjoy the editing process that comes with every job,” Lacasse said. “I love to look at the before and after of any photo I edit to see the differences.”

Lacasse called upon her college photography courses to perform her job, which required knowing how to operate a DSLR camera and post-production software. Her internship also complemented her classroom learning — she learned how to compose wedding imagery as well as several new editing techniques using Premiere Pro.

While at first Lacasse found the required levels of social interaction intense and challenging, her internship forced her to develop the professional skills necessary to push past her reservations. She learned, for example, to direct people with confidence, telling brides and grooms where to stand and how to pose. She also got over her fear of missing a shot through practice. It was all worth it for the end results.

“I’m pretty self-conscious,” she said, “but when someone tells me how great their photos came out, it makes all my self-doubt disappear.”