Photography Assistant

Hey all!
I'm an 18 year old photographer who is basically trying to get his foot in the door of this very competitive industry. I've watched and read countless interviews and a general consensus that most photographers have is that it is extremely helpful to become an assistant/apprentice for a photographer. By doing this you'll gain so much knowledge that you just can't really learn in school. So, I really want to work as a photographer's assistant over the summer. But my question is, how do I go about doing that? I've googled it and have been scouring craigslist (I live in Boston, by the way), but I can't seem to find any explicit applications for such a job. Do I email a photographer directly? If so, what should I say? Thanks so much in advance!

I would email or call. But in my opinion I would not be introducing yourself as "an 18 year old photographer". Instead, tell them "I am seeking a position as a assistant. I am extremely interested in photography and eager to learn".

For me personally, it always drives me insane when a lot of people instantly call themselves a photographer when they get a camera in their hand. So if you instantly introduce yourself as a "photographer" it may cause them to look at you in a different light.

So just hit the basic points
-fast learner
-extreme interest in photography
-eager to learn

Then, if they are in fact looking for an assistant you will be making an impression. If they are not looking for an assistant, then they may end up looking in the future. Who knows, they may have an event upcoming and need some help with some small stuff and try you out.

Good luck!

Not to discourage you but more to give you a perspective (at least on the advertising end of the business) but I average 5 or so e-mails a week from new assistants. Many are experienced and looking for work. Some like you are in-experienced and looking for an opportunity. The inexperienced people generally offer to come to the studio for free to observe, lending a hand where they can.

Timing is everything. I don't typically offer people the opportunity to come and look around, and the experienced people need to have a very specific skill set to get my attention.

With that said, there are occasional opportunities where I'll need somebody on short notice and I'll go back through the previous e-mails to see if someone might be available for a project.

Unlike ,many commercial people that will use free lance people on a rotating basis, I tend to develop long term relationships with assistants once they've made it into the door. My current free lance first assistant has been with me for 20 years, so you can see that it might be a tough situation for somebody new.

Again, this isn't meant to discourage you and my perspective is only based on my personal experience and history. There may be opportunities that will suit you (I wouldn't expect craiglist to be a good source). Get a list together from Google that reflects the kinds of photographers doing the kind of work that you are interested. Send an e-mail and make a phone call and see what happens.

Best of luck-

You're looking for a situation that provides you with experience, but I suspect most photographers willing to pay (or even not pay) for an assistant are looking for someone who is bringing some experience with them. A classic problem for someone trying to get into a field like this.

One thing you might look into is going to a school that provides intern opportunities. In my printing business, I used to get graphic design interns from a commercial art school. These were fourth year students, working for me a couple of days a week for school credit. Even with over three years of education in the field, they really didn't bring a lot to the job. The ones who realized this (not all did), and made an effort to learn and to contribute to my business environment, came away with invaluable experience.

Sit down and evaluate what initiatives you have taken to make yourself valuable to a photographer and what other assets you have that would be useful to a specific type of photography. Some assistants need to be computer tech proficient, some need to be socially competent, etc.
Base your resume on what you come up with.

My suggestion would be to contact your local chapter of ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) Your's would be the New England Chapter. http://asmpne.org

You may be eligible for a student associate membership at $45 per year. They maintain a list of assistants for members and visiting photographers. Check to see if you would be eligible to get on the list.

As a student member you would be able to attend meetings where you could meet face to face with members. Much better than phone calls or emails IMO. It's worth looking into, I have seen this work for for assistants seeking work experience.

Great suggestion on ASMP. I forgot all about it since dropping my membership.:o

The first step I would take would be to email/call up a bunch of local photographers that do the type of photography you are interested in. Tell them that you want to be a photo assistant and would love to work with them.

Also if there is a local assistants list, they are typically posted at grip houses and photo stores get a copy and e-mail a few of them and ask them out to coffee.

I get 5+ e-mails a week from people that want to assist me. I always invite the person over to the studio to hang out. Over half the time I never get a reply back. Follow up is key.

The best way for an assistant to get on set with me is to know one of my assistants. If my first or second assistant are booked for another gig or out of town I ask them for a referral. I never actually hire someone that just e-mailed me. A referral is key. Having said that an e-mail will get you into the door at the studio. The e-mail will allow you to meet me and probably one of my assistants, and probably another photographer or two that are hanging out at the studio.

Referrals are the best way to grow an assisting business. You have to remember it is all about relationships. It is all about people.

I worked as a photo assistant for the better part of five years. I got to assist some of the biggest names in photography. I got to assist on some pretty awesome gigs for some amazing companies, bands, celeberites. It was one of the coolest times of my life.

I started off by simply Googling wedding photographers in my area, and then I e-mailed the ones whose style and aesthetic I identified with. I think this is very important. If you don't like a photographer's style (it happens), don't assist them! It doesn't make sense. I was lucky enough to hear back from a lovely, kind photographer who was photographing because she actually loved to do so. She wanted to pass down her love and knowledge of the industry to someone so willing, like I was. E-mail away, show them your passion, and eventually you'll get a bite! In the mean-time, keep practicing

Michelle
Toronto Wedding Photography

Thank you all so much for your advice!

In addition to individually contacting photographers, join every photography group in your area, even if it's a bit of a drive. Network with them by attending meetings. I'm not saying go to every meeting, but figure out who attends, what they do, and if you can make any connections.

Remember, all you need is one solid connection and the rest flows from that.

What are experienced photographers looking for in an assistant?

Looking for work as an assistant