Help needed! Photographer's assistant

[drumma]

Hi all!

i'm not sure if this is the best sub-forum to post this. So mods, please move it to the appropriate sub if u think otherwise.

i was wondering if anyone has photo assisted in local or overseas commercial/advertising studios? Feel free to pm me if ya not comfortable with posting it in the public. I'm really keen to start out a career in photography and will love any help/advice available. Please also share with us how you are doing now and if you're shooting full time already!
If anyone's hiring, please let me know!

thanks!

 

[ortega]

what are you asking?

1. does anyone have a photo assistant?
2. you want to start a career in photography
3. are you asking advice from photographer or assistant?

 

[drumma]

what are you asking?

1. does anyone have a photo assistant?
2. you want to start a career in photography
3. are you asking advice from photographer or assistant?

sorry if i haven't been clear enough. It's 2 and 3.
i want to start a career in this, hence i'm asking for opinions/help. U can be either a photographer or photo assistant(now), as long as u've done assisting before. Don't think i've mentioned anything like point 1.
Hope this clears up.

 

[ortega]

Hi all!

i'm not sure if this is the best sub-forum to post this. So mods, please move it to the appropriate sub if u think otherwise.

i was wondering if anyone has photo assisted in local or overseas commercial/advertising studios? Feel free to pm me if ya not comfortable with posting it in the public. I'm really keen to start out a career in photography and will love any help/advice available. Please also share with us how you are doing now and if you're shooting full time already!
If anyone's hiring, please let me know!

thanks!

see above in bold and red

 

[ortega]

sorry if i haven't been clear enough. It's 2 and 3.
i want to start a career in this, hence i'm asking for opinions/help. U can be either a photographer or photo assistant(now), as long as u've done assisting before. Don't think i've mentioned anything like point 1.
Hope this clears up.

photography as a career :think:

1. you need to have photography skills in the area that you choose
2. you need to have skills in business
3. you need to have skills in networking
4. you need to have skills in accounting
5. you need to have clients
6. you need to have marketing
blah blah blah

easiest is to become an assistant first and learn all the above from an established photographer and hopefully make a name for yourself before you start your own.

 

[ortega]

see above in bold and red

sorry my bad, did not read clearly

btw business and networking skills is more important than photography skills

that is why the top photographers around the world have representatives to handle it for them

 

[agape01]

sorry my bad, did not read clearly

btw business and networking skills is more important than photography skills

that is why the top photographers around the world have representatives to handle it for them

Completely agree to point 1.

 

[redstone]

I suppose the hardest would be getting noticed. :cry:

 

[zarlceiss]

i don't think any photographer will teach his assistant the business/network/accounting/marketing side of commercial photography. not that i have chanced upon yet.

there are assistants who assist as a form of primary career. they are so good that their charges are high enough to make a more-than-decent living as an assistant.

there are also assistants who want to become photographers. they join studios as a full-time assistant and cost very little. the benefit is they get to "see" how the business is run, but more importantly, they get to use the studio to build their personal portfolio on the weekends.

i supposed you belong to the latter kind. you can cold call studios or send in your resumes but don't be disappointed if they don't get back to you. it doesn't mean your pictures suck or you are not good enough. it's all about timing. studios usually have 1 or 2 full-time assistants and they don't need another one, no matter how enthusiastic you are.

there are also studios who only use freelance assistants, but these assistants are the ones who made a living out of assisting, whose experience means more to the photographer than how cheap you can offer your help to.

it's true, it's hard to get noticed. singapore's assisting market is quite competitive. every freelance assistants have their own regular clients (photographers) and the full-time slots are only that many. that saying, you should still leave your contact at all the studios and cross your fingers when they have an opening. like i say, it's all about timing and your personality. seldom about your works.

good luck.

 

[drumma]

Thanks for the help/advices. What you said have got me thinking.. I think it's quite true that the assisting market is competitive. Too little jobs for the local market and too many assistants? Perhaps u might to elaborate on that point. Think it'll be useful for those who are thinking of assisting too!