7 Things to Help Establish Your Foundation as a Photo Assistant

December 11, 2012 by 1 Comment

Okay, here I am. Again. Back in sunny Los Angeles, ready once again to start writing up a storm on APhotoAssistant. Speaking of storms, right now I am watching an online webcam feed in Minneapolis on the U of M campus, where there are many students building snowmen and having snowball fights in the freshly fallen snow after the season’s first major snowstorm. It actually looks like they are having fun, but it is a cold reminder of why I travel to more temperate climes when winter rolls around. At least some people can tolerate the snow and cold. Well, I can tolerate it for the most part, since I lived there for most of my life. But, these days I just choose not to have to endure it for the five or six months that one is expected to deal with winter’s wrath in Minnesnowta.

Snow, anyway…

More and more these days, students and newbie photo assistants are asking me how to find work as a photo assistant. It’s usually along the lines of, “What am I doing wrong, because I just can’t find the assisting gigs I expected or want to do?” Or, it’s something like, “I’ve talked with so many photographers but, they all say they don’t have a lot of work right now, or that they already have a list of ten to fifteen assistants that they call when they have a shoot coming up. How will I ever get my foot in the door?”

The answer to these types of questions can be many, and usually a combination of reasons. But, the bottom line is that when you are starting out in the photo industry as a photo assistant, there is going to be a huge learning curve in just about everything you do. So, unless someone in your family, or a close friend is already established as a photographer or other creative in the industry, you will have a great deal of hard work in front of you to build your foundation as a photo assistant. The nice thing about this, though, is that once you’ve begun really digging in, you will build momentum and it will carry you through, and things will become easier and easier once you have really started to get your bearings.

I have taken a few moments to put the following list together to help assistants who have the gumption to put forth the effort that will help you establish your place in the pecking order of photo assisting with the photographers you want to work with. Bear in mind that there is no real secret formula to this process, only that if you do the footwork and approach every situation with common sense and a bit of creative resourcefulness and hard work, you can succeed and begin making progress.

Persistence – when you are beginning to call on photographers to introduce yourself to them, you must be persistent, but without being a pest. Sending an email every two to four weeks is probably a good time frame to work with. Mail promotional postcards to the studio with well produced images, graphics, and copy to help get you noticed even more. Yes, photographers still love print! Pick up the phone and call the studio, from time to time, stating your interest to meet with the photographer in the hopes of assisting them sometime in the near future. Find out if they have been receiving your emails and postcards. The goal is to stay in front of them and on their welcome mat, but never give them any reason to sweep you under the rug.

Attitude – always be positive with a can-do attitude! Be pleasant, calm, and maintain discretion when in the company of those you aspire to work with. You should maintain a professional demeanor at all times. Don’t be over-eager or talk too much. Be confident, honest, and always be teachable. Don’t ever think your way is the only way or the right way. Ultimately, your personality will match, or compliment, the photographer’s personality you wish to work with. Once you have worked with a few studios you will begin to know your place and what is appropriate in those relationships.

Hard Work – you will need to motivate yourself and work hard, keeping your goals in mind. You might spend hours upon hours researching photographers work on their websites. You will undoubtedly need to develop well thought out ways to market yourself with a website/blog, emails, postcards, portfolios, etc. You might have a regular day or night job and pull double-duty in order to get your feet under you, which will allow you to take the photography leap, full-time. Whatever your situation, stay focused, have fun, and make it happen.

Network – join, attend and get involved with your local APA and ASMP chapters. If there is not one close to you, find a camera club that will keep your creative juices flowing in ways other than just taking photos. Look for ways to be helpful and assist other photographers in the camera club. You could even start your own group like The Crew Group to share your time, resources, and gear with others to work on projects and build your portfolio. Get to know the sales and rental people at your local camera store and rental houses. Find online groups on Linkedin and other sites that provide resources and ideas that you can use. Participate in photo workshops and festivals as a volunteer to meet new photographers and expand your mojo. I still do this, and love it!

Continue Learning – always remain teachable. I like learning, but I also tend to be slow to change with changing times. Photography has taught me to be flexible and more open to adapting to new techniques and workflows. I find that by keeping my eyes and ears open, and my mouth shut, I can gain the trust of others and learn something from them. Research online for new gear, owners manuals, lighting set-ups, and tricks-of-the-trade. Take a lighting workshop or attend an Assistant Training Workshop.

Patience – is the follow-up to persistence. Allow the proper time for things to fall into place, especially when you are just starting out. When I had trouble getting assisting gigs at first, I took a full-time night job which allowed me the time to continue marketing and meeting photographers, little by little, until I could establish some good rapport with them. Everyone has their own pace. And, in our fast-paced world today, many opportunities are lost in the shuffle, or the right opportunities take longer to be discovered. Stay focused, and don’t be too discouraged when things don’t seem to happen quick enough.

Treat Photo Assisting as Your Business – because it is! When I started out I was pretty excited to be in business! I even started out using an assumed business name. But, as time wore on, I got lazy and a lot of administrative paperwork type stuff piled up on me. Thankfully, I got that worked out with help. Don’t be afraid to use a tax service or accountant. This will save you many headaches later on when you are too busy on set and don’t have the energy to stay on top of some of your administrative tasks. If you like doing this stuff yourself, go ahead and do it. But, remember to manage your time efficiently and balance your priorities. I try to schedule, hour-by-hour, my tasks when I am at my desk, so that I am at least making some progress on all the stuff that’s in the in box.

These are just some of the things that were going on, day-in and day-out, back when I started my photo assisting business. Of course, I still have to do a lot of this, even these days, but it’s second-nature to me, now. But, in the beginning, it can be a bit overwhelming and difficult to know if you are doing all the right things that will lead to getting some good work and starting to make an impression on the photography community. I remember always second-guessing myself and having doubts that would almost paralyze me. Then, I might have a good meeting with a photographer and get some work and things would be good. It can really be a roller-coaster ride, for sure!

The bottom-line is this: Be mindful of all these things, on a consistent basis, and show the photographers you want to work with that you are the real deal and deserve the opportunity you are asking for. Do your best to set your self up to get noticed. There’s a lot of competition, so you better suit up and show up. Otherwise, all your hard work and persistence is for nothing.

So, ask yourself… What would you have to do to walk into a studio for an interview and see one of your postcard mailers on the fridge?

 

Filed Under: Attracting Work, networking/marketing, take action

PDN and PDN Online Photo Assistants Survey

March 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

PDN and PDNOnline are conducting a survey of photo assistants: what they earn, what skills are in demand, how they find work, what skills they would like to learn.  PDN’s editors want your input if you have assisted in the past 18 months.  The survey results will be published on PDNOnline in March.

It’s a totally anonymous survey, and takes about 10 minutes to fill out. Here’s the link.

After taking the survey, respondents have the option to enter a prize drawing to win a $100 gift certificate to a mail order photo retailer. To enter the drawing, survey participants can provide an e-mail address on a separate Web page that guarantees the confidentiality and anonymity of their responses to the survey. (In other words, survey responses go anonymously to one server, while e-mail addresses are collected on another server.)

PDN thanks you for helping us-and your fellow professionals-by participating in this important assessment.

Filed Under: general, news, take action

A Photographic Benefit for the Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake

January 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment

From MagCloud:

Several photographers including the iconic photojournalist Mary Ellen Mark, have donated the use of one or more of their works to help create this issue as a fund-raising photography magazine to benefit Haiti. The title Haiti: One Respe comes from a traditional Haitian greeting meaning “honor and respect.” See the article at OneMag.

Filed Under: general, link post, networking/marketing, take action

How To Email Photographers To Get Assisting Work

December 9, 2009 by 1 Comment
Email Campaign example

Email Campaign example

This is the second installment of the Attracting Work and Staying Visible in the Photo Community series.

Now that we have some photographers that we want to contact, we can start thinking about HOW we want to get in touch with them. There are many ways to do this, of course–phone calls, snail mail, knocking on doors, working at rental and camera stores–but I have found that sending an email is the best ice-breaker.

There are basically three important reasons to start seeking photo assisting gigs with email.

First, by sending an email, you are introducing yourself to the photographers you are trying to get to know. You are showing some initiative to the photographer that you are interested in working for them in a way that the photographer can handle with their schedule. It’s easy for them to read your email whenever they have time. Photographers are usually very busy, and some may find it distracting when, assistant after assistant, is calling on the phone or knocking on the door without an appointment. Obviously, this won’t help you. I find that an email gives the proper amount of “urgent discretion” that most photographers find agreeable. Also, once you’ve established some rapport with a photographer or studio, by continuing to send occasional emails helps you to stay on their radar. Many times, it’s the most recent assistant who has contacted a photographer who gets the job.

Second, is that it gives you total freedom to express yourself. You have total control over what you send, who you send it to, and when you send it. You can send out the same layout to zillions of photographers, or just a few. You might customize your template for a few special photographers you really want to focus on. You can attach a few shots of recent work. You can link to your blog and your website. You can just send out a letter with a resume. It doesn’t matter, just do it, but do it well. I started out just sending text emails, illustrating my skills and experience in a sort of advertorial. Then I started adding some images. Now, I use a program called Email Campaign, which allows me to create an HTML page with color and image and text options.

The third reason email is so appealing is that it’s basically free! If your ISP limits the amount of outgoing messages you can send each day, just send out 20 less per day than your limit, and send out all your bulk email over the course of a week or so. Otherwise, you can pay an inexpensive monthly fee ($2 or so) to increase your daily outgoing limits. The purchase of Email Campaign, or other software, will help you in designing and managing your emails, and is just a one time purchase (about $50-100). Or, you might use an email marketing service like Constant Contact or MailChimp, which will also incur some expense, but at least you won’t be licking or sticking postage stamps! The point is, that, sending emails can be free, or at least very inexpensive, and give you ultimate control.

As I began accumulating photographers in my address book, I would send out a simple text email to five studios at a time. My email was essentially a mini bio, highlighting some of my skills and background. Resume writing skills come in handy here, as you want to make yourself shine and be the star that will really help the photographer. Be honest, positive, and resourceful. Make your message unique and stand out from all the other emails that will also be in the photographer’s in-basket. Keep it simple, easy to read, and to the point. Give the photographer or studio manager a call-to-action. You want them to call you and find out more about you and have you come in for an interview and then hire you! Make it happen with an awesome email that will illustrate your character, skills, and passion for photography.

Add a photo of your own work into your email. It doesn’t have to be anything pertaining to working as an assistant, but it could be a shot of you working on-set or on-location somewhere. A shot of your own best work, which shows your own abilities as a shooter is great. It shows the photographer that you are serious, knowledgeable, and able-bodied. These days, I am creating assignments for myself, which work into a design or layout with a particular art direction or brand that I am creating for myself. Ultimately, this is what you will be doing as a shooter for your clients. So why not start practicing now? Look at the emails you get for ideas. Research what other photographers’ are using for their own publicity and marketing materials and try to emulate them with your own style and flair.

If you want to take this a step further, design an email campaign, which will encompass multiple emails over a period of time. A photographer does this to show a body of work on a particular subject matter, or previous ad campaign, to art buyers and ad agencies. You can choose a subject to explore photographically from different approaches, and incorporate a creative art direction using text, graphics, and color.

Send out your emails regularly–maybe every three to eight weeks. There is no right or wrong time-frame, but you ultimately want to stay on everyone’s radar without being like the kid in grade-school who is always raising his hand, squirming in his seat, and begging to be the one to get called on. Perhaps the best way to accomplish sending out your emails regularly is to make a schedule and stick to it. This will create a sense of urgency and help you keep creating new content for your emails.

Here’s a few other things to consider while creating your emails:

•    Use the words “photo assistant” in the subject line.
•    Personalize “Dear Photographer,” so that you insert the photographers first name into the greeting.
•    Illustrate at least one of your skill sets with an example of how you achieved a task or solved a problem.
•    Include links to your website or blog, and always include your phone number in your signature so it can be found easily. I have designed and built different text signatures, as well as graphical banners in Photoshop, then include them at the end of my emails. Many times I’ve gotten jobs because a photographer found my recent email with my phone number on it.

Keep in mind that sending an email to a photographer that you want to work with is just the beginning of the process. As the Attracting Work and Staying Visible in the Photo Community series continues, we will look at more ways to begin, develop, and continue relationships with the great photographers we want to work with.

Filed Under: Attracting Work, networking/marketing, take action Tagged With: , , ,

A Photo Assistant Gets MetaSmart

November 17, 2009 by 4 Comments

SAA-META_header

Last Friday night I attended an overview presentation about the use of metadata in digital files at MCAD, presented by David Reicks and made possible by the Stock Artists Alliance Photo Metadata Project, thanks to a Digital Preservation award from the Library of Congress. I had posted last spring about the getMetaSmart website and the upcoming presentations around the country. I was unaware that Minneapolis had been added to the tour, and found out last minute and decided to attend.
The meeting was informational, going into into uber-geek depth, much of which I was unable to absorb. No worries, everything is on the website at photometadata.org… videos, tutorials, and tons of articles. Make sure you check it out and get MetaSmart!

Filed Under: general, networking/marketing, news, take action
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