Whenever I meet photo students and new assistants, they will sometimes ask me what it is that they need to know to get the good assisting gigs with all the great photographers. In turn, I will ask them why any photographer should hire them at all. Most students will say something like they [...]
Last week, I had the honor and privilege to work on a shoot with some outstanding men and women troopers from the MN State Patrol. We did two evening shoots in support of their Don’t Text and Drive campaign. We had a lot of fun, but the message behind our efforts was obviously [...]
Recently, I’ve been working with an animal photographer, shooting cats and dogs. Mostly, we’ve been shooting auditions for upcoming jobs, but we’ve also done a few advertising and PR shoots involving lots of smaller dogs. We also shot with a Great Dane, and that was cool. Working with animals can be a lot of fun, but doing so comes with a new set of rules, no matter what type of animal that’s on-set.
Whether you are a photo student, a new photo assistant just hitting the bricks, or you’ve been around a while, there will be something for everyone. The photo industry has changed a lot in recent years, and assisting has also been affected. Does this impact our role as photo assistants? How do we find jobs? Should we intern first? What gear is important to know? Freelance or full-time? What do we really need to know? Where do we start?
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.
I thought it might be fun for all the readers at A Photo Assistant to get involved on a post and help me compile a list of all the different uses for gaff tape. Just take a moment to consider all the applications for gaff tape on set, on location, in the production van, [...]
Film
Fashion
Inspiration
Photographically Speaking…
"Most people stiffen with self-consciousness when they pose for a photograph. Lighting and fine camera equipment are useless if the photographer cannot make them drop the mask, at least for a moment, so he can capture on his film their real, undistorted personality and character. "~Phillippe Halsman
Photo 101
Elvis: Elvis is the affectionate description given to gold/white fabric reflectors, especially on overheads, as cited by American Grip.
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