This is a question I hear all the time. Should I become an assistant or should I go straight out there as a photographer? I truly believe every photographer should assist another photographer at some point in their career. We are all learning, with every job, so why not learn how someone else does it. You may pick up some invaluable pointers!
Some people think they won't be taken seriously as a photographer if they spend all their time helping someone else further their career and reputation. The fact is, if you are assisting someone, it's because they have got to a certain point in their career which warrants the use of a 2nd person and wouldn't you want to be in that position yourself sometime soon? So you see it makes a lot of sense!
Of course you have pressures, you cannot stuff up, but it's not your head on the line if you do. You are assisting, you are not in charge! You need to develop confidence as a photographer to deliver briefs. It takes time to understand what clients want and expect and every one is different.
While assisting you may feel like a general dogsbody, carrying kit, usually lots of it, running around with props, setting up and testing lights, loading backs, chasing models and make up artists to get a move on, racing to Metro and waiting for proofs. It can be hard, but someone has to do it! Get over the victim mentality, it's a job in photography and lots of people would give their right arm for it!
Ok so it's busy, you're always on the go... USE THE OPPORTUNITY to take everything in. What kit does the photographer use, what flash set-up does he/she use? You have the advantage of seeing everything from concept to completion and you can use this knowledge in your own work.
When you assist, you are working with someone else's creativity, it doesn't have to stop your own! Some photographers I know let their assistants use their studio and equipment for their own projects. Don't you think this is a good idea? It saves on hire fees and you can always bounce your ideas around with someone who has more experience and may be able to help YOU!
Lots of photographers rush 'out there' and then fall flat on their face! You need to learn business acumen as well as how to take photos, so why not learn from a professional so you know what you're doing when it's your turn!
Friday 25 June 2010
Sunday 20 June 2010
Watching and Learning - Part 1
When photography students ask me, how I became a Photographer, I tell them the process of how I became a photojournalist and how I was continually learning all the time with each situation I entered. Also my fantastic colleagues who never tired of giving me little pointers and advice along the way.
Working for newspapers, you never know where you will end up or what each day will bring. They can include the more mundane stories such as a Ribbon-Cutting event with the local Mayor, angry residents complaining about speed humps in their road, environmental issues such as dumped rubbish, Fish and Chip Shop features as in my last post and so much more.
But it's not all boring. The advantage is you can meet so many interesting people and be invited into events you could only dream of attending. There are so many amazing people out there and I feel priviledged to have met so many of them and share their stories in my job.
There are so many press jobs I remember and think wow, that was amazing! The feeling of hugging Wembley Arena stage, when I photographed the Gurjurat Earthquake Appeal Concert, walking around Watford with John and Norma Major meeting the people before having a one-on-one Q&A session with them. The excitement on children's faces as they let 100 red balloons into the sky for Comic Relief, the emotion of siblings seperated as evacuees reunited 60 years on, going underground into a reservoir which you know will be filled with water a few days later, sitting on the edge of the pitch photographing your favorite premiership football team!
Watching how other photographers work is invaluable training. You could be in any situation, at a wedding, at a Festival, or even in a local photography studio. The trick is to watch and learn! Make notes - how many cameras/lenses does the photographer use? Ask questions about their preferred equipment. How does the photographer interact with the subjects? You need confident people skills as well as competent technical skills to succeed at photography. How long did the photographer take to photograph each subject? Most of the time you need to be very quick, from meeting or viewing the subject, assessing light, which equipment to use, exposure, shutter speed, composition. A photographer has a lot to think of while he/she gains the confidence of the subject in order to direct successfully to create the shot.
One of the best ways to learn about photography is to look at exhibitions. Galleries provide the best viewing experience as you can see the image in context, framed and sometimes you can meet the photographer or curator and ask questions. The internet on the other hand is an amazing tool, you can view thousands of photographers' work without leaving your own home!
I have to say the best way to learn is by taking lots of photos and learning from your mistakes. Enrol on a good college course or join a local amateur photography group. Show your photos to others and get feedback. This is how I started and with constant positive feedback and my ability to take constructive criticism, is how I persued my hunger for learning more. To this day I am still learning. Although technologies are changing constantly, the fundamentals of photography remain the same.
Look out for my next post on becoming a Photographer's assistant.
Working for newspapers, you never know where you will end up or what each day will bring. They can include the more mundane stories such as a Ribbon-Cutting event with the local Mayor, angry residents complaining about speed humps in their road, environmental issues such as dumped rubbish, Fish and Chip Shop features as in my last post and so much more.
But it's not all boring. The advantage is you can meet so many interesting people and be invited into events you could only dream of attending. There are so many amazing people out there and I feel priviledged to have met so many of them and share their stories in my job.
There are so many press jobs I remember and think wow, that was amazing! The feeling of hugging Wembley Arena stage, when I photographed the Gurjurat Earthquake Appeal Concert, walking around Watford with John and Norma Major meeting the people before having a one-on-one Q&A session with them. The excitement on children's faces as they let 100 red balloons into the sky for Comic Relief, the emotion of siblings seperated as evacuees reunited 60 years on, going underground into a reservoir which you know will be filled with water a few days later, sitting on the edge of the pitch photographing your favorite premiership football team!
Watching how other photographers work is invaluable training. You could be in any situation, at a wedding, at a Festival, or even in a local photography studio. The trick is to watch and learn! Make notes - how many cameras/lenses does the photographer use? Ask questions about their preferred equipment. How does the photographer interact with the subjects? You need confident people skills as well as competent technical skills to succeed at photography. How long did the photographer take to photograph each subject? Most of the time you need to be very quick, from meeting or viewing the subject, assessing light, which equipment to use, exposure, shutter speed, composition. A photographer has a lot to think of while he/she gains the confidence of the subject in order to direct successfully to create the shot.
One of the best ways to learn about photography is to look at exhibitions. Galleries provide the best viewing experience as you can see the image in context, framed and sometimes you can meet the photographer or curator and ask questions. The internet on the other hand is an amazing tool, you can view thousands of photographers' work without leaving your own home!
I have to say the best way to learn is by taking lots of photos and learning from your mistakes. Enrol on a good college course or join a local amateur photography group. Show your photos to others and get feedback. This is how I started and with constant positive feedback and my ability to take constructive criticism, is how I persued my hunger for learning more. To this day I am still learning. Although technologies are changing constantly, the fundamentals of photography remain the same.
Look out for my next post on becoming a Photographer's assistant.
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