Handguide for Beginning

Photo Assistants

7/29/08

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 Handguide for Beginning
Photo Assistants

Table of Contents
freelance photo assisting.......................................................................................................................3
assisting - looking for work...................................................................................................................4
assisting - initial contact........................................................................................................................5
assisting - passion..................................................................................................................................6
assisting - photographic ability..............................................................................................................7
assisting - top 10 things for your first day.............................................................................................8
assisting - and you get paid, too............................................................................................................9
join a professional organization...........................................................................................................10
jumping the gaps, or: becoming a professional...................................................................................11

Copyright 2008 [Link]

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freelance photo assisting

Most every successful photographer agrees that time spent photo assisting is a necessary and valuable
step in a photographers career. By assisting already established photographers you can learn how
workflows, lighting techniques and client relations work in the real world. You will also see when
things don’t work ideally and that can be just as valuable.
I began photo assisting while still in high school, working in the darkroom of the local portrait /
wedding photo studio. Gradually I learned the various steps necessary to set up a portrait shoot and take
event photos. Soon I was trusted with shooting the simpler jobs for the studio.
When my attention turned to commercial photography it was time to seek photographers in that genre
and offer my assisting services to them. Every photographer is different in personality, style and
working methodology. Some are high strung and bring lots of energy to a set (think: people
photographers). Others may be very quiet, focused and methodical (food / tabletop specialists). The
really great thing is that there is something to learn from each and every one. By seeing how other
photographers work we can better define our own careers and begin to set further goals for what we
really want from the profession.
This entry is the start of a short series on freelance photo assisting. Most of the assisting jobs out there
are freelance, meaning you are in business for yourself, marketing your services to photographers.
While there are full-time, staff assisting jobs out there they have become less prevalent in recent years.
Most studios have downsized simply don’t want to carry the overhead of multiple employees so they
use freelance help instead, staffing up for specific jobs.
I will offer my perspective on freelance assisting both as a former assistant and as a business owner that
interviews potential new assistants on a regular basis. There are some pretty universal methods for
approaching photographers for work and important things to keep in mind once you have the work.

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assisting - looking for work

If you are breaking into photo assisting then you will need to follow the opportunities. Cincinnati
(where my studio, Daylight Photo, is located) has a large number of photo studios ranging from
wedding and portrait to commercial and advertising specialists. In a small town or rural area the
opportunities are more limited.
The first step toward breaking into photo assisting is researching area photo studios. In the old days we
first checked the yellow pages to find listings of photographers. Now the internet provides an
incomparable resource. To find truly accomplished, qualified photographers I recommend contacting
the members of professional photographic organizations (you will find a list of links to these
organizations in an earlier post). Visit these sites and use their search capabilities to find professional
photographers in your area.
Now that you’re looking at the work of area photographers, make notes of who you would like to work
for. Whose work really appeals to you? Whose style stands out? Make a list of potential employers,
their contact information and notes on why you were drawn to them and their work.
Now that you have a list of photographers and phone numbers it’s time to pick up the phone and tell
them why they should hire you. But what do you say?

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assisting - initial contact

My studio constantly receives phone calls and emails from people wanting to work for us. The people
we hear from are all over the board, from hobbyists who think it would be interesting to see how a
studio works to students intent on making photography a career. Who are we most likely to hire? To
put it simply, the more serious the caller is about making photography their profession, the more
likely we are to give them an opportunity.
Realize that photographers were once assistants and we understand what you are going through just
starting out. Photographers generally want to help assistants with their careers but there are certain
things that will be expected of you in return. There are three main things we are looking for when a
potential assistant calls us (in this order): professionalism, passion and photographic ability. Let’s look
at all three…
Professionalism
Introduce yourself clearly and let the photographer know what type of work you are interested in. Since
you’ve done your homework beforehand it’s also nice to mention that you are contacting the
photographer because you like their work. Make mention of something you saw on their website to let
them know you’ve taken time to do your research. This displays great professionalism and
photographers always like to hear that someone likes their images.
Contrast this to the people that call us and have no idea what we do. Sometimes it’s obvious that we’re
just another studio they’re calling while going down a list. There’s not much there to interest us in
hiring these people.
Another key to professionalism is being honest about where you are in your career. If you have never
assisted a photographer before then let us know. You should understand that photographers use
assistants at all different levels for different jobs. The photo assistant system is hierarchical and larger
jobs may involve two or three assistants. On occasion we may use up to three photo assistants:
1. a first (highly experienced) assistant, who works directly with the photographer, camera and
computer
2. a second (moderately experienced) assistant, basically an assistant to the first assistant
3. a third (beginning) assistant, someone who may be working behind the scenes, helping people park
cars, running for lunch, etc.
Absolute beginners may start out as third assistants and work their way up. A photographer isn’t likely
to hire you in for the first time as a first (or only) assistant on a high pressure or high profile job unless
you have some experience. We try to give opportunities to beginners when we know the shoot won’t be
particularly demanding. It’s a chance for us both to ‘feel things out’ and make sure we work well
together.
So, regardless of your level of experience there may be assisting opportunities. And regardless of your
level of experience you need to be professional. More about this later.

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assisting - passion

When we meet a new, beginning photo assistant for the first time they generally fall into one of two
categories: passionate about photography or not-so-passionate. If you convey that photography is
what you are meant to be doing, who you are and what you are all about then you are more likely to
earn an assisting opportunity with our studio. That passion has to be tempered with professionalism,
though, a topic we spoke about in the previous entry. Boundless energy that isn’t tempered with
professionalism can be hard to control, so be professional first and passionate second.
Be prepared to tell us how you first got interested in photography and where you would like it to take
you. The passionate interviewee shares this information freely. Their not-so-passionate counterparts
have given us responses like “I had to study something so I picked photography”, or “I thought
photography would be easy”. Ouch. This is a good spot for a real-life reminder that becoming a
professional in any career, including photography, involves hard work. If you are passionate about what
you are doing then it never seems like work. I have to admit that some weekends I can’t wait for
Monday morning in order to get back ‘at the job’ in the studio. I enjoy my profession that much.
This first meeting is a great opportunity to convince us that this is your chosen career and you are in it
to stay. Show us that you’ve done your homework and are well-versed in the terminology of our
profession. Also show us that you are willing to listen and learn. We were once in your shoes and are
sympathetic to the fact that you are just starting out. We can give you lots of things, including
knowledge, experience and new abilities. What we can’t provide for you is the passion…you have to
bring that to the table yourself.

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assisting - photographic ability

When you interview with a photographer about freelance assisting it is customary to bring a portfolio.
That lets the photographer better understand your particular interests and level of accomplishment.
Earlier we talked about displaying professionalism and passion. These qualities should be obvious in
your portfolio. You will score bonus points for being neatly organized and having a uniform
presentation. Make sure that the bulk of your presentation is uniformly formatted (in a leather portfolio
book or mounted on individual, same-sized boards). It’s perfectly fine (by my standards) to have a few
random printed pieces to hand out at the end but make sure the majority of the presentation is uniform.
What about electronic portfolios on a cd or dvd? Those are perfectly fine, too. It might be possible to
score even more bonus points with prints, though. Seeing images enlarged to print size shows us your
attention to detail and ability to see color. These are harder to determine in a slideshow on a computer
screen.
If it sounds as if we’re going to scrutinize your work, yes, we are going to look pretty closely. But
we’re not going to pass any harsh criticism. Remember the list of three main things we look for when a
potential new assistant calls: professionalism, passion and photographic ability. Why is photographic
ability listed last? To put it simply, we are hiring you to be a freelance assistant, we are not hiring you
to be a photographer. If you are professional and passionate about assisting then I don’t feel you should
be judged as if you are a photographer just yet. What we are really looking for at this point is potential
and a desire and willingness to learn.

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assisting - top 10 things for your first day

Though it was many years ago, I still remember my first days of photo assisting. You may feel like your
entire career hinges on doing a great job that first day you work in a studio. Each individual studio will
set their expectations slightly differently. Here’s how you should prepare:
1. Make sure you are there a few minutes early. Plan to stay late, if necessary.
2. Be dressed appropriately. I should have mentioned this in an earlier post, ask (in advance) about
how you should be dressed for the day. You may be painting walls or you may be meeting the
President of a large corporation. Each requires very different dress so prepare in advance.
3. Don’t be surprised if different studios have different names for light stands, photo equipment,
etc. If you can’t figure out what they mean, then ask. The same thing applies to using the
equipment. If you aren’t sure about the strobes then ask for a quick lesson before the pressure is
on.
4. Understand who it is you should report to. Is there a first assistant you work with or do you
work directly with the photographer? Or will you be assisting the set stylist on this day? Work
with that person unless you hear otherwise. Realize, though, that the photographer is always in
charge. If they ask you to do something then do it.
5. You will probably be in the background of the shoot but keep conversation with clients to a
minimum. It’s good to be friendly but this is not the time to show everyone how much you can
talk so be professional. Get a feeling for working with the studio and they will help you define
your role.
6. If there’s a problem let the proper person know right away. If a power pack doesn’t work or the
coffee maker is making a funny noise, let the proper person know in a discreet way.
7. Discreet…that is a good word. Be discreet and don’t draw attention to yourself or the concerns
you may have.
8. Oh, and here’s my absolute favorite (are any of my assistants reading this?). You’re going to be
amped up so when anybody asks you to get something you will want to spring into action.
That’s good. What’s not good is springing into action before your supervisor is done talking.
Wait just one extra second to make sure they are finished with their sentences. Jumping too
soon means you may only get the task halfway done.
9. If you have questions about how or why a photographer did things a certain way or used a
certain piece of equipment, save it for the end of the day, after the shoot. Don’t question the
photographers choices or decisions unless you know them really (really) well and have
developed a great working relationship.
10. And do realize that you’ve taken a big step: this is the beginning of your professional
photography career. The people you meet today might be working with you for many years.
Someday you might be the professional photographer working with the art director you meet on
this day. So start acting like a professional on the very first day, whether your only job is
making coffee or steaming and pressing shirts.

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assisting - and you get paid, too

As a freelance photo assistant you’re in business for yourself. This means that after you work for a
photographer / studio you will be billing them for your services. And, generally speaking, there will be
no payroll services or taxes taken out by the studio, the responsibility for paying taxes on this income is
your responsibility.
Pay rates for the Cincinnati market
If this is your absolutely, positively first experience working for a photographer then they (or you) may
suggest that you work at no charge for the opportunity. This seems to be more acceptable than it once
was but I’m not particularly fond of the arrangement. Personally, I feel everyone should be paid for
time invested.
In this market we may pay $10 an hour for a rank beginner / first project but move them up to $100 /
day when responsibilities increase. A pretty standard rate for a competent assistant (locally) is $125 /
day and, once established, quality photo assistants bill $150 / day. One hundred miles away, in
Columbus, Ohio, the upper rate is $200 / day, and in Chicago it may be $250. It all depends on the
market. I will say that the assistant rates in Cincinnati have remained constant for some time and I’m
not sure what it will take for them to bump up to the next level. For now it’s $150 / day for a quality
assistant.
It is standard for you to bill and be compensated for mileage that you drive during a job at the standard
rate of around $.59 / mile. You will not be reimbursed for the mileage driven to and from the studio, nor
can this be deducted for tax purposes. Your first and last mileage of the day, getting to and from your
job, is not deductible (as I understand it). It is recommended that you get a business rider for your auto
insurance so that you’re covered when using your auto on the job (it is reasonably priced, check with
your insurance agency).
Do keep track of mileage and any other expenses you incur while on the job. It is customary for studios
to buy lunch for assistants when clients are present and on location jobs. If you are working for, say, a
catalog company or a company’s in-house photo studio then you may be on your own for lunch. Be
prepared either way.
Assistants generally bill for their services on a weekly basis for the number of days worked. We ask
that assistants submit an invoice either by US mail or a pdf emailed to us. Create a letterhead for your
business that contains all of your contact information. With your very first invoice to a new employer it
is smart to attach a filled out W-9 form that gives them your taxpayer information (your Social Security
number, basically). When working with a large company your payment may be delayed if they have to
request this info later.
Each invoice should list the days worked, the basic duties completed (it can just say “photo assisting”)
and the job worked on. Our studio uses job numbers that help us track expenses so we ask that you
include that information. At the least, list the client or a job reference associated with your work for that
day or time period. It helps the photographer bill the job and we all appreciate things that make our
lives easier.
At Daylight Photo we pay invoices 30 days after receipt and that’s pretty standard. Some photographers
may pay the very day of the job (though this is not common) and some may not pay until they are paid

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by their client. In those cases it may be awhile before you receive payment. You can see that payment
times may vary widely so don’t be afraid to ask when submitting your invoice. Do put your own terms
of payment on your invoice (30 days is standard). You’ve put in the work, you deserve to get paid and
you deserve to know when you’ll get paid. It’s pretty simple, just ask questions.

join a professional organization

This evening I was reminded of the importance of professional organizations. I have long been a
member of ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers). Every other month my local chapter
hosts an event called Pints n Pixels, an opportunity for members to share their recent work and a
beverage or two. I always leave these gatherings with a renewed enthusiasm for sharing and learning.
Professional organizations like ASMP offer great benefits in addition to a fun night out. Members are
instantly networked to others willing to help with questions and professional development. And,
collectively, we work to keep each other informed about our ever-changing industry. The national and
local organizations are also constantly working to protect our legal interests pertaining to intellectual
property and copyright issues. If we don’t work together to protect the value of what we produce and
our rights as photographers then who will?
ASMP is comprised primarily of advertising and editorial photographers. Other professional photo
groups have their own representative organizations. The ones that come to mind are:
ASMP - advertising / editorial
APA - Advertising Photographers of America - advertising / editorial
PPA - Professional Photographers of America - portrait / wedding / commercial
WPPI - Wedding Photographers International - wedding / portrait
NPPA - National Press Photographers Association - news
If you don’t currently belong to a professional photography organization please take a look around the
above websites that might interest you. See for yourself the benefits they offer. Need help with
contracts or paperwork? Setting pricing or professional standards? Start finding the answers today.

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jumping the gaps, or: becoming a professional

You all remember your first real camera, I know you do. The way it felt in your hand and what it
looked like through the viewfinder. Maybe you’re still using your first real camera. If you’re a young
photographer that’s considering photography as a profession then I’d like to take you on a little trip.
There are a few distinctive ‘gaps’ in a professional photographer’s career. In this instance I’m defining
a gap as a chasm or a break, something that requires a leap to get to the other side, to continue the
journey.
Photography is a path and we all choose how far we want to follow it. There are different exit ramps
along the way, to editorial or commercial or wedding photography specialties. Some of us may decide
to stay close to home and keep photography as just a hobby. Others choose to see just how far up the
professional road we can make it. But regardless of how far we go or where photography takes us,
we’re all sharing the same road. And we all started out with a camera in our hands and a sense of
wonder.
Picture yourself traveling along happily as a young amateur photographer whose skills are continually
progressing. If you choose to take photography more seriously, maybe even make it a profession, then
you’re at a gap. It takes a leap to jump to the next level. Often this means committing time and money
to a qualified photo school or program. There you’ll be exposed to the art, technique and history of
photography. If you’ve worked hard and applied yourself then you’ll earn a diploma and, hopefully,
some connections to the next level, to the real world. And it’s time to make another leap forward.
If your desire is to become a commercial photographer then you’ll enter a studio as an assistant. The
photo equipment can be intimidating, you’re dealing with clients now and the photographer you work
for is maybe a bit eccentric. The days are long and can be backbreaking. Then you become more
comfortable and more trusted. At some point the photographer trusts you to do most everything but
push the shutter button. Maybe you even get to push the shutter button when clients aren’t around.
You’re also doing some paid shooting on the side now and small magazine assignments or public
relations jobs are coming your way. Hopefully you’ve been nice to everyone along the journey and
made relationships with other young creatives; art directors and magazine editors that are coming up at
the same time. At some point you reach the end of what you can accomplish as an
assistant/photographer and need to make it to the next level, devoting all of your energies to shooting.
It’s time to become a professional photographer, so it’s time to jump another gap.
Each new gap grows in distance and each one is a little harder to make. This is a big one, striking out
on your own. If you’re conservative then you won’t jump into business until the planets have all
aligned and you’re guaranteed success. If you jump too early, without enough potential work lined up,
then you’ll need a parachute to slow the fall. It’s not unusual (and not a crime) to go back to assisting
for awhile. I grew up in the hills of West Virginia where we often had to “back ‘er up to get another run
at the hill”. It’s okay to back up. Remember, every self-made millionaire has made and lost their
fortune an average of three times before making it stick. You won’t give up now.
Eventually, with determination, you’ll make it to the other side, making your living as a photographer,
shooting and enjoying it. If you’re at the point where photography is supporting you then it is genuine
cause for celebration. With the champagne uncorked and streamers flying, you’ve done what many

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photographers aspire to and far fewer accomplish.
And that’s as far as I want to take you on the journey today.
When I was younger I thought this would be the end of the road, that once I’d learned to make my
living as a photographer then everything would be set for the rest of my life. But the road stretches alot
further than that, I’ve found. So I keep pushing forward, enjoying the journey and doing my best to
jump each chasm as it comes up.

I hope these entries have been a help. If so, I hope you'll visit [Link] to learn more.

Sincerely,
Jim Talkington
[Link]

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