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Setting up as Photographer's Assistant


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Eager to start work as a photographer's assistant in Sydney, could

anyone provide info on getting started in Oz... setting up business as

freelancer? advertising? where do I start? what's the going rate?

Do I need to do all this when all I really want is to gain experience

and learn more about the technical and business aspects of photography

from an already established photographer/s? Have seen previous

mention of John Kieffer's 'Photographers Assistants Handbook', is

there any resource you can suggest that is suited to working in

Australia? All suggestions/advise/contacts and job offers

appreciated, thanks.

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Mary-Lynn-- When I was starting out, I worked for a fashion photographer for a year with no pay. I was lucky. Nowadays, many top photographers not only don't pay, the money goes in the other direction. Their studio managers make money by selling wannabe's the opportunity to work at the studio. You got that right, to be a beginning assistant to a top pro today, you've got to pay for the priviledge, and you'll sweep floors for a while before they let you anywhere near a shoot.

 

That being said, find the best shooter you can who takes pictures the way you want to learn how to do it, and do whatever it takes to get in the door. No matter what you pay--or how long you work for free--it will be a drop in the bucket compared to what you can earn later with the knowledge.

 

Back when I was a studio manager for a major photographer, I used to field ten calls a day from people wanting to assist. If they called back ten times, I figured maybe they were persistent enough, and had them send me a portfolio. If their shots looked like they had some technical prowess, then I had them come in and take a techincal exam. If they passed the exam, I tried them out on a shoot or two, no pay. We never lacked for applicants.

 

And lately, I'm stunned at the level of expertise of people who are applying to assist for me. Some have been newspaper staff photographers who got downsized, some have been photo editors for publications that went out of business.

 

It's a tough world out there, and it all boils down to this: How much do you really, really want it?

 

Also, look at photographer's earnings vis-a-vis inflation lately, and you might want to change your mind. Advertising day rates haven't changed since the 1960's, and many publications have even cut their day rates in half compared to the 1980's!

 

-Bill C.

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