That’s a real great idea, normally when I go out with friends on a shoot we’re competing for the best shots/angles/compositions but to just sit back and assist may provide some useful insight to improve my own work! I’ll make that suggestion when we’re out this weekend. Thanks again.

The photographer I worked for, did not take the time to explain, instruct, or ask. Just barked out orders and gave no feedback. And I quickly realized that this particular photographer’s style was to work as though their clients were an assembly line of paycheques, nothing more.

Because I didn’t feel that our personalities or styles were a good fit, I didn’t stay long with that photographer. But I gained something really valuable nonetheless…

Because I so strongly disagreed with pretty much everything about that photographer’s work, personality, methods and style, in a short time, I learned an enormous amount about what NOT to do.

Working as a pro myself for quite some time now, when I have the rare occasion to bring on an assistant shooter, I take a lot of care to be instructive, kind, informative and to listen to them as much as I expect them to listen to me.

So for those people who unfortunately have bad experiences working as an assistant, bear in mind that sometimes the worst experience can teach you a lot about who you are and who you want to be.

Excellent post, really!

Best regards,
Jasper

That way I learn something too although not directly from the pro. I’d already very happy about it.

Cheers Bert! See you in Twitter @netsterz

As always, I really enjoyed the post and I was also interested in reading the comments as well. I completely agree that the best way for anyone to learn is actually on the job with someone else. I have never been to photo school for anything other than learning how to develop and print. I think everything else I learned was from friends who were working as photographers and were kind enough to show me through the ropes in their studios as well as in a few shoots every now and again. After that, I worked as second shooter for dents and fashion shows, spent all my time finding out as much as ai could about photography, sharing ideas with other photographers, getting out and shooting whatever came my way and trying to find as many new clients as I could.

In the last year or so I’ve had to hire second photographers and assistants and I’ve also managed to help some friends who are wanting a foot in the door get some access to portfolio enhaning shoots as it were and I did get quite mixed feelings from the results. Recently at Japan fashion week, I managed to get a street fashion photographer friend access to runway shows as my assistant, but in reality all he had to do was get some hints at what he should do, take his own shots and work out what he liked to do over the series of several shows. I really enjoyed spending time with him, we fed off each other, I picked up some ideas from him as well, we both enjoyedthe shows and got good shots and we both learned something (no photographer ever stops learning).

On the flip side, I also had a very bad experience with someone I hired for a large event recently. We had a tough 10 hour schedule shooting a very large corporate event with stage shows, booths, demonstrations, attendees etc. The person I hired had a very good portfolio of portraits and product shots, he had been asking me for months to let him work with me so he was keen and he assured me he would deliver whatever I asked. I didn’t ask him to do so much, but he even offered to turn up early and help me more for the same price so he could get experience. To cut a long story short, after a couple of hours he was exhausted, he didn’t do what was asked of him, he couldn’t deliver the images within the specified deadline and most importantly, crucial parts of the day that should have been thoroughly covered as a team were only half done. Luckily I had enough good work to keep my client happy and I retained the contract, but it made me really wary about who I work with. I explained to the second shooter where he went wrong and I hope e learned something, but I also learned something about where I might have went wrong with my explanations etc, so hopefully a good learning experience for us all.

So, I guess for me now, if I am hiring someone, I think I am best to pay more money to get someone who is established and reliable, but if I have someone assisting me for experience, I would prefer they do it on an unpaid basis and they can get shots for their own education rather than something I have to rely on to send a client.

I was on the verge of getting $40,000 in debt to go to photography school, but instead decided to
work as an assistant for local pros. I drafted a cover letter, made a zip file of my portfolio, googled
“Professional Photographer Vancouver” and emailed every one that I felt I’d like to work with.
40 emails got me a reply from one photographer, and I’ve worked with him about 25 times in the last 4 months.

I’ve learned more that I ever would in school, had the opportunity to use gear that I’m a long way off from
affording, and gained insight into the business aspect of photography.
I feel that I’m al lot better off than going to school as now I’m in the process of saving some money to
get some lights and gear (I’ve got a Canon 30D and a kit lens) and then I’ll be off to the races!

I can definitely suggest assisting to anyone; newbies, students, and pros~ there’s always something to learn
if you’re willing to learn it!!

I think that many pros don’t appreciate assistants for a number of reasons, and it’s a shame. I hope to treat all of
my assistants with the utmost kindness and do my best to teach them as much as I can, because I know that each and
every one of them are far more than just another ‘voice activated light stand’!!

So Bert…If I fly out there can I assist you!??!

You discovered one of the laws: “A” level people are not afraid of hiring “A” level folks (or better). They are the smart once, confident in who their are, and what they know. “B” level people will hire “C” level people, “C” level people hire only “F” level people, in a hope that their skills will shine in comparison with their subordinates… well, they don’t realize (to dumb for it) that everybody else sees it, and usually they are first to go, when firing squad is on a hunt for heads.

Don’t give up, you will find some “A” level people, someday.

Bert:

Love the “candid” shot of your “behind-the-scene” picture. Also, Pieter’s L-session clip with the wedding blog entries are very interesting indeed. His shots made me think on what is possible, and so easily overlooked by amateurs like me.