how to get a LF photography assistant job?

[yuexiachou29]

I will get out the college soon and plan on relocating either LA or NY for assistant job. I don't know anybody and don't know how to get my foot on the door.
Brian, do you have any word of advise? how do you find the assistant you would hire?

[John Kasaian]

Hmmmm....
maybe you can check with the History Dept. at your college and ask to use the Wayback Machine?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnmiwo79aTg

Good luck!

[yuexiachou29]

Adam? Ansel Adams?

[John Kasaian]

IIRC the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Valley is still hiring for the summer. That might present an opportunity for some schmoozing, and it might be on the way to LA.
Good luck (sincerely!)

[bdkphoto]

In NY and LA both APA and ASMP off Assisting Boot camps for those that are looking for work:

http://www.apanational.com/i4a/pages...fm?pageid=4052

www.asmp.org

[Kirk Gittings]

While I have no doubt that those workshops are of value and while some of the knowledge would apply to a LF workflow, I seriously doubt that any of that is specifically tuned to LF and assisting such as the OP requested.

[yuexiachou29]

IIRC the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Valley is still hiring for the summer. That might present an opportunity for some schmoozing, and it might be on the way to LA.
Good luck (sincerely!)

Many thanks.

[bdkphoto]

While I have no doubt that those workshops are of value and while some of the knowledge would apply to a LF workflow, I seriously doubt that any of that is specifically tuned to LF and assisting such as the OP requested.

See post 11.

It's more helpful than a time machine. At least he'll understand what expected of a professional assistant, and a place to start networking.

[Daniel Stone]

I got my start as an assistant by cold calling people. I offered to work FOR FREE at the beginning, I was upfront and honest with them.

Be ready to get "shit" jobs. FYI. There ARE MANY PEOPLE in the photo industry who "chew up and spit out" assistants like crazy, Annie Liebovitz is one of them.... I could give you a good number of names of people I've worked for, that honestly I'd stick away from. Lots of cheap people just looking for that next "intern" who's basically willing to do anything to get their start.

BE PREPARED: you're entering a BLOATED field. There are many assistants who don't have regular clients, and those "regular" clients are getting less jobs a lot too, so less work to be done...

However, ask yourself this: "Do I want to SHOOT, or do I want to ASSIST?"
I'm only mentioning this because there are great shooters, and then there are great assistants. Sometimes those that can do both, but if your end goal is to shoot, keep shooting.
Assisting can be a tremendous way to learn the technical, to network, and to get yourself "out there", but don't lose sight of your end goal(that's if shooting is your career goal)...

best of luck,
Dan

[Kirk Gittings]

Assisting can be a tremendous way to learn the technical, to network, and to get yourself "out there",

I never assisted but dearly wish I had. It would have eliminated some of the retarded mistakes I made trying to figure out the basics.

This is the situation around here. All my assistants, I always have one regular one and some others to fill in occasionally on large shoots, came from people approaching me pretty much cold. I may not have needed them then but filed away their info and called them when the need arose. Since 1982 I have always had one regular assistant but only 5 or 6 in that entire time. My present one has been with me almost 15 years. I get allot of requests-almost weekly and this is in a town of only 1/2 million.