More and more these days photo students and other people who want to make a career change are talking about jumping right into the deep end when considering becoming a professional photographer. Many people are unaware of the real state of the photo industry in the digital age, thinking that it has become relatively easy to be a successful working photographer, when, in fact, the opposite is quite true. Competition has increased, budgets are extremely tight, rates have come down, and high-end jobs are fewer and fewer. But, if you are serious about becoming a professional photographer, you can really hone your skills and learn the ins-and-outs of the photo biz by working, first, as a photo assistant. This is by no means taking the bunny-hill approach. Much of what you need to do as a photographer you will do as an assistant, learning from other experienced shooters first, rather than you having to figure it all out by yourself, the hard way.

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from photo students, recent grads, and new assistants about what they need to do to be a good assistant. What do photographers specifically expect from their help and what can they do, as an assistant, to be best prepared. This is the million-dollar question!