Well, it was a long weekend for me as I spent two full days at the APA Photo Assistant Basic Training workshop. I've been meaning to join APA and I finally got around to looking at the site last week and that's when I noticed the workshop coming up a few days later. I can't convey how perfect the timing was! Being new to the area and wanting to work with photographers, I couldn't have been presented with a better opportunity.
Assisting photographers is something that I was encouraged to do back in college but never did. Now, college was four years ago and I find that I don't really know what I'm doing. Sure, I've done a few freelancing jobs and I worked as a full-time photographer at a printing company. But I was the only photographer there and, for the most part, I felt like I was stumbling along doing things the only way I knew how, getting out of practice, creating bad habits (i.e. not using a light meter or incorporating light ratios), and overall not learning from anyone.
People keep telling me that I'm a great photographer and could open my own studio, but I always say that I don't want to. I'm not being humble, it's just that I know how much I still need to learn! I want to work at a studio with someone who knows what they're doing, has worked in the industry for quite awhile, doing the kind of work I'm interested in, and who's willing to take the time to teach me. I don't want to be the photographer right now. I don't need to be.
Looking back at my college days, I realize that yes, I should've been assisting. And now I find myself in this amazing city and it seems to be the right time in my life. For those of you who don't know, assisting is something that is very hard and scary (cold calls!) to get into. You don't make a lot of money at first, yet you still need to be flexible and not having a job right now might actually be a good thing!
So, this weekend went really well! I got a lot of questions answered, refreshed my memory on basic lighting setups, made quite a few contacts, and met some amazing women (even one who went to Virginia Tech and, like me, just moved here from across the country about a month ago).
4 comments:
congrats, andrea on taking the first step towards whatever dream you wish to follow :) i feel the same way about my career path!
xo
sami
Secret? Our studio (and others I've worked in) don't use light meters....
We SHOULD of course, and have about 4 (lying around somewhere...) but in reality, our light is changing constantly throughout the day, and once you learn light (and do the ratios in your head, without even thinking) things just flow naturally.
It's something you will definitely pick up when you assist photographers!
hooray for you for taking the workshop! It really sounds like this is the first step toward something big and great.
Amazing! Way to step out and take the plunge into assisting. I know it will only improve your photography. Plus, you'll make some great connections when you finally do move ahead, whether it be your own business or something else. Can't wait to hear how it works out for you!
ps. my sister also loves that quote.
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