can i be your protege?

[RubyTS]

I've been doing a lot more research on different potential career choices for myself. I need to see some hands on work and see if its right for me before i jump into anything. I know im a very creative person, and i enjoy drawing, design, art, fashion and photography. Im talking with a photographer who lives close to me here in NY and he seems to think it would be pretty cool (AS DO I) for him to teach me what he's learned so far about lighting and angles etc etc. I used to take photography classes in high school and i really enjoyed it, plus its a field thats always in business, between weddings and escort websites lol. I want more postive influences in my life to help push me in the right direction. If anyone here lives in NY, can point me in some right directions, maybe teach me a thing or two about photography, photoshop and graphic design, and is looking to make a gr8 friend feel free to hit me back. One important factor in success is, after all, having the right contacts!

[jaycanuck]

Hi Ruby. Sounds interesting. I'm in the media game too ( graphics ). Just wondering are you thinking of just doing internships with people or are you going to go back to school. I say this because a good education will take you far.

[JamesHunt]

Dont know the US situation, but talking of the UK.. I dont think there's that much money to be made from being a photographer Don't get me wrong, some photographers do make a living out of it, but the competition is very very fierce. A mate of mine was into all this afew years ago, passed his city & guilds/exams etc, had thousands of hits on flickr/etc, but had to keep his day job as the work was sporadic. Now he's a full time Adobe Flash developer, and doing pretty well out of it

[RubyTS]

i already made the mistake of going to college and majoring in fashion wiithout really thinking about it! Not necessarily a waste of money, as most my credits are transferrable and i really did enjoy creating patterns and buiding garments. Im just trying to get a feel for it to see if its what im interested in doing, before i decide to make the committment to go back to school.

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

i already made the mistake of going to college and majoring in fashion wiithout really thinking about it! Not necessarily a waste of money, as most my credits are transferrable and i really did enjoy creating patterns and buiding garments. Im just trying to get a feel for it to see if its what im interested in doing, before i decide to make the committment to go back to school.

THIS IS A GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As many of the [ladies] often complain about some of the photographers and their poor skills women such as yourself and Danielle who are venturing into the industry are a welcome addition. You'll bring authenticity to the scene and make good money making women look how they want to look from another females perspective....

best of luck

Jay I could use your help on some things graphically, IM me

regards,
The JDubya

[celticgrafix]

i guess so

[RubyTS]

ty jw.

[celticgrafix]

i do photoshop and web and graphic design all the time, u on deviantart.com?

[hippifried]

I can give you top notch tutoring on how to be a shiftless bum.

[MacShreach]

Dont know the US situation, but talking of the UK.. I dont think there's that much money to be made from being a photographer

Don't kid yourself.

The market is always shifting, there is always competition to be dealt with, and there is no question it's a tough field to break into. But you can make a very healthy living indeed.

Being a professional photographer needs a talent for business to succeed, as well as a talent for photography.

A lot of people enter photography with very little (or no) real talent or artistic ability. Some of them do all right, if they have good business sense and are prepared to work hard. At the end of the day a great deal of commercial work just requires you to know how to do a handful of pictures. On the other hand there are some very, very gifted people who are truly creative, but who will never make a penny, just because, frankly, they have not got clue one about business, promotion, dealing with customers...all the usual stuff.

The best--and most successful--combine the two.

I have never worked as a classroom teacher but I have taught quite a few people one-to-one over the years and I can tell on the first day whether they have any real talent and whether they have the determination to make it as a pro. The other thing I have noticed is how many people who, lacking the talent or ability to be successful pros, go into teaching photography full time.......

Ruby: The route in is to offer to assist for free. Most photographers, if they like you and they think you have some talent, will consider this. The first session is critical; the photog will know your background in photography and will not expect you to know all the tricks to begin; but enthusiasm, charm and ABOVE ALL (so above all it's not real) a great manner with the clients is essential. This includes making the photog look great and BTW photogs are not above making jokes about their new assistants just to break the ice and help the mood; obviously this has to be in good taste, but as long as it is, go with the humour.

If you get good at it, they will get to paying you, if they're making money; remember it costs a photog time (=money) to train a rookie, but a talented and knowledgeable assistant saves time (=money.) And any decent photog will just add your day rate to the fee anyway. So an assistant with stripes deserves a decent day rate, and after a couple of months of regular for-free work, you should suggest getting paid. You will know right away if the photog is taking the mickey, in which case you take what you have learned and quietly look elsewhere, or if he/she is genuine, in which case, stick with that person and build the trust.

Every photographer has a different way of doing things and we can be really uncommunicative bastards with assistants, though we might chatter like monkeys at the model or sitter, so you need to be a bit of a mind-reader-- keep watching and learn what the photog is looking for-- does that glance mean he/she needs to confirm the light reading? Wants another lens but it's in the case and the flow is going well? Needs a light shifted? Once you know more be prepared to make suggestions but do it really quietly in the photog's ear--noticed a cable lying where it shouldn't? Whisper it, then quickly move it when you get the nod-- do NOT tell everyone; as an assistant part of your job is to make the photog look like a star; just the way it is.

If you stay with the photog and all goes well, sooner or later he/she will tell you to take over the camera, most likely once he/she has done all the paying pix anyway. He/she will watch you like a hawk and PLEASE DO NOT try to upstage--we are all hyper-sensitive prima-donnas at heart. But this is how trust is developed, and if all goes well, you'll sometime be getting a call that goes "Look, I have a job I can't manage because I'm committed elsewhere--would you like to take a look at it?" Do not be offended when you find it's the most basic assignment that any twit with a camera could do--just do your best.

Some time after that you can send me the chocolates.