Photographer's Assistant?

[Bluejacket]

I've just retired from the Navy, and while my pension isn't enough to live on, it does give me a -little- flexibility in looking for a new job. While I dream of the possibility of someday earning a living with my camera, that's a far-off goal, and possibly unrealistic.

A friend of mine (who's a semi-pro photographer in another state) suggested calling some local studios and asking them if they need a "photographer's assistant", which I understand involves a lot of scut work, phone answering, doing all the PITA stuff the photographer doesn't like doing, etc.

I've done my googling for the job title and am sifting through that, but this forum is so helpful in other areas I thought I would get some input here.

My questions are:
1) What background do I need? I'm entirely self taught, with no college courses, let alone degrees or certifications. The closest I have to formal training is one workshop.

2) How good do I have to be? While I know more than most casual camera users, I don't think I am anywhere near "pro" level or even semi- pro....

3) What do I need to do or say that I at least don't sound like a complete idiot and waste their time?

4) Anything else?

Thanks in advance...

[AZ4Runner]

BlueJacket,

First off, congrats on your retirement, and thank you for serving. All too often our vets do not get the respect they deserve.

Secondly, going the assistant route is a good way to build your skills that may lead you to the path of a professional photographer.

Your friend had the right idea about calling local photographers and seeing if they need a hand. You'll more than likely have to have more than "a desire to help," in order to get the job though.

Photographers hire assistants for different reasons. One might be looking to augment his/her ability to shoot events (second or third camera angle). They may be looking to offload some of their post processing, or even handle the logistics required to complete their assignments. One of my photographer friends has several assistants he uses. Some he uses to help "entertain" the model, some he uses as "equipment monkeys," some he uses as additional camera angles to make sure he captures everything he thinks he'll need. It all depends on the job.

Basically, the more prepared you are going into the discussions/interview with the photographer, the better off you'll be.

One thing I've learned is it never hurts to have an up to date resume. While initially it may be low on photography experience, it may show more of your ability to handle more than flipping burgers or waiting until the fry daddy beeps.

Another thing you'll want to do is put together a portfolio. You may want to build one consisting of just your photographs, and another with any digital work you've done (photo editing, web site design, illustrations, etc).

If you're worried about certain skills you may need, take a few classes at the local school/community college/online course.

Hope this helps,
Jim