The job of the photography assistant may seem simple enough: hold and move various lights, make adjustments to equipment, lug various pieces of equipment, and complete whatever other tasks the photographer needs. It is much more difficult than this, however, and if you want to become a photography assistant, you will need to learn as much as possible about photography, lighting, and even modeling in some cases. You can become a photography assistant after completing a college degree or post-secondary training program, but you can also enter this field if you have learned photography skills on your own with no formal education.
The title of photography assistant can be misleading, since most assistants are actually photographers themselves who are trying to crack the market and gain more work experience. This means if you want to become a photography assistant, you will need to learn at least the basics of photography and lighting techniques. This can be done through a post-secondary program, though you can also learn many of the skills and techniques with no formal education by getting a camera and experimenting. The toughest part about being a photographer is learning about proper lighting; this is one of the reasons it is advantageous to become a photography assistant. You can learn from the lead photographer and translate those skills into your own business.
Once you feel confident in your abilities as a photographer, you have several options to consider if you want to become a photography assistant. If you went to school for photography, your school's career counseling office or an academic advisor may be able to help you seek out assistantships with various photographers. Otherwise, you may need to research photographers in your area and submit resumes to them. They may or may not be interested in taking you on as an assistant; it depends on the volume of work they do on a regular basis, the type of shooting they do, and other factors pertaining to the industry and business end of any assistantship.
In some cases, you may be able to become a second shooter. This means if the photographer covers an event such as a wedding, he or she will pay you to come along and take photos as well. Your photos will supplement his photos; this is a great way to ensure all the key action at the event gets chronicled. In other cases, you may be taken on as an unpaid assistant who is simply present to observe and to adjust equipment as necessary.
