The Photographer's Assistant Handbook (Paperback)

by Matt Proulx (Author) "So, you're crazy enough to want to be a photographer's assistant?..." (more)
Key Phrases: shoot vest, strobe head, set cart, New York, Gary Gladstone, Jay Maisel (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The Photographer's Assistant Handbook is a text that offers industry insights to assistants in the field. This book includes the required skills and responsibilities of an assistant, details of professional business practices, and provides technical tips and tricks to help assistant's carve their path in the industry.

The Photographer's Assistant Handbook includes everything from how to achieve the necessary mindset, to the everyday tools an assitant should carry. Assistants will learn valuable tips on how to get a job, improve their own photographic techniques, and how to transition from a professional assistant to a professional photographer.

Essential for photographer's assistants or those looking to break into assisting
Teaches required skills and lists the responsibilities of the job
Useful technical tips, tricks and shortcuts

From the Publisher
The author covers everything a good photographer's assistant should know: from required skills and responsibilities to business practices, lighting techniques, equipment, safety and technical tips, tricks and shortcuts. Assistants will learn valuable tips about shaping their careers, interviewing and transitioning to shooter. This book provides all the information needed to guide a rookie assistant through their career to professional photographer.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press (April 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240804139
• ISBN-13: 978-0240804132
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #709,559 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Place to Start, July 2, 2001

By	CMOS (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

A little background: I'm a freelance photographer, not an assistant. I bought this book right after I got out of photography school as a means of learning more about the industry and what potential photography-related jobs might be available to me. What I came to understand is this: if you think being an assistant is a cool part-time job or just something you'll do until you can start making money as a photographer, think again. The most compelling reason to work as a studio assistant is to learn how studio photography works (and doesn't work), and it takes time to do this -- generally years and not months.

Also, if you have no intentions of getting into studio photography, this book may be of limited use to you. While various disciplines are discussed at one point, they are not covered in enough detail to really help you understand what's going on. In short, this book is about helping photographers to set up a scene (either in a studio, a church or an office building) and photograph that scene. Some examples would be fashion photography, weddings, food, products, still lifes, etc.

That said, Proulx gives a wealth of information about what it's like to be on the set of a photo-shoot and generally leaves no stone unturned. You quickly realize that buying a box of doughnuts or cleaning a bathroom sink will be just as much a part of your job as setting up backdrops or strobe lights. It's not glamorous and it's not high-paying, but if you want to learn how a successful studio operates (so that you can run your own one day) there's no better way. Perhaps the most valuable asset this book provides are all the little tips and tricks of the trade...how to negotiate terms of pay, what kind of tape you need, how to keep your tools organized, etc.

However, I find it a little disconcerting that Mr. Proulx cosiders himself as still learning the trade even though he's been doing assitant work for over ten years (if memory serves me correctly). That is not typical I can assure you and I think it is something the author overlooks in terms of his advice to people starting out. The bottom line is, you can learn a lot from being an assistant for a couple of years and it will help you tremendously when setting up your own business, .... It would seem Proulx never made the decision to "take the last step" and start a business of his own.

.... If you're interested in studio photography, get this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The defacto reference for Photo Assistants, July 16, 2000

By	Tim Trautmann (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I ordered Matt's book a couple of weeks before my first assisting job. In retrospect, I would have been very ill prepared without Matt's easy to read book. The various checklists and lists of tools were worth the price of the book alone. In addition, the book discusses and describes in detail how to get work, how the relationship between assistant, photographer and the photographer's client should be held and various details including how and when to get paid, what an assistant's responsibilities are and how to solve various common problems. In later chapters you will get tips on how to plan you career and how to make the jump from assistant to shooter. In short, to the serious assistant and those that want to become successful in this field, this book is worth every penny of it's price.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a great book for assistants (and photographers!), April 25, 2000

By	Joypebble (Back East, USA) - See all my reviews

This is a wonderful book, packed with secrets and essentialinformation for people wanting to enter the profession of commercialphotography. Assisting is a great way to learn thebusiness.

Matt's easy to read personable (and sometimes outright funny) text reveals a deep understanding not only of the fine points of assisting but how starting photographers, working without assistants, should manage their jobs. This is a book not just for assistants but also for pros who want an insider's look at how the bigger jobs are done successfully and what a good assistant can bring to the shoot.

Matt offers tricks that are worth their weight in gold to keep disasters from happening on your next job.

Photographers wondering how to start working with an assistant and what to expect from one should read this book too.

So this is not just for assistants. If you're a photographer that doesn't yet know it all I (I'm one) then you need to read The Photographer's Assistant Handbook. It will help make you a good assistant and a better photographer.

Disclosure: I'm one of many pros mentioned in this book. Matt has learned and taught well.