[by Shawn Henry]
Assisting can be physically challenging — lugging heavy cases of equipment is no easy task. But as in most other aspects of life, brains matter far more than brawn when it comes to performing the duties of an assistant.
Once the gear’s set, the real value of a quality assistant shines through and a proverbial 98 pound weakling who’s attentive throughout the shoot proves far more valuable than a linebacker who daydreams about his own future career or — even worse — refuses to ignore the buzz of his phone announcing the latest incoming texts.
My friend and fellow ASMP member, Kat Woronowicz, always encourages her subjects to be “present” during her shoots. I believe this is great advice for assistants, as well.
What exactly does that mean for an assistant? It means being attentive and engaged throughout the shoot; watching out for things that the photographer might be missing when she is focused on photographing the subject. Are all of the lights firing? Are they recycling fully as the photographer shoots? Is the subject’s clothing falling oddly? Is something out of place?
And it means anticipating a need before it happens so the flow of the shoot is interrupted as minimally as possible: having a fresh CF card ready, or a new battery handy for the battery powered flash system. Essentially doing all you can to allow the photographer to remain focused on her primary task: capturing the best image possible.
Being present. That’s the best present you can give yourself to ensure a successful assisting career.
Shawn G. Henry is currently a national board member of ASMP. He’s survived for more than 22 years as an Editorial Photographer…