Can anyone here offer any advice on how to approach and talk to a professional photographer you admire to ask them to be a mentor to you and or work as an assistant? I'm sure pro photographers get a million inquiries a day asking. How do you stand out and not seem desperate? I don't see this covered much on the Internet.
Flattery works wonders. Honestly, that's how Maher ended up as my assistant. He sent me a flickrmail or email saying how much he enjoyed my work and offered to help out if I ever needed some assistance, and I took him up on it. He helped me on numerous photo shoots (and he learned how to light), and I helped him make various camera gear buying decisions as well. It was a symbiotic relationship.
Now that he's gone back home to the Middle East, I have two people lined up to help me out whenever I need it. They approached me in much the same way, both via personal contacts.
Then again, Amber used to assist me all the time, so you could just try sleeping with the photographer first...
Last edited by Sean Setters; 01-09-2012 at 08:49 PM.
A good way to open the door is to pay for the privilege. Find a pro that you respect that offers lessons. Pay for a few lessons, improve your skills, find your style and doors may start to open. Just like we all like to invest in glass, invest in lessons in your passion. The more you do that the more credibility you will earn and you may start getting invited on shoots. Of course this is more likely if you are shooting landscape, not shooting super models on closed sets, but you never know your luck.
There are some great pros that publish their work on Flickr and have blog sites describing their shoots and plenty of people that develop relationships through those sites and share tips and insights and eventually work together. Even the dreaded Facebook helps a lot of passionate photogs to get their start.
You will stand out by how much you are prepared to sacrifice to make it happen. By sacrifice, I mean time and dedication.
Good luck.
Steve U
Wine, Food and Photography Student and Connoisseur
I think you're great Sean and look good in a beany and you can almost get away with being a counterfeit gangsta/rappa, but this price is too high...Originally Posted by Sean Setters
Steve U
Wine, Food and Photography Student and Connoisseur
Originally Posted by Sean Setters
Then again, Amber used to assist me all the time, so you could just try sleeping with the photographer first...
Thanks guys, for the best laugh I had all day!
Just try asking, email them or give them a call.
We dont bite :-)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote