The Photographer's Assistant Handbook

Rating:
Summary: A Good Place to Start
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: For every assistant's kit
Review: I am the author of The Location Photographer's Handbook and have been a photographer for thirty years. I've just enjoyed my first reading of The Photographic Assistant Handbook.

It is, of course, thorough and informative as one would expect from Matt Proulx. It's also written in a breezy yet crisp, clear, and professional manner. I think it goes a long way to putting readers at ease about the stress of photographic apprenticeship, a valuable service in itself.

There were many things I learned, from a trick about monitoring flashes placed far from the camera, to better ways to cut seamless paper, to a clever idea for checking in luggage carts on flights.

Matt's book should be part of any assistant's standard kit, along with the sharpies, scissors, and gaffers tape. It wouldn't hurt those of us who have graduated to careers to stock it as well.

Rating:
Summary: The defacto reference for Photo Assistants
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: The defacto reference for Photo Assistants
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: A "Has to be Readen" Book
Review: In my opinion , this is a great book which everybody working in this industry (assistants and fotographer) should have a look on.

As a rookie Photographer, this book helps me a lot to understand how this industry is working and I am currently saving a lot of money using some ideas taken out of this book.

I think it is not necessarely to add more descriptions on this book as the summaries of Gary Gladstone and Tim Trautmann are very well done.

Rating:
Summary: Great book...a true head start for assistants!
Review: Super book! I don't live in a big city so it's hard to get this information from other assistants. There aren't any here. This is time well spent. Matt knows his stuff and gives us a good insider's glimpse of how to work the jobs and, best, how to keep learning.

His section on interviews with assistants who are working with the really big names in the business broadens the scope of information. These people are the best of the best (like Matt) and he has pulled their words and experiences into the lessons for us to read. Super!

Apparently, the reader (here) from Lake Villa, IL misses the point when she/he claims that by working as an assistant for ten years, Matt is somehow lacking. She/he goes on the say that's not typical. Well, I know assistants who have worked longer and wonder why it's a negative to work as an assistant for a long time? Some of us work for two months and some work for fifteen years. What difference does it make? Matt's term as an assistant obviously qualified him to write the best book on the subject. I'm sure business is good in Lake Villa, but I wonder if having "made the step" as soon as she/he did means anything at all? Did it help her/him to become good enough to write a book?

Some assistants, like photographers, keep learning for years and years. It's never "done." It's about a process. Matt has spent the time well, becoming the best in the business (according to some of the reviewers) and I'm just glad he wrote this book to share the good stuff with us.

"Lake Villa" reviewer writes "Proulx never made the decision to "take the last step" and start a business of his own."

I attended a recent seminar given by Matt and I saw his portfolio and some recent jobs. He's started his career in a big way. Maybe in a few years, he'll write the book for those of us who (hopefully) are becoming "people" shooters for advertising.

In the meantime...thanks for the head start, Matt.

Ellie H

Rating:
Summary: Finally, a great book for assistants (and photographers!)
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Finally, a great book for assistants (and photographers!)
Review: 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.