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Not to mention a flowing white scarf, and sunglasses even at midnight. :ROTFL:Just wanted to add, when I was assisting while living in NYC back in the early 80, The photographer I was working for shot mostly for Conde Nast Publications, Vogue, Self Magazine, and lots of modern brides, the funniest part about the whole process is when I use to go drop off the chromes at Conde Nast, I would sometimes hang around and watch the fashion editor and assistant editor go through the images on the light table, Talk about subjective process, if you were a lower down employee and didn't automatically go with what the editor said, you were history.
The business at least back in the 80's was all politics. Yet... If you have an S2 that may at least get you in the door.
There are thousands of assaults on the vision and integrity of these top creative people. The Ducks try to nibble every idea to shreds. The more subjective the endeavor, the more Ducks that gang up on it. The people that consistently make new ideas successfully, are often iron-minded in their own self belief, and shield themselves from the constant assault of the more compromise minded.
Frankly, IMO, we need more a-holes and less ducks.
-Marc
Assisting is a very safe way. And the best school.
I'm currently assisting a big boy, so big prods, international top models etc...
My advices,
- be usefull
- shut your mouth
- you will learn very fast what is possible to do and what is regarded as delicate
- build your personality with discretion but surely. It means keep yourself at your place, you are learning, but be you, be joyfull, express your views.
- Observe a lot what is happening.
- Be interested in fashion, not only the models but brands, fabrics etc...
- Talk a lot with everybody, specially the stylists and models.
- Be ready to earn very little for awhile (or nothing at all)
- and be ready to spend a lot of hours in pp
- just learn the backstage circus because that is from there that you will grow (and not so much from the book because there are zillion good books)
- build yourself a great book and webpage but again, this is probably not what will makes it happen.
- Make sure you have a team mentality and a businessman spirit also, fashion is commercial first and art second.
- Accept the fact that unless people actually ask for you particularly, you are not going to have a great wealphy life with it only.
- You need to be sure that you can handle presure, competition, sordid stuff and be mentaly strong.
- The S2 will not give you any advantage at all, at least in High fashion or Couture. But in smaller stuff you will shine with it... for awhile.
- You will hear and see a lot of things, there are celebs etc...never talk out of the business about what you are seeing.
- Be very consistent, don't give-up.
shut your mouth, vs, Talk a lot with everybody, specially the stylists and models...Excellent advice (the last line esp)
Only how do you do both #2 and #7?
As an asst you have to be very careful who you talk to, when you talk and what you talk about.
The one point not yet made is that you have to learn all you can about Fashion, Fashion Designers, Fashion Models, Fashion Stylists, Fashion MUA's, Fashion Publications, and well you probably get it now.The question is simple. How does one become a fashion photographer?