Young Photographers....

Read this morning over on A Photo Editor how a reader wrote in. Here's a brief segment :

In 2007, I graduated from a photography school with very high hopes. The following year, I moved to New York City, and I worked as a photo assistant sparingly, because the pros there weren’t getting enough new work to hire me as often or their current assistants (which they had for years), weren’t moving on to work on their own like they typically would. Towards, the end of ‘08, after running out of money and feeling defeated, I moved back home. Earlier this year, I enrolled in school to get a Masters degree in Accountancy.”

I completely understand how he feels. When I started assisting in the late 90s (and when I moved to LA), I didn't know anyone. It took about 2 years to really get into the game. In a weird way I feel the same way today - I recently decided to move to a new photography niche where I know no one, don't have any connections and working from ground zero again.

Now days, I spend my time making promo cards, calling people, doing my best to network. I don't expect to get very far this year. I see it as building my foundation. This year, they'll get to know me, next year they'll hire me. I refuse to believe in all the doom and gloom.

So i suppose my advice to young photographers out there is to keep going, keep pushing the path. Take jobs that'll help pay the bills but always keep working to where you want to be. Photography isn't a 9 to 5 gig, it is pretty much your whole life. And you can't just put one or two years in it. It takes time. Persist, persist, persist.

By the way, for those interested in getting into assisting, APA/LA will be having their Assistant Bootcamp coming up in a few months. They'll already have it listed in their events over at their site here.