A
astrostu
Guest
The Question: Is it realistic to e-mail a few photographers in the area asking if they'd consider using me as an assistant / 2nd shooter for weddings, but limited to at most 1 or 2 a month?
The Longer Background: I've been looking into the wonderful wide world of wedding photography lately, but I'm not in a position time-, equipment-, nor skill-wise where I could actually advertise myself as a wedding photographer. I've done one wedding as an unofficial shooter who posed people while the hired gun was working with others, just after his own shots (with his permission), and after he was done (before the ceremony). And I did the reception. I think I did pretty well considering at the time I didn't have an external flash nor did I realize what shooting RAW meant.
So I'd like to get some experience (and some cash), but I'm a full-time grad student. I'm at the part of my graduate career where I'm just doing research so I'm not limited by classes, but it's technically a full-time job so while I could devote time to the photography, it can't take up too much time. I think I could reasonably commit to one or two weddings a month, assuming that means a full day at the wedding and about 10-20 hrs post-processing.
So back to the question: Do you think that a professional wedding photographer (who already uses assistants) would be willing to take me on given my time constraints? Or my lack of experience (though everyone has to start somewhere ...).
I do have a portfolio I can show, though unfortunately that wedding was 2 years ago and I've grown a lot as a photographer (and equipment) since then. My other portfolio stuff is limited mainly to landscapes, lightbox, and a few people scattered in there.
Oh, and the practical question of what you think I could expect to make in such a venture? I assume it would probably be some percentage of the fee.
The Longer Background: I've been looking into the wonderful wide world of wedding photography lately, but I'm not in a position time-, equipment-, nor skill-wise where I could actually advertise myself as a wedding photographer. I've done one wedding as an unofficial shooter who posed people while the hired gun was working with others, just after his own shots (with his permission), and after he was done (before the ceremony). And I did the reception. I think I did pretty well considering at the time I didn't have an external flash nor did I realize what shooting RAW meant.
So I'd like to get some experience (and some cash), but I'm a full-time grad student. I'm at the part of my graduate career where I'm just doing research so I'm not limited by classes, but it's technically a full-time job so while I could devote time to the photography, it can't take up too much time. I think I could reasonably commit to one or two weddings a month, assuming that means a full day at the wedding and about 10-20 hrs post-processing.
So back to the question: Do you think that a professional wedding photographer (who already uses assistants) would be willing to take me on given my time constraints? Or my lack of experience (though everyone has to start somewhere ...).
I do have a portfolio I can show, though unfortunately that wedding was 2 years ago and I've grown a lot as a photographer (and equipment) since then. My other portfolio stuff is limited mainly to landscapes, lightbox, and a few people scattered in there.
Oh, and the practical question of what you think I could expect to make in such a venture? I assume it would probably be some percentage of the fee.