Ellie. Photography Assistant & Photographer

Ellie is a twenty-three-year-old Photography Assistant and Photographer from London. She has been in the Photography industry for nearly two years.

How did you get into your field? What inspired you?

‘I wasn't one of those photography kids that was taking photos before I could walk. I was always good at art throughout school and I picked photography as an A-level subject and realised it came to me much more naturally then anything else I ever studied. I spent all my free periods in the photography suits, creating my work and I loved it.’

’I was going to do an art foundation but my teachers really pushed me to go and specialise in photography. I might not have gone into studying it at University if it wasn't for them. In my first summer of University I was lucky enough to have an internship with duo Photographers Hill and Aubrey. Even though I had studied photography for a year, I had never really seen how photographers run a business, nor did I know before I spent my summer with them if I even wanted to be a photographer. My time with them was one of my more valuable and inspiring learning curves that’s really led me to take the route I am taking now, working as a photography assistant.’

What did you study at school and university and did this help you get into your field?

‘I studied photography at A-Level, this was where I found my real love for the subject. I then went onto Nottingham Trent University to study Photography. Studying photography at University isn’t essential to entering the profession and a lot of photographers have done very well without doing so, however, for me it really gave me a chance to grow. It gave me three years to develop a portfolio, explore ideas and to learn how to talk about my work critically. At university students are challenged to always have a reason behind the images and understand themselves as an artist while doing so. This can be challenging.’

Do you recommend any particular studies, courses or degrees for your field?

‘Falmouth, Bournemouth Arts, Nottingham Trent, Brighton and Westminster all offer great BA Photography courses. If you don’t fancy going to university I would still say it is worth doing a short course, so you can talk about your work in a critical way to other people; Central St Martins do really good short summer courses. It’s key to be able to talk critically about your work, also to be able to take criticism, art is subjective and you need to be able to back your work up.’

What does an average day look like in your role?

‘Everyday is different; you’re with different teams on most shoots. Typically, I will arrive at the location of the shoot; first port of call is helping the photographer up to the shoot location with their kit. I will then make sure I have introduced myself to as much of the team as possible, as its often the first time you’ve worked with these people. I will then go and find all the equipment, checking everything is there. The photographer then tends to tell myself and the other assistant (if there is one) the lighting plan for the day, and we will begin to set everything up. Once we have set the lighting and camera up we will start to do lighting tests. Once the photographer and the client are happy with the lighting, the shoot will begin.’

‘Throughout the day I will constantly be on the look-out for any technical problems that come up, any lighting changes we need to do, loading film in and out of cameras, keeping equipment tidy and making sure the photographer has everything they need. At the end of the day we will break down the set, putting the equipment away as it was delivered to us.’

What is the best part of your role?

‘Learning… I am learning so much. With every shoot I take something new away from it, it might not always be technical knowledge, but how you do or don’t want to be as a photographer. The aim for most assistants is to eventually be a photographer. Lighting is a large part of a shoot and is essential in photography, rarely is one lighting set-up the same as the last. I just absolutely love being on shoots, seeing an image being created from a blank canvas and being around like-minded people. Through assisting I have been on some unbelievable shoots, been to some amazing places and met so many great people, the whole thing is incredible to be part of. Seeing a huge production unfold is very exciting. In terms of my own personal work, earlier this year one of my stories was on the cover of Dreamingless Magazine issue 50, I was on a high for days! I also have another editorial that recently came out for Flanelle magazine; it was so exciting to see!’

What is the worst part of your role?

‘Freelancing definitely has its perks. I do have photographers I regularly work with and I have full control of my time but I am not going to the same place everyday with the same people, and I struggle not having that daily routine. I don’t have colleagues to bounce off day to day, I don’t have a manager or anyone to sit next to at work and fire questions at, or even a colleague to just quickly proof read an email for me. I never really know what time I am going to start or finish work. These are little things, but it often makes it hard to make plans or have routines. When you have a quiet week with work it is really hard to not get anxious about why there isn’t any work coming in, but it usually does in the end. Also having to do my own tax return!!!’

How important is work life balance to you and how much spare time do you have?

‘It really depends on how busy I am with work. When I am quiet with work and am spending a lot of time on my own I will make an extra effort to go to gym classes and meet friends or family in the evening. When I am quiet with assisting I put my efforts into planning and doing my own shoots, collaborating with make up artists, stylists and models. It is important to put what you learn through assisting into practice. I would like to say work/life balance is important, however being freelance I take whatever work comes up, when it comes and then try and relish that spare time when I am quiet again… this is a work in progress.’

Do you have any hobbies?

‘I am lucky that my career is my hobby but I have realised in this time of self-isolation I am lacking in the personal hobbies area. I spend a lot of with my friends and I love doing gym classes, swimming and going to exhibitions. I spend a lot of my spare time planning and doing my own shoots. During quarantine I have started painting and reading. I definitely want to bring this forward with me when life starts getting back to ‘normal’.’

Do you have any advice for people looking to start a career in the same field?

‘I think the key is networking and persevering. It is all about meeting as many people as you can, showing your passion and interest. Just being nice to people goes a long way. It takes a while and like any industry, you have to work your way up from the bottom. Also make sure you collaborate with other makeup artists and stylists and do your own test shoots as much as possible!’

Have you ever experienced any uncertainties about your career? What did you do to overcome them?

‘Definitely, the photography industry is incredibly hard to get into. You have to have drive, be good at networking and put yourself out there a lot - especially at the beginning of assisting. You are handling a lot of expensive equipment that you have probably seen before but never actually used and shoots can be fast paced and a high-pressure environment, sometimes things go wrong and it is easy to blame yourself. Always ask questions if you don’t know how to use something, everyone’s got to learn somehow!’

‘At the beginning I was working as a Studio Assistant in photography studios. It is long hours, often starting at 7 or 8am and not leaving till 10 or 11pm, spending most of my day cleaning and painting coves. It can be disheartening and physically exhausting. I had to keep reminding myself that although this is gruelling work, I am in the right environment.

Eventually people started to recognise my hard work and they started inviting me to work for them! The majority of photo assistants are male due to the physical nature of the job. As a female I have had to prove that I am able to lift equipment and get the job done as well as the next guy, if not better. Occasionally, I have had to ask help when lifting equipment; sometimes I find this embarrassing, even though I shouldn’t. This makes me unnecessarily doubt myself as an assistant.’

‘It is also easy to constantly worry about when the next job is going to come in, but every freelancer has quiet weeks and months and that’s ok. Work always crops back up and before you know it you’re so busy you’re waiting for that quiet day.’

Who is your biggest female inspiration and why?

‘I am lucky that I am surrounded by so many inspirational female figures through family and friends. My Mum did a Doctorate in Psychology while looking after 3 teenagers at home, and continues to make a difference in people’s lives everyday… that’s pretty inspiring. I am always inspired when I meet female photo assistants and photographers. I am seeing more and more female assistants come through which is an inspiration to see in a male dominated area of the industry. The determination that female photographers have to have to develop themselves within a female minority alone is inspiring; I hope in the years to come I will be part of the pool of inspirational female photographers.’