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.

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:


The defacto reference for Photo Assistants  Jul 17, 2000 By Tim Trautmann
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.

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:


Finally, a great book for assistants (and photographers!)  Apr 25, 2000 By Joypebble
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.

4 of 4 found the following review helpful:


Must-Read For Prospective Assistants  Jun 23, 2005 By Terry Smith "http://terrysmith.net -- http://terrysmithimages.com"
This book is an absolute must-read for anyone looking at becoming a photographer's assistant. Matt has worked for many different photographers in the New York area. His advice is right-on and his long list of humiliating accidents covers the full gamut of what NOT to do. I didn't come to this book as a prospective assistant but rather as a professional photographer hoping to pick up a few tips and tricks from the author's experience with other photographers, a good spy novel in other words. Therefore, I was most looking forward to Chapter 9, Tips and Tricks. I found a few neat ideas, but nothing that Earth-shattering. Of course, mileage may vary and I readily admit the target audience is for assistants-to-be. If you are coming from that perspective, you unquestionably want to read this book and break out a box of highlighters. It would also be a great read and general overview for high school students thinking about entering the field. The only downside is that the book doesn't cover the digital era, so there is a lot of information about digital workflow and different photographer's preferences in that area which is missing.

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:


Great book...a true head start for assistants!  Feb 13, 2002
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

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