Photographic assistants…a luxury or a necessity?

[Eposure_tim]

With the birth of digital age and the use of post-production techniques playing an important role in photo shoots, it makes me wonder about today’s use of photographic assistants. Are there fewer opportunities to keep learning the art of picture taking, once graduates have left the educational fold?

OK here’s a few questions:-

- With equipment getting smaller, lighter and budgets getting tighter, is the use of an assistant a luxury rather than a necessity?

- Are tomorrow’s photographers missing out on invaluable exposure to battle hardened professional senior photographers, and is this to the detriment of the future standards of photography?

- With fewer opportunities to assist, are graduates left with no other alternative but to take the plunge to become photographers and just learn on the job?

It would be great to hear your thoughts
Tim