Why make it formal?

Most photographers in Boston, should they be in need of assistants or second shooters, can easily post an ad online and find someone. However, I know just how hard it can be to get any gigs and be heard when people ask for help, especially if you don’t come from a formal photography school background or haven’t made that personal connection with a photographer. I started this program to identify hidden gems and elevate them to their fullest potential.  In addition, these people get first dibs on much of the overflow work I receive. Also, it’s just who I am! I formalize things because I think people will benefit from it. However, you’re really going to become my friend, not some lackey, I provide a lot in return. I don’t think there are many industry secrets, and I’m a believer in providing open information to those who would take it and do something really positive with it.

Who is the assistant program for?

If you are an aspiring photographer who might consider entering wedding photography part- or full-time in the next two years, and you already have some experience in lifestyle photography and want to take the often-scary step to get into weddings, I’m looking for you! You cannot have shot more than two weddings where you were considered the primary photographer. Unfortunately this coming year the program will be much more limited, but, for the lucky few who will get to work with me, I think it will be worthwhile as we will be starting in summer of 2010 and having frequent interaction online!

What is expected?

The second year of the assistant program will be much more formalized than the first, but the time commitment is expected to be less as I’m only around for the summer. As an assistant, you will start out assisting on some of the weekday lifestyle sessions I have this summer. You will often be allowed to take photos to add to your portfolio when it’s unobtrusive, but they cannot be sold or published outside of your own domain, and you must always make it clear when a shoot was directed by me. In addition, you’re expected to actively support the missions and goals of Shang Chen Photography. Starting in the 2011 season (~May – October), you will be expected to be able to function as a paid second shooter. You will get regular tips from me that address both the business and art side of wedding photography, and critiques, things you otherwise would have to pay someone in a workshop to teach you or go to school for. You will receive exposure on my blog and referrals for overflow work. You will likely be able to assist on anywhere between 3 – 5 weddings depending on my bookings. By the end of the 2011 season you will have completed the program and should be able to launch your own business! You’re also expected to start investing real money – this is not for an “amateur hobbyist”, this is really for someone who wants this on a professional level (part-time or full-time). The only thing you will not be able to receive from me are my post-processing techniques. Otherwise, I’m pretty open with what I have and I will often direct you to the same resources I’ve used myself.

What kind of an assistant are you looking for?

It is highly preferred that you have a similar work ethic and approach to photography as I do, I’m known to be rather intense, I expect the utmost professionalism. You are involved in social media, you blog or plan to be blogging regularly, you are present and active on Facebook and Twitter. You should know how to change the look of a photograph by controlling aperture, shutter speed, or ISO, and you should have done at minimal some portrait work. Understanding of how to use on-camera flash is a plus, but not required. Your style is modern and personal and should have elements that are either similar or complement mine – your portfolio matters. You may hold a full-time job but it is expected that you can make Saturday commitments months in advance and not back out at the last minute – I do not tolerate flakiness and a cancellation on a wedding with very little notice and a poor excuse will result in immediate dismissal from the program. You are very responsible and you love email and you normally reply to emails in a timely (<48 hr) manner.

How many assistants are you looking for?

Two in Boston and possibly one in Chicago (pending how bookings work out). You will have a soft start with me in July / August 2010, I will expect you to be available between May and October 2011. The Chicago assistant you will be spending time with me from September 2010 to June of 2011.

Application Qualifications

- Post-college women and men who desire to enter the wedding photography business. No college students, with the one exception being photography majors
- Has not photographed more than two weddings as the primary photographer (exceptions may be considered)
- Has had portrait experience and intermediate understanding of digital photography
- Must own a DSLR and at least one prime lens (or plan on getting one)
- Involved in social media (blog, Facebook, and Twitter)
- Must plan on residing within Boston metropolitan area until October 2011 (for the Boston position)
- Must have a valid driver’s license and am comfortable driving various cars

Submission Guidelines

- Please send an email to shang[at]shangchenphoto.com with your full name, background on your experience with photography, and link to an online portfolio with 10 – 15 of your best images (or if it’s not online, I’ll provide instructions for sending it to me), how you found out about this opportunity, by noon eastern time on Sunday, June 20th, 2010. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and I may close this early if I have fulfilled what I’m looking for
- You may be asked to provide answers to a more detailed questionnaire or meet me for an interview. Not all people will be interviewed

In the meantime, I’ve got some tips for you! Beyond the skill and artistry of a photographer, I’ve seen variations in an individual photographer’s work as well from wedding to wedding to session. There are some factors that are beyond our control – but are in the client’s control – that can help bring their photos up to the next level. After all, we work the best we can with what we are given, but some things do make our lives better and your pictures spectacular.

1. Communication – I want to understand first and foremost what my clients want to look for in their photographs. A lot of clients come to me saying they like “photojournalistic” capture, but then when they point out their favorite photos in my portfolio, they aren’t necessarily what I’d call photojournalistic! Therefore, I really believe in meeting and emailing and staying in constant contact with my clients. The more communication and understanding there is between a photographer and a client, the more prepared we will be going in.

2. Weather – Actually, this is beyond anyone’s control, weather is not the greatest in Boston, but there are things that I do to work around. First off, as a mostly natural light photographer, I almost never do portraits after sunset. In order to make sure there is enough light and time for photographs, the majority of my wedding clients elect to have their portraits taken before the ceremony (a First Look), and no one has regretted it!

3. Give enough time – A wedding day is hectic, many things can go wrong, but if photographs are important to you, you need to plan enough time to take those photos, it takes time to get familiar in front of the camera and get “just 10 great shots”. Depending on the size of your wedding party and the number of family group photos you need, I typically recommend anywhere between 1 – 2.5 hours for photos. You will need more time if you want to travel.

4. Location, location, location – If your reception or ceremony venue is naturally beautiful, then you already have a leg up. However, as I am more of an outdoors photographer, I still spend the majority of pre-session planning with my clients brainstorming multiple locations and settings because a venue might not have a great exterior, and even on the day of the wedding, things can change. Therefore, give yourself more options by being open to multiple locations.

5. Add an engagement session – Why have an engagement session? It’s an opportunity to get to know your photographer early, test out their stuff, and get some great photos at the same time. Couples who have done an engagement session are much more relaxed with me on wedding day.

6. Start with a better canvas  - It’s no secret that the more money and time one invests into a wedding, usually the better it looks. Now, I’m not sitting here telling everyone to spend more money on a wedding. However, things that do make photos better include: Taking the time to get great makeup, good hair, a form-fitting dress, beautiful florals, and details, details, details. If these kinds of provisions are not within your wedding plans, then I’d definitely recommend #7.

7. Personality – You’ve got it, your friends have it, so don’t be afraid to be yourself at your own wedding! Your personality is what is going to make your photographs uniquely yours. In the end, even if a bride had the world’s most beautiful dress, or someone managed to rent out the most expensive venue, I care most about capturing the beautiful union of two people.

One sneak peek from a bridal shoot featuring Bumble Bee Landing’s floral design

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Weddingbee – There are several popular wedding websites out there for planning – I’ve seen theKnot, WeddingWire, Weddingbee, Project Wedding, just to list a couple. The forums at Weddingbee are arranged by topic. Though it also has city-based forums like theKnot, they are not as active. I like Weddingbee the best because it has really easy navigation, the forums make sense, you’re not bombarded with video advertisements, and it allows vendors to post to your questions as well. I think it’s important to get the point of views of both brides and vendors. Also, I like Weddingbee simply because I think brides who like my style would love the galleries, forums, and advice on Weddingbee, my style is very similar to this site! The brides there are nothing but helpful and honest, and answered a question I had on etiquette well!

Hostess with the mostess – This blog doesn’t focus on weddings, but it features tons and tons of creative ideas for bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties, and more. It also frequently has fun giveaways and just feature products that make me want to run out and buy! I was inspired by this blog to do my very own b&w new year’s party. I plan on doing another theme-inspired party for the holidays, stay tuned!

Style Me Pretty – Looking for fresh, modern, romantic inspiration boards that experts have put together using spectacular photography? Brides and photographers alike LOVE Style Me Pretty, and gosh, if I were ever to get published there it’d be amaaazing. Style Me Pretty gets today’s brides, they really do. And they’re not narrowly focused on one category. I think most brides can find something there to relate to

Cake Wrecks – Ready for a laugh? This snarky blog features cake disasters, Monday through Saturday, and cake miracles on Sundays. Now that most of you have been wowed by people on Ace of Cakes and the Cake Boss, it’s time to reverse, and see how bad (and some are reaaaally bad) it could have been.

Get Rich Slowly - No, this has nothing to do with weddings, it’s a blog dedicated completely to personal finance. And a wedding, more than anything, will probably kick even the most Excel-savvy accountant in her butt. This blog offers practical advice on saving, investing, and getting rid of debt. I changed the way I looked at credit cards from this website. I invested all my retirement savings so far in stocks based on their recommendations for people my age. I took a big risk and bought a condo this year (a decision I currently am very positive about, but it was a big decision nonetheless) and this blog helps me evaluate all my other financial behaviors. If you like Suze Orman, but want a blog that your hubby can also read, try GRS. The title says it – few people would ever succeed getting rich overnight, but if you put your money hard at work for you, you can strive to be debt free and smart about your money.

BloomRoom – One night I was wandering on the internet and stumbled upon this blog. I don’t know of many florists who blog, but I think it’s an excellent idea! Florals change throughout the year due to seasonality and availability. This blog offers practical tips on your floral arrangements. I also learned the proper way to hold a bouquet from this blog!

The Big Picture – the Boston Globe puts together a jaw-dropping collection of truly fantastic photojournalistic photos every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from photographers around the world. It’s very eye-opening, compelling, and moving, just the way photojournalism should be.

And finally, to read all these blogs without having to bookmark every page…. use Google Reader! It’s easy to set up, it’s my favorite RSS reader, you can search through your blogs for things you’ve read, you can star favorite posts. It’s also social – like Facebook, you can share articles, comment on them, like them, but unlike Facebook it bookmarks things more easily so I can go back and find everyone. It’s as simple as adding the URL blog by clicking the “Add a Subscription” button, and you’re set from there. You can check out my shared items here, although a warning, they tend to be more on the goofy side =)

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