I worked as a photo assistant for about 4 years before I set out on my own in NYC back in the late 70's. I always loved working as an assistant because I was good at it and the final responsibility always rested on the photographer, not me. It gave me tremendous freedom to think out of the box and focus on getting the job done. I have striven to continue in that mindset now that I am the one with all of the responsibility.
So it was fun to be an assistant once again. This time it was for my son William, a junior at William Paterson University. He has been doing a series of odd images involving inside scenes outside in the woods. In this one he was doing his own version of Norman Rockwell's "freedom from want" painting. William did all of the work, he held all of the responsibility and I just pushed the shutter at the appropriate time. I got to be the assistant and once again, I had a ball, just like the old days.
A note about who creates an image. I have never felt that it mattered who pushed the shutter on the camera. The creator of the image is the one who composes and lights the shot. Here is a shot I did for Milkbone. The Grinch arm is mine. My art director pushed the shutter. I consider it my image because I set it up and I lit it.
Now go out there and be the creator!
