Becoming A Digital Tech

/ 29 July, 2014 /

A few months ago, I took on an internship as a digital tech and assistant, fulfilling a dream I've had for a few years now.  It's cheesy when you say it like that though, but that's the truth.  From what I've heard, assistants usually end up digital tech and that's how they go about becoming one.  I've known going in this was the route I wanted to take.  

An assistant friend of mine suggested it when I listed off my years troubleshooting gear, repairing macs for fun, and the amount of techie info he could probe me for.  Looked into it and that's as far as it got in the time.  Though I had no idea how to become a digital tech.  Sent out emails to some photographers, answered Craigslist ads, had a few interviews, hit up friends in that field.   Nada.  There were scheduling conflicts with my then-job or they wanted all my time.  I had to let things go fallow and focus on other things.  

Then one day, by chance, I was on Craigslist looking up jobs and within that hour, Milk Studios had posted up an internship with their digital department.  I couldn't believe it.  I applied on a whim and said here's hoping.  A few days later I received an email to come in and a week later I was hired!  Couldn't believe my luck.  Spent 4 months interning, asking endless questions, jotting down everything in my moleskin notebook, running gear out, putting together gear, testing workstations.  I wouldn't say they teach you to be a digital tech, however if you note the gear and ask the right questions, you're on your way.  You learn industry standards and habits to make your life easier later on.  Suddenly all the gear you stared at while at Samy's Camera finally makes sense.

I said my farewells at Milk and off I went, free-floating again.  The difference was knowing what to look for and as much as I hate to say it, having a top-tier studio in my resume didn't hurt.  The interview replies came sooner at least.  But they weren't what I was interested in.  Then another chance Craigslist ad popped up from a fashion photographer who wanted someone with a PR / marketing background, tech smarts, and could assistant.  That had my name all over it!  His work was something I wanted to be a part of - cleanly lit, driven by intense visuals, and minor details which made the photo sing.  I sent in a revised resume and 2 days later, I was hired!  A couple weeks later, he gave me a test as a digital tech on a small shoot.  It was nerve-wracking and phenomenal! I had finally achieved that daydream I had some years ago. 

Mind you, it's an unpaid internship, but it feels great to finally do something you love.  It's been a learning experience figuring things out, working with the photographer to address his concerns, trying different workflows, smoothing out winkles in his shoots, and working with top gear.  It's even better knowing years of collective knowledge, tricks, tips, schooling, and hacking have finally come together into something I could do all day long (which is good when you consider how long shoots are when you consider pre and post shoot time).  

I've gone on to rack up a number of high-profile shoots under this photog's wing, with 3 A-list shoots next month...something unimaginable 6 months ago.  I'm curious where the next 6 months will take me....

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