What do you pay your assistants...?

John Straus
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · What do you pay your assistants...?

So I shoot weddings and events for studios. I also am a commercial photo assistant. I have a photographer who is a friend of a photographer I assist for. He want's me to assist for him on some engagement shoots 2-3hrs and some wedding days 8hrs. He's heavy into lighting and his gear, I would consider him a high end shooter. What would you pay an assistant for these types of gigs? I'm in the Chicago area and commercial assisting rates range from $350-450 for a 10hr day. I have no idea what the wedding market is like for assisting so I am just trying to get a handle on any of it...

If you don't want to say on the forum just PM me!!
Thanks for any advice...

Apr 19, 2024 at 01:45 PM

Njphotostudio
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · What do you pay your assistants...?

following

Apr 22, 2024 at 10:33 AM

MazeRunner
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · What do you pay your assistants...?

For assisting, I do:
$25-30+/hr if I don't need them to do much (they're pretty much idle 30-70% of the time)
$50+/hr if I need them to always be working + knowledgable as well.

For second shooting, I usually pay $100+/hr, but I require they use pretty much top end gear with solid fundamentals and/or have a stellar portfolio if not using latest and greatest.

Based out of NYC.

Edited on Aug 28, 2024 at 11:45 PM · View previous versions

Apr 23, 2024 at 02:34 PM

tazo
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · What do you pay your assistants...?

Yeah, I agree with Maze.

Apr 24, 2024 at 04:25 PM

John Straus
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · What do you pay your assistants...?

Thanks for the info and the pay range based on what you need assistants to do. That helps a lot, as well as knowing where you are in the US as pay rates vary a lot based on that.

It'd be great to have some other photogs post rate ranges as we're all over the US and elsewhere.

Thanks
JS

Apr 28, 2024 at 09:34 AM

georgiasheridanphoto
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · What do you pay your assistants...?

Wedding photographers in NYC usually pay $65-100 for second shooters.

May 09, 2024 at 07:30 PM


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