By David Walker
© Piper Carter
Photographer Piper Carter.
Like many assistants who aspire to be photographers, Piper Carter
couldn't figure out how to make the transition. So she asked Sean
Ellis, whom she was assisting at the time, for advice. His
response? "Quit assisting!"
It took her time to muster the courage to take that advice, but she
finally made her break last January. She figured she'd never be
happy unless she made the leap, and it suddenly seemed like a
now-or-never proposition to her.
Carter, who is based in New York City, has had enviable success
since then. She has shot for a number of top editorial and
commercial clients. One of her most recent jobs, for instance, was
a new campaign for Vanilla Star Jeans featuring the Olympic gold
medal-winning gymnast Nastia Liukin.
We asked Carter to tell us how she made the transition from
assisting. In this video, featuring Carter's portfolio images and
recent assignment work, she explains how she built a portfolio,
promoted herself, and survived those first few months without the
security of any assisting work.
Next week, we'll post another video interview with Seattle
photographer Sherry Loeser, explaining how she made her transition
last fall after a decade of assisting.
How to Quit Assisting And Become a Photographer
A video interview with Piper Carter
Sept 17, 2008
By David Walker
Photographer Piper Carter.
Like many assistants who aspire to be photographers, Piper Carter couldn't figure out how to make the transition. So she asked Sean Ellis, whom she was assisting at the time, for advice. His response? "Quit assisting!"
It took her time to muster the courage to take that advice, but she finally made her break last January. She figured she'd never be happy unless she made the leap, and it suddenly seemed like a now-or-never proposition to her.
Carter, who is based in New York City, has had enviable success since then. She has shot for a number of top editorial and commercial clients. One of her most recent jobs, for instance, was a new campaign for Vanilla Star Jeans featuring the Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Nastia Liukin.
We asked Carter to tell us how she made the transition from assisting. In this video, featuring Carter's portfolio images and recent assignment work, she explains how she built a portfolio, promoted herself, and survived those first few months without the security of any assisting work.
Next week, we'll post another video interview with Seattle photographer Sherry Loeser, explaining how she made her transition last fall after a decade of assisting.
