There are so many ways to be a photographer, so many different styles, ways of working and lifestyles that come with it. But one thing applies to them all and that is that in the beginning opportunities won’t just come to you. You have to create them, keep making work and keep showing it to relevant people.
It takes time to get good at what you do and honest feedback is hard to come by, so take it onboard when you do. Even though assisting is a great way to learn all the technical stuff, we think that creating your own work is much more important. Only by lighting and shooting yourself, you can really learn and develop a creative vision.
We also always tell people that they shouldn’t feel limited by what equipment they own or can afford. You don’t need a fully equipped studio to shoot interesting work. We started out with two second-hand flash heads, a camera and a tripod in our living room.