In my first post about building a $32,000/year “parallel path” after sixty, I listed assisting other photographers as one of the most realistic income streams. This is the deep dive: what a photo assistant is, what they actually do on set, and what the Toronto pay landscape looks like right now.
This isn’t the glamorous version. It’s the useful version.
What a photographer’s assistant is (in plain English)
A photographer’s assistant is the person who helps a shoot run smoothly by handling lighting, grip, gear, and logistics so the photographer can focus on the creative decisions and the client.
In Toronto, “assistant” can mean different things depending on the job:
- 1st Assistant (Photo Assistant): lighting + grip lead, anticipates what’s next, keeps the set moving.
- 2nd Assistant: supports the 1st, handles runs, cases, stands, sandbags, batteries, quick fixes.
- Digital Tech / Digi-Op: manages tethering, file integrity, backups, Capture One workflow, monitor calibration, sometimes client viewing. Often a separate role with a higher rate.
On smaller shoots, one person may wear multiple hats. On larger commercial sets, these roles split out clearly.
What assistants do on a shoot
Think of it in three phases.
Pre-production
- Confirm call time, location, access, parking, and loading rules
- Review gear list and lighting plan
- Prep and test equipment (batteries charged, triggers paired, cables packed, spares ready)
- Help with pickup/returns (rental house, studio, client location)
- Build a simple checklist so nothing gets missed
On set
- Set up and break down lights, stands, modifiers, flags, and diffusers
- Manage grip and safety: sandbags, cable runs, tidy set, no tripping hazards
- Keep the shoot on schedule (quietly) by staying two steps ahead
- Troubleshoot: misfires, tether issues, dead batteries, wobbly stand, loose bracket
- Move gear fast and safely between setups
- Support the photographer’s direction by keeping the technical side stable
Much of this is invisible when it’s done well.
Post / wrap
- Pack-down with discipline (nothing left behind)
- Help with returns, invoicing details, receipts/expenses
- Sometimes: basic selects support, file handoff, or post tasks (depends on the shooter)
What clients don’t see (but photographers absolutely pay for)
A good assistant brings:
- ability to stay calm under pressure
- predictability
- set etiquette
- speed without chaos
- problem-solving without ego
That’s why assisting is one of the fastest ways to earn trust in the pro world.
What assistants get paid in Toronto
Rates vary a lot by market segment:
- commercial / advertising
- editorial
- events
- e-comm / in-house brand studios
- film/TV stills (a different ecosystem)
Also: Toronto tends to run on a 10-hour day expectation for commercial crews, with overtime negotiated on larger productions. You’ll see day-rate language like “$650 / 10HR DAY” on Toronto-based assistant service listings.
Here are realistic Toronto ranges you’ll see discussed and posted (with the important caveat that some sources are job boards and community anecdote, not a formal rate card):
- 2nd Assistant: roughly $150–$300/day (entry to mid)
- 1st Assistant: roughly $200–$450/day (more if highly trusted / higher-end commercial)
- Digital Tech: roughly $400–$750/day depending on responsibility and whether kit/cart rental is included
Job postings around Toronto also commonly advertise $150–$400 per day ranges for assistant-type roles (especially event/sports/media companies), which is useful as a floor/median indicator but not representative of top-end commercial assisting.
Salary aggregators (ZipRecruiter/SalaryExpert) report Toronto “photography assistant” pay in hourly/annual terms, but those often mix studio assistants + content assistants + entry in-house roles with on-set commercial assisting—so treat them as a broad reference, not the rate you should accept for a skilled on-set role.
The hidden factor: kit and responsibility
Two assistants can both be “assistants” and be in completely different leagues.
Your rate increases when you can confidently handle:
- strobes + modifiers + power distribution
- rigging and safe setups
- complex location problem-solving
- building/following lighting diagrams
- multiple camera systems and tethering
- running set like a professional (pace + safety + etiquette)
That’s why Toronto-based assistant/digi-tech listings often describe capability and rate together (it’s not just “help carry stuff”).
What to clarify before you say yes to a gig
If you want assisting to be a reliable income stream (and not random chaos), get used to asking these questions up front:
- What kind of shoot is it (commercial, editorial, corporate, e-comm)?
- How long is the day (8? 10? 12?) and what’s the overtime policy?
- Where is it (Toronto core vs GTA travel time)?
- Are parking/transit/expenses covered?
- What gear are we using (strobes vs continuous, tethered or not)?
- What’s expected: lighting assistant, general assistant, or digi-tech?
- Who else is crew (stylist, HMU, producer, client on set)?
- Payment terms (same day, net 15, net 30)?
This is the “product owner” mindset applied to labour: define scope, reduce ambiguity, reduce regret.
How to actually get assisting work in Toronto
Assisting is a reputation economy. The fastest path is usually:
- start with 2nd assisting and be extremely dependable
- learn set etiquette and the rhythm of commercial days
- become the person people call when it matters
- build relationships with photographers, producers, and digi-techs
Job boards exist, but most better gigs move through networks once you’re known. (You can still use boards to get early reps and references—just don’t assume that’s where the best work lives.)
Why assisting fits the “parallel path” plan
Assisting is a great retirement-phase income stream because it:
- pays in clean day-rate chunks
- builds deep relationships in the pro ecosystem
- increases your technical and production confidence fast
- supports your long-term goal of prints/exhibitions by expanding your network
It also has a built-in control knob: you can say yes to as many days as you want, and take time off to travel without “breaking” a client pipeline the way a portrait business can.