August 13, 2020

Why I Include a Second Shooter in Every Wedding Package

Congratulations! You’ve finally found the wedding photographer of your dreams and you’re starting to plan out your big day. Did you know that when you book your photographer, you’re actually getting two? A second shooter is a photographer that your wedding photographer hires to accompany them on your wedding day. Typically they stay all day and cover events from start to finish then give their images to the main photographer for them to edit and deliver to you. Sometimes photographers include second shooters in every package, sometimes they list them as something extra to buy, and sometimes they choose to not hire a second photographer and instead do the wedding by themselves.

So why should you have a second shooter on your wedding day? Here are 5 reasons I include a second shooter in every wedding package and the one situation I don’t.

You can watch the YouTube video that goes along with this blog post here!

1. A second shooter means another professional on your team

I make sure that every second shooter I hire not only can deliver quality content but has experience in shooting weddings. Most second shooters have their own wedding photography businesses and fill the rest of their weekends with second shooting jobs, so they are more capable of photographing your wedding and making you feel like their own clients. Hiring an experienced photographer adds to the team you have working for you on your day. They add a second perspective to their photos, bring their own experience to the table, and further ensure that you are being treated in the best way possible.

You get another professional on your team when you get a second shooter!

2. One photographer can’t be everywhere at every moment

The great thing about having a second photographer is that it allows us to capture moments for you that are happening at the same time but are in two separate locations. One very popular example of this is the getting ready time. While I’m with the bride and bridesmaids photographing you putting on your dress, my second shooter is with the groom and his groomsmen capturing them hanging out and getting ready. Additionally, if we have less time in the schedule, the second shooter can run ahead and grab detail shots of your reception or ceremony space before your guests arrive while I’m still with you.

We can be in two places at once! I can be with the bride and the second shooter can be with the groom

3. With second shooters, you get MORE photos

What could be better than more photos? While I’m photographing one angle, my second shooter is constantly shooting another angle. If I’m shooting a scene tight, my second shooter is shooting a scene wide. If I’m shooting your first kiss in the ceremony vertically, you can bet my second is getting it horizontally. During a first look, I capture the groom’s expressions while my second is capture the bride’s. Although these moments are all happening at the same time, you get twice the amount of photos because they feel like new moments.

A second shooter and I can cover different angles of the same moment!

4. A second shooter is there in case something goes wrong

I take every precaution I can to prepare for disasters on your wedding day, and among my list is hiring a second photographer. If I get stuck in traffic or if I suddenly fall ill (neither of which has ever happened and I hope will never happen), I feel confident that my second photographer will do their absolute best and will not fail to deliver the best coverage of your big day as they possibly can. Should my camera suddenly stop working right before you cut your cake, I know that while I bring out my second camera, my second is right there and ready to capture it for me. They are insurance and comfort for not only me as the lead shooter, but for my couples.

You get more photos when you have a second shooter!

5. Having a second shooter is a way I can better serve you

One of the best things I can gift my couples is a second shooter. Not only will they bring their own expertise and experience, but they will bring their love for serving couples on their wedding day. We all do this job for a reason, and the desire to give the best photos and experience possible is what drives us together. They help during family formals because we want them to be fun and quick, they fluff your dress during photos because we want you to look your best, and they hold your bouquet so you can hug your bridesmaids. And at the end of the night, they hug your mom and dad right after me because they’ve fallen in love with your day and all the work that’s gone into it as much as I have.

The best gift I can give my couples is a second shooter.

The one situation I don’t hire a second shooter: when we’ve decided on a custom wedding budget to fit a smaller wedding.

I’ve shot two weddings by myself, and both were smaller backyard weddings with less than 50 people and a small budget. I still absolutely love to photograph these days and treat my couples with the love and respect they deserve, and I will happily help come up with a way to be within your restraints. Having a couple save money just to hire me is the best compliment in the world, and I want to serve them the best way I can. This is the only time I do not include a second photographer, but you can bet I will work my hardest to be the best solo wedding photographer you’ve ever seen.