Guest Blogger Robert Hillis wrote a great article titled “Key Reasons to Bring Along a 2nd Shooter to a Wedding”. One of our awesome Facebook fans Sarah Higdon-Lopez commented on Robert’s post and that lead to the question of how do you find a photographer to be a 2nd shooter and how much should you pay them?
When you commit to photographing a couple’s wedding, you’re taking on a huge responsibility. Having a 2nd shooter there is a great way to make sure you capture all of those special moments. They’re also a great backup incase you miss a shot or have an equipment failure. Sarah’s husband has shot with her in the past but if you don’t have a spouse with the “skills to pay the bills” how do you find a quality photographer to help you out?
The first thing you need to do is to be honest with yourself and evaluate your skills and experience level. Sarah is a new photographer to the scene so it might be a good idea to try and find someone that has a little more experience shooting weddings. Start by contacting other local photographers. Search online or look in your Yellow Pages for photographers specializing in weddings and contact them to discuss your needs. Some may not want to get involved because of the whole “competition thing” but I’m sure you’ll find many who are happy to help out, especially if they’re not busy on the dates you need them. Read More→
Founder of Current Photographer, co-host of The Digital Photography Cafe Show, Designer, Photographer, and overall tech geek.
When I first started out I did not shoot my own weddings. I was highly inexperienced and the thought of doing a wedding on my own was just daunting. To be able to move quickly, adjust my camera as necessary and still get the important shots was just too much to concentrate on in the fast paced environment of a wedding. What I did do though was a lot of 2nd shooter jobs. A 2nd shooter is a great tool to have as a wedding photographer. They allow you to take the informal photos that you want to capture that help create beautiful portfolios.
Engagement photo sessions can be a very rewarding experience for your wedding photography clients. I like to tell my clients that engagement sessions are great for them because it gives them a chance to just take a break from wedding planning and spend a couple of hours focusing on each other and remembering that the whole reason they are doing this crazy event is because of each other. Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating a wedding engagement session for your client.