One of the most frequently asked questions I get from my brides is “Do I really need a second photographer?” and the answer – YES! I highly encourage my couples to invest in a second photographer for the wedding days. There are so many benefits to having an extra person there and it really is worth it! In this blog, I’m going to highlight my top 5 reasons for including a second photographer in your wedding package.
Different Angles
Often times on wedding days, there are 2 super important reactions happening at the same time. The best example? When you walk down the aisle. You want pictures of you and your dad and the joy on your face as you walk to your groom, but, perhaps even more than that, you want to capture the look on HIS face when he sees you for the first time as a bride! Some grooms cry, some laugh because they are so happy, but whatever his reaction is, you want a photo. Usually, I stand at the front of the aisle to get the grooms first reactions, and the second photographer stands further back to get the bride and her dad walking in.
Other moments when you would want 2 photographers would be for first looks – whether thats with the groom or your dad. Also for throughout the ceremony it helps to have 2 people to get both the bride’s and the groom’s faces as well as straight down the middle. Second shooters also get different angles throughout the day for bridal party photos and bride and groom portraits. My husband, Seth, usually second shoots with me and he can get creative while I get the must-have shots!
Helping with Random Tasks
You would not believe some of the random things that come up on wedding days. Inevitably one of the groomsmen (or even the groom) will forget his tie, pants, shoes, jacket, etc. It always happens. Or the schedule will get behind and someone will have to step in and help the planner. When things like this happen you don’t want your mom or your sister to be the person who has to step up and do the work. Second shooters allow you to have some flexibility and can step up when needed! Sometimes the things they do aren’t even photography related, but they are always so helpful.
Second shooters also help the lead photographer with tasks like holding a reflector, tossing your veil in the perfect way, fixing that flyaway hair, fluffing your beautiful dress, and the list goes on! They really do make a huge difference in the flow of your day.
Groomsmen Photos
Let’s be honest – you are mostly interested in getting photos of you and your girls getting ready in a beautiful bridal suite. And that’s where the lead photographer will be most of the time! But if you have a second shooter, you have someone to go hang out with the guys while they get ready as well. This means you’ll have photos of what you were each doing throughout the day and get to share those moments when you get the photos.
Family Formals
Family formals can be slow and stressful, or they could be quick and easy! Second shooters help with this process immensely. I always have my brides send me their family formal lists with the names of the people to be included. Then my second shooter can call out names and round up people for the photos! This makes the process move quickly and gets your family to cocktail hour and you to your romantic bride and groom portraits!
Staying on Time
The wedding day timeline is essential to successful wedding photos. We work based on the sunlight so if things get behind on time we still have to get all of the photos in before sunset. The second shooter helps us stay on time by keeping track of the time and timeline through the day. They also can help us make up time if we do get behind! When things get off track, we will split up the bridesmaids and groomsmen and do those photos simultaneously. It helps so much to have that extra person to step up and help move things along when we need to!
Conclusion
Second shooters are sooo worth the investment! You’ll get more photos, different angles, and have a much more relaxed day with another person to take on responsibility when things come up. Having a second photographer makes such a different on the day and is usually a pretty small investment in relation to your overall wedding budget. Do you have questions about second shooters? Let me know in the comments!
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