perks of having a second shooter
Every photographer sees just a bit differently, so having two sets of hands at a wedding can be a fun way to ensure your gallery is full! of! variety! Some of my favorite days have been spent second-shooting for someone else because there are beautiful things that happen when we’re separate and together. It’s not the perfect decision for every event, so take this with a grain of salt, but it is a great call for so many galleries to be tied with a bow. Here are four of the main reasons I tell potential clients having a second shooter could benefit them:
These photos are from Brynn and Matt’s Ariel Pearl Center wedding in Cleveland, Ohio, that I mentioned last time I wrote! We stopped at the Italian Cultural Garden for bride-and-groom portraits and left with some of the most beautiful results - the sun hit different that afternoon. The first image is mine and the second is my friend Anna’s; what I love about these was the fact they were taken minutes apart but tell a slightly different story. It’s so important to shoot traditional portraits but small details, like Brynn holding her heels to be more comfortable, are some of my favorite ways to add depth to a final gallery. And of course I love the sun hitting her dress in different places.
Another plus to having a second photographer on hand is being able to send people two places at once while the light is at its best. If I’m remembering correctly, I was getting bridal portraits of Hannah prior to her ceremony, but the sun was hitting just right, so my second shooter, Kearston, grabbed overviews of her and Mason’s table set up. I could’ve taken the second photo after I was done with something else, but the light might have been filtering in totally differently or people might have already started sitting down. This wedding was at Westfall Event Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and was set on one of the most beautiful late summer days just begging for photos like this.
What I think might be the most stark example of the bunch are these photos right before Kiara and Juan’s wedding portraits. Their whole day also took place at the Ariel Pearl Center, but we ventured out for just a bit to get a new look at the Cleveland Public Library. I had my friend Gabby with me for this day, and I love how even when we’re standing side-by-side shooting something, the end results still look so different. Having her there meant I felt comfortable in taking more “straightforward” shots while knowing she was coming up with more artistic photos all day. Both images fit perfectly in the gallery, and I love the classic nature of mine paired with the blurry, city feeling of hers equally.
Finally: I love being and having a second shooter because it leads to images like these both being able to happen! For transparency’s sake, both photos are mine because I didn’t want Anna to have to go to the trouble of sending her final work from this wedding over to me. I second-shot Cameron and Anthony’s wedding at The Arcade in Cleveland, Ohio, with her and was able to hang out with the men in their getting-ready area while Anna spent time with the women in theirs. We split up for the first half hour or so to grab equal coverage, which helped Anna focus on the bride and me on building a rapport with the groom and groomsmen! Piece of cake 💌
