I LOVE being a second shooter for weddings! You get the wedding photographer experience without all of the stress and responsibility! It's a great way to gain experience, photos for your portfolio, and some money!
But did you know there's second shooter etiquette? Some photographers I know have told me horror stories about second shooters they have hired in the past. Even though being a second shooter at a wedding is not as stressful as being the main photographer, there's still a lot of responsibility and you want to be the best second shooter you can be! So here are my top four things to do to be an awesome second shooter.
1) Assist the main photographer! You are there to help the main photographer and make their day easier. That's it! Sometimes that might look like getting them coffee or water, holding an umbrella, keeping them on schedule, and of course.... second shooting!
2) Take a variety of photos! The main photographer doesn't want you to take the same photos they do. They want you to take pics of the things they can't! So now's the time to get creative and fun! Get different angles, use a different lens, get all the fun candids, and just be creative with it!
3) Match the main photographer's style. This is something that not many photographers think about until after the wedding day! The fun thing about photography is all the different styles. Some photographers shoot underexposed, some shoot overexposed. Some photographers prefer to shoot with flash, some prefer to shoot with natural light. So if you're hired as a second shooter for a photographer that shoots in a different style than you, try to match theirs! That way they have less editing to do after the fact.
4) Communicate, don't assume. Some photographers just aren't very good at communicating, so it may be up to you to ask the questions! If you're not sure what you should be doing, ask! If you're not sure how to help the main photographer, ask! If you aren't sure what to do with the photos you've taken after the wedding day, ask! Show initiative, be proactive, and professional!
Keep an eye out for my next post about 4 things NOT to do as a second shooter!!
