Dear Emily,
What is a second shooter? And what do you do on the wedding day while Adrienne works?
-L
A second shooter is different from a photo assistant. On a wedding day a photo assistant will usually be in charge of carrying equipment, holding reflectors or lights, touching up a subject's hair or outfit, and any other tasks the lead photographer may need. A second shooter will usually do all of this but will also help to shoot.
While Adrienne was shooting a wider angle of the bride's dance with her father and the guests' reactions, I was able to shoot from a different spot on the dance floor and capture a close up of the moment.
Whenever Adrienne is shooting something she doesn't need me for I'll try to walk around getting photos of the venue and its details. These photos are important later for putting together the wedding album.
While Adrienne shoots the bride and bridesmaids getting ready I'll go to shoot the groom and his groomsmen getting dressed or hanging out before the ceremony. During the ceremony my focus is also on the groom's reactions while Adrienne shoots the bride.
During the reception I'll walk around trying to get as many detail shots as possible between the major events of the night.
I make sure to get photos of the cake, the place cards, the gift table, guest tables, the head table, place settings, and other important decorations as well as some wide shots of the room.
The best part of being a second shooter is having the freedom to look for smaller moments during the big shoots of the day. During group photos I can usually find some funny and cute moments that make good additions to the album.
To find out why we recommend booking a second shooter for your wedding read our post Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Second Shooter
