What’s a Second Photographer and Do I Need One?
Second Photographers:
What they are, what they aren’t, and when you should have one.
Every now and then, photographers get into the habit of using terminology that we know and are super familiar with…while accidentally forgetting that not everyone has the same experiences, context, or knowledge of what the heck we’re even talking about! Sometimes we kind of live in our own little bubbles, casually throwing out words like “TIFFs,” “photojournalism,” “culling,” etc.
Queue the term “Second Photographer”
We know perfectly well what this term entails… but sometimes we forget to verbalize it!
Here’s a quick little rundown of everything you need to know about Second Photographers!
What second photographers are:
An additional photographer hired by your primary (aka the person you’ve already booked)
Someone to photograph from all the places/angles your primary photographer can’t
An extra set of eyes and hands on a wedding day
A trusted team member of your primary photographer who’s been instructed on how to best photograph according to the primary’s needs, stylistic preferences, and attitudes (in order to present as a unified pair)!
Your primary photographer is in charge of choosing, hiring, and instructing the second photographer! This is to ensure that all quality standards are met and expectations are followed (in order to give you the same great experience you’ve already booked). In addition, your second photographer’s images will be included in the primary gallery, and edited alongside the primary’s images, so all photos will be streamlined and delivered seamlessly. The point is to give you more images, not more companies to keep track of!
What they are not:
A completely separate company, with a separate booking
Someone who’ll deliver a different gallery and/or editing style
Another primary photographer, working from all the same angles/places
One common mistake is that couples assume they’ll need to find/pick/hire the second photographer on their own. That is not the case! The main photographer will add the cost to your invoice (if it’s not already included in the package), so they can take care of finding, hiring, and instructing a photographer they trust to be a part of the team on your wedding day. Think of it as another professional that’s absorbed into your main photographer’s experience.
When you should have a second photographer:
Typically, I’d recommend a second photographer for any of the following scenarios:
You have a long wedding day (9-10 hours or more) or 40+ minute ceremony with several religious traditions
Your ceremony is in a large space with limited movement capabilities (i.e., a huge church)
Your guest count is at or over 200+ people
You want lots and lots of candid photos - of you, your guests, etc!
You’ve got formal photos during cocktail hour, but still want to see photos of your guests enjoying themselves
You want photos of each party getting ready in separate locations
As a note: if you said ‘yes’ to four or more options, I’ll occasionally recommend a second and third photographer
