Shooting a wedding can be pretty stressful. There are times when the only way you can get everything of the day documented by having a second shooter. It’s so nice having that other person there shooting things that you may not otherwise be able to have images of. It’s good for you and for your clients, and everyone is happy at the end of the day.

Sometimes second shooting weddings can be equally as stressful as being the primary shooter. I wanted to give you some tips in making your second shooter experience the best it can be, and make the primary photographer want to work with you more in the future! It’s great to have those relationships with other photographers!

I was lucky enough to get some tips from some of my classmates at the International Academy of Wedding Photographers the other day, and this is some of what they said for smooth sailing as a second shooter on weddings days. Big ol’ thanks goes out to Chris Sosa, Julie Greer, Sara Jeanne, Lisa Lord, Ashley Durham, Tyler Olinyk, Stella Throop, and all my other awesome classmates that helped me out with this one! 😀 You guys rock!
1. Sync your cameras!

There’s nothing worse than after the day trying to cull through a wedding and having the images all out of order. Drives me crazy.

2. Communicate, communicate, communicate!

Make sure you know where you need to be, what is expected of you, and don’t be afraid to ask questions!!! Don’t just assume you know what the other photographer wants!

3. Keep an eye on the lens the primary photographer is using.

If they’re using a long lens, switch to a wide angle. If they’re using a wide angle, switch to a long lens! They’ll have more diversity in the photos and they all won’t look the same.

4. Try to get a different angle than the primary shooter.

Shoot from the side, shoot from above or below. Get shots that aren’t going to look just like the primary shooter’s. These make GREAT images for album fillers!

5. Dress appropriately!

This may also go in the communicate category, but make sure you ask the primary photographer if there is anything they would prefer you to wear! Or if there’s something you SHOULDN’T wear (i.e. some cultures, it’s frowned upon to wear all black to a wedding, and you would stand out like a sore thumb.)

6. Put your phone away.

Unless you’re using it to keep in contact with the primary shooter, don’t be checking your Instagram or Facebook on someone else’s time.

7. Get some shots of the primary doing their job!

It’s always nice to have some behind the scenes shots! The primary will love you for them (as long as they don’t look crazy in them).

8. Stay out of the primary photographers frame.

Some are great at this, others, not so much. Try to stay out of the photo of the other photographer. No one wants pictures with you as the photobomb. 😉

9. Get them water!

If you’re thirsty, chances are they are too. And you probably don’t need to ask if they want one, just grab it.

10. Have fun with it.

Get the shots the primary wants you to get, but also look for the in-between moments that they may miss. The brides mom tearing up during a heartfelt thank you, the brides parents holding hands during the ceremony. These are moments the couple with LOVE!

Though I love being the primary photographer for weddings, second shooting is also fun for me. It’s a great time to do things I don’t always get to do with my clients, whether it’s shooting more with a different lens, or more dramatic lighting. It’s a great challenge for me to see things maybe in a way I normally would.

I hope these tips make things a little easier for you the next time you are second shooting a wedding.

What’s your advice for someone looking to do more second shooting? Any tips for them!? Comment and share them here!! 😀 I’d love to know!