Some of you lovelies have a VERY simple wedding day in mind and you are finding yourself wondering if you even need to pay for a second shooter for your day. You may not feel like you need a second shooter, but if you’ve already had a conversation with me, you’ll know that I push to upgrade your package to one that has one. And for those of you who have yet to have a conversation with me, let’s talk about it.
The only negative to having a second shooter is: budget
Let’s be real here and start with this. No one needs to push you beyond what you are comfortable paying for. If you have a budget you need to stick with, that’s fair game. Keep it simple and don’t blow your budget. I have been doing weddings for 9 years at this point and have shot hundreds of weddings on my own. It’s extremely doable. However, please read the last major section in this blog to see why I still recommend them and why it’s definitely worth it to take a second gander at your budget.
Not trying to budget shame here, mkay? However, if you have the budget or can find it in your budget to upgrade to a bigger package, there are nothing but benefits to having a second shooter. Some reasons may already seem obvious, some may not be.
Reasons why I highly recommend having a second shooter for your wedding day
I can’t be in two places at once
This is, perhaps, the most obvious reason for having a second shooter on your wedding day. A second shooter can snap photos of details, be with the groom while I’m with the bride, get you different angles of important moments, and even capture MORE memories that I’m maybe just not around for. Having a second shooter walking about your wedding reception is a great way to capture more memories of friends and family. Mom could be doing a backflip on the dance floor while your best friend is across the room doing shots hanging upside down from a chandelier…weddings can get wild….
Second Shooters can save time
Again, back to the point of me not being able to be in two places at once, we can save time during your getting ready hours by having the second shooter in one getting room, while I’m in the other or off getting detail shots somewhere…I’m going to end this run on sentence because you get the point.
A Second Shooter is like having insurance for your wedding photographer
This is the one that I don’t think many people realize is such an incredible benefit. In my opinion, it’s the most important benefit. While I do always plan ahead and get to weddings hella early, there have been delays. I’ve gotten into a car accident on the way to a wedding, roads have been closed, flooding has slowed me down (yes, flooding)…I’ve seen a lot in my time as a wedding photographer. During those specific situations, I planned enough time that instead of getting on site early, I was just there on time. HOWEVER, I was VERY lucky that I still made it on time and it was awesome having a second shooter get there early to do all the scouting for me. More importantly, again, I have been VERY blessed that these have been my only situations over the past 9 years. Life is unpredictable and worse things could happen. If something were to happen where I am unable to fulfill wedding photography services, you have an automatic backup to come and save the day!
Have I convinced you to get that second shooter yet?
Xoxo,
Victoria V.
P.S. Yes, that is me being a goober in the header image. Also yes, someone took my camera, and got a photo of my second shooter getting a photo of the groom (who also stole another camera) who is taking a photo of me and the bride. Photog-inception.
