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Friday, May 14, 2010

FAQ: The Value of a good second shooter

Formspring.
It may be the death of me.

It's kind of a funny thing... and kind of amazing the things people will ask when there is no name behind it :) But one of the things I love about that and my facebook photography page, is that I can maybe begin to help even a percent of how much people have helped me.

I feel blessed to be a part of an industry that has so much to offer, and to live in an area where there are people willing to help! We have some AMAZING talent in the wedding industry, and I am thankful and humbled by the amount of help and encouragement I have received.

I am absolutely BLOWN AWAY every time someone emails me, formsprings me, or facebooks me (I'm not even sure those are words!) asking me about photography. I still have SO MUCH to learn, and I still feel so new at this, that I am totally flattered that people think I have something to offer. And I want to HELP! Really. Because so many people have invested in me and helped me.

One of the questions I get asked the most is if I need second shooters. I love getting this, because there is SO MUCH talent out there and sometimes all it takes is getting practice and experience. This is how I really got started.

My friend Jamie was shooting weddings, and she was so kind as to let me come along and "help". The first couple I did with her, I know that I was not much help at all. I was really just there for the experience, but bless her heart, she let me shoot anyway. As I got more experience, I'm sure I was a little more help. I started branching out a little and shooting with different people, and each time I did, I learned a little bit more.

Currently, my friend Sean and I second shoot for each other. He is the one I go to right away when I book a wedding. If he is booked on that date, then I am always looking for awesome second shooters to help me out. I also LOVE to second shoot. It's so fun to approach things differently and shoot with someone new.

There is so much value in a good second shooter. At a wedding a few weeks ago, I got sick. Right in the middle of family photos. I've never had that happen before, and heaven forbid it will ever happen again. Jamie was shooting that wedding with me, and I knew she could handle it without me. I was able to step away for a few minutes until I could get back on my feet.

A second shooter that is competent can also cut down on our shooting time. Often times I will have my second shooter shoot the groom and groomsmen while I shoot the bride and bridesmaids. This allows us to get so many more pictures in a shorter amount of time.

My second shooter also helps in organizing big groups, and family shots. They help me see things that I might miss when dealing with a big group. They can also be a sounding board for ideas, and a fresh view on my shots.

Jasmine Star's husband and primary second shooter, JD wrote a post recently on her blog about tips for second shooters and I think it is wonderful, so I wanted to share that link with you. You can view it here.

Here are a couple of shots from a recent wedding that my second shooter, Sean, took. I absolutely love going through my second shooter's shots and seeing how they were viewing my shots. And for a bride and groom, it's fun to have more than one angle of things.


My view:
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Sean's view:
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My view:
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Sean's view:
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My view:
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Sean's view:
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3 comments:

Ruby Acosta said...

Please put me on your "future workshop" list (because you should have one soon!)...

Sean Walker Photography said...

I completely echo all you have written. I can't wait to shoot again!

Damaris Mia said...

Would love to have the opportunity to second shoot with you! You are a very talented photographer and I enjoy reading your blog!