If you take a look at my price list here ( Prices ) you will see an option for a second photographer. A lot of couples skip this option as they don’t really see the value. I’m going to explain in this article why I think it’s a really good idea. It is also important to note, I don’t actually make any more money from a wedding by having a second photographer, as any extra I charge goes straight to my second. I also have to do more editing, and balance what might be a different camera brand and style to my own to present a cohesive set of wedding edits. So it ends up being more work for me. Despite this, I strongly urge couples to consider adding a second photographer to their day for the following reasons.
A shot by my second photographer Helen at Gareth and Natalie’s wedding.
1.A second photographer provides a different viewpoint and vision for your day. Not only will they be working from different angles, but they will be using different focal lengths as well. While I may be shooting with a fairly wide focal length, the second photographer will usually be using a zoom lens, great for candids. While I’m doing the main shots, they can capture lots of off camera, informal moments and this really adds to options you get for your wedding book.
Coco and her bridesmaids on their way - shot by my second photographer on the day.
2.I can’t be in two places at once. Following on from the first point, a second photographer will be able to cover things like the groom prep and detail shots that I might not have time to do.
A lovely shot taken by my second shooter Helen while I was busy covering bridal prep.
3.They will speed up the group shots. This can be a real issue if the wedding timeline is packed quite closely together. There have been many weddings I’ve covered where getting the group shots done before the venue want to summon everyone in for their meal has been very tricky. A second photographer helps this process. While the best man or usher can be roped in to gather people up, I much prefer letting guests enjoy their day and asking my second photographer to do this.
4.A second photographer provides an automatic backup for me. I’ve never yet been late to a wedding or had to leave early, but should this happen, a second photographer would be able to cover in an emergency.
Conclusion
You may see a second wedding photographer as a needless expense or extravagance. I hope the above points convince you otherwise! I find having a second makes the day run much more smoothly and the extra angles and shots are well worth the small extra expense. All the images I’ve included in this article were shot by my second photographers.