Tuesday Tips – How to be a Second Shooter

Yay! It is week two of Tuesday Tips! This week I am sharing suggestions for second shooters.

A second shooter at a wedding is SO important. In fact, I have never photographed a wedding without a second shooter or assistant! It is such a benefit to have a second shooter. But if you are just starting out as a wedding photographer or second shooter, it can be difficult to know what to expect. 

This is a two part post; first, I will be sharing some tips for second shooters from my perspective as the primary shooter. Then, in two weeks, my second shooter extraordinaire, Kelsey, will be sharing her tips for second shooters. I love this because you will be getting tips from both perspectives. How awesome is that? 

Seven Tips for Second Shooters:

1. Communicate in advance
   • It is important that we are on the same page. Will there be a first look? Are the parents of the bride divorced? Are their specific rules during the ceremony? Are their special moments during the reception? Knowing these things in advance can help the second shooter prepare and can ensure that my second shooter and I are equally prepared. I also will often talk with my second shooter about what we are going to wear depending on how formal or casual the wedding is. 
2. Know the timeline 
   • I am such a neurotic planner; I like to have every detail in place (and I even try to memorize my timeline and the family portrait list before each wedding!). I LOVE when my second shooter has the timeline memorized too. It helps us both stay in sync and keeps the whole day flowing so much more easily.
3. Get ready to know the family very well!
   • When I photograph the family portraits, I always have my second shooter read through the list and call out groups while I arrange each group. Then, while I am photographing that group, my second shooter can look ahead at the next grouping to see who should stay in the frame and who needs to be added. It makes family portraits go SO much faster and smoother!
4. Make sure you know what the equipment is called. 
   • I’ll often ask my second shooter to run to the car to get the lightstands, clamps, softboxes, reflector, triggers, backlight stand, and other items that may not be on your radar. If you’re not familiar with these, Google them in advance or don’t be afraid to say “Do you mind describing what the backlight stand looks like?” I appreciate that a lot more than being handed the wrong item. 
5. Be comfortable photographing the men!
   • I almost always have my second shooter photograph the groom and his groomsmen getting ready. It is a great idea to check Pinterest for posing ideas (and I have a blog post you would LOVE with some great groom and groomsmen ideas!). I also almost always have my second shooter photograph the groom with the groomsmen outside. I typically list the poses I want; I have these also on my “Posing the Groomsmen” blog post in case you want to check these out!
6. Make sure your equipment is prepared.
   • This is a big one! Most professional photographers shoot in RAW, so make sure your camera is set to shoot in RAW and ensure that you have a way to transfer the files to the photographer. I often give second shooters a memory card to use that they give me at the end of the night. (If you have dual memory card slots, this works out really well). If you are using your own memory cards, make sure you have enough for the wedding day or you are using a large enough card. (A card either 64 or 128 should be a perfect size for an 8 hour wedding). Also make sure your batteries are charged (both your camera batteries and flash batteries) and that you have enough to get through the wedding. Clear your lenses and equipment ahead of time also. 
7. Finally, be confident!
   • This photographer hired you for a reason. It is easy to doubt yourself or to worry that your pictures won’t measure up, but you were chosen for a reason. Find great angles to shoot from without obstructing the primary shooter, and be ready to help carry gear, fetch people, or photograph the reception details. You’re going to be great!