5 Ways to be a Great Second Shooter

Second shooters can be a huge asset on a wedding day. They can help capture moments from a different vantage point and alleviate stress with tight timelines by taking on some of the portraits. Second shooting is also a sure-fire way to gain some fantastic experience and learn from seasoned photographers. Not to mention, a great way to build your wedding portfolio! I had the honor of seconding for a few photographers that I learned so much from and can now call friends. I’ve also learned so much from the amazing photographers that have seconded for ME. I wanted to write a short post with some tips on how to be a stellar second. I hope you learn something!

Oh and fun fact: all of the photos in this post were taken by me while seconding for someone else OR taken by my own second shooters :)

Images taken second shooting for Christi Lee Photography

1. Shoot how they Shoot

A second shooter’s job is to help make the wedding day go as seamlessly as possible for the main photographer and ultimately, the happy couple. This should bleed over into post - when the main photog is editing the wedding gallery. An easy way to do this is to make sure that you are shooting with similar settings as the main photog. Ask them these things….Do you overexpose? Do you underexpose? Do you shoot in Kelvin or Auto WB? What aperture do you prefer to keep the camera at for portraits? What settings are you using during this part of the day? The more you sync up with them, the more time you’re saving them later on and they will LOVE YOU FOR IT.

Images taken second shooting for Christi Lee Photography

2. Have a range of lenses

It’s helpful to have at least two lenses with you. My suggestion is to have a wider lens like a 35mm or a 50mm, and then have something with some zoom on it like an 85mm or 70-200mm. The reason being that a main photographer may plant you at different vantage points throughout the day and you want to make sure you have enough flexibility to snag shots wherever. For instance, a photographer may place you towards the back of a ceremony space while they cover the front. Having a 35mm on your camera may not be as helpful as having a lens with a little bit of zoom on it. Lenses are expensive, and it’s hard to get all these great lenses when you’re starting out! Consider renting them for the weekend - it’s a cost effective way to keep your equipment bag locked and loaded while seconding. Some great rental places: Borrow Lenses and Lens Pro to Go.

Images taken second shooting for Adams Photography

3. Don’t overshoot

If you’ve ever shot a wedding before, you know firsthand just how many images you have to sort through before you begin editing - sometimes upwards of 3K images. Hiring a second means having double the images to sort through. WOOF. You can help with this workload by trying not to overshoot. I can attest to this first hand that the temptation to constantly be shooting to look busy is fierce. But it can actually be less helpful! Be intentional with your shooting + make your shots matter.

Images taken second shooting for Adams Photography.

4. Change your angle

It defeats the purpose of having a second if you’re standing a foot away from the main photographer getting the same shot. Avoid this easy trap! Try changing your angle or your lens. Take close ups with a zoom while the main photographer captures a wide. Walk 10 feet to the left or right to get a different view. Turn around to see if there’s anything worth documenting going on behind you. If you’re shoulder to shoulder with the main photographer, you’re probably duplicating work and no one likes that :)

Images taken by Cristina Hope Photography while second shooting for ME <3

5. Keep your eyes peeled

It’s impossible for one photographer to be in all places at once. There may be some points of the day that the main photographer will have a shot list item handled by themselves, leaving you with some time on your hands. Take this opportunity to look around for other special moments. My favorite seconds are those that capture moments that I completely missed because I was focused taking family formals or detail shots. Moments like the groomsmen goofing off by the party bus trying to get the groom to smile during his portraits or the bride’s parents holding hands during dinner.

Another way this can come into play is by keeping a lookout for things that are out of place. Is the bride’s necklace all turned around? Did a bridesmaid leave a bunch of hair ties on her wrist? Did a groomsmen leave a phone in his pocket? Help the main photographer catch things so that they’re not thinking “OMG kill me” when they blow the pictures up on their computer later. Keep your head on a swivel, people!

Image taken second shooting for Christi Lee Photography

BONUS TIP: Snag some shots of your main photog

This goes without saying…but most wedding photographers don’t get much time in front of the camera - especially in-action doing their thang! Grab a few shots of them directing poses, interacting with the clients and/or capturing some moments. They will be oh so thankful for you! Above is a picture I took of one of my favorite husband and wife teams, Christi and Stu with Christi Lee Photography. Photographers deserve their glamour shots too ;)

Here’s the list of the amazing photographers that I’ve had the honor of seconding for:
Christi Lee Photography | Adams Photography | Alison Miller Photography

Here’s the list of the amazing photographers that have kicked butt seconding for me:
Cristina Hope Photography | Amber Nicole Photography | Bad Love Creative Co | GingerSnap Photography

Are you interested in second shooting for me? Fill out the application here.