second shooting | tips

So, this past weekend marked my "official" break from maternity leave! I feel like the time went by incredibly fast. And I've realized recently that I sound more and more like my parents when it comes to time... I keep lamenting the fact that Maggie and Caleb are growing so quickly. "Where does the time go?" I've actually heard myself say that. I've also started worrying about Maggie dating boys with fast cars and whether or not Caleb will want to go to college. Sometimes, I'm embarrassed to be around myself.

Anyway, maternity leave ended and my new season began with two really fun shoots yesterday. Check back soon to see them! (You can also check out the "sneak peek" on my Facebook page.) But before I post any more pictures, I wanted to post some information that I've been meaning to share.... I've recently received numerous emails and Facebook messages asking about how I got into wedding photography and, specifically, about second shooting. I've read several posts in the past that cover this very same topic, so feel free to ignore this post if you have been overloaded with "second shooter" information. For those of you who are curious about the notion and would like to start second shooting, here are some quick pointers...

-- First of all, if you have never assisted another photographer before, try to get to know photographers in your area... especially photographers that you admire. You could leave a blog comment or send an email to introduce yourself. Don't be afraid to offer assistance! Sometimes photographers will keep a list of potential second shooters, so it never hurts to try! (When I first started getting into wedding photography, I second shot for three other photographers. It was a wonderful way to gain experience, and I love the friendships that I made! I had the pleasure of shooting with my friend Kate Triano quite a bit, and she ended up photographing my brother's wedding!)

-- If you are hired to second shoot at a wedding, be ready and willing to offer assistance wherever it's needed. This might mean that you need to organize family members during the portrait time or stand in the back during the ceremony. While second shooting is a great way to practice your photography skills, your main objective always needs to be helping the main photographer.

-- Look for a new angle! Avoid standing near the main photographer and taking the same photo(s). Try to capture images that the main photographer might miss! While you want to gain experience and knowledge from the photographer you're working with, you have to remember that he/she was hired to capture the wedding. Taking the same photo will not be beneficial!

-- Check with the main photographer before using any of the images on your blog or website. Most photographers do not mind if you post images that you've taken as a second shooter as long as you state that you were second shooting and you include a link to the main photographer's site. (It's also just polite to wait until the main photographer has posted images before you show any on your own blog or website.)

-- Ask for a handful of business cards from the photographer that you're working with so that you can have them ready if one of the guests asks for one. (This actually happens a lot!) This is important because you want to make sure that you are promoting the photographer that was actually hired to shoot the wedding and not your own business!

And on that note, I'll leave you with a quick photo of my favorite second shooter. She's pretty cute, don't you think? Enjoy the extra hour of daylight tonight!