This is a question that I get asked by almost every couple who books me for their wedding/elopement. I always say the same thing, so I figured I’d write a post about if for those of you who might be wondering if YOU should hire a second photographer for your wedding! And if you didn’t even know that hiring a second photographer was a thing that people do, then you’re in the right place 😉 

First of all, what even is a second photographer?

It’s somebody who your primary photographer hires to work alongside them for the duration of your wedding day. Your primary photographer will find another photographer that they trust and work well with, and that they believe will be a great addition to your day. Each photographer is different in how they work with their second photographers, but many will have their second photographer focus on capturing details & moments with guests throughout the day, while the primary photographer focuses more heavily on the couple and the bigger moments of the day. Some primary photographers charge a flat rate for hiring a second photographer (e.g. $350 for a second photographer for 8 hours), and some charge an hourly rate (e.g. $45/hour of coverage). After the wedding, the second photographer will hand over their images to the primary photographer, and the primary will then edit all of the photos in their style (not the style of the second photog)! 

Each photographer is different, but hopefully that little overview helped. I’ll dive deeper into it below! 

SO, the question is this: should you hire a second photographer for the wedding you’re planning?!
My shorter answer: Yes!
My longer answer: I think it’s smart to hire one if you’re able to, BUT it’s entirely up to you!

Here are the 4 reasons why I think it’s smart to hire a second photog for your day:

ANGLES.

If you’ve got two photographers there on your day, that means you’ve got two people who can capture two different angles of every shot instead of just one. For example, if you’re doing a first look and only have one photographer, you’ll be limited, in that they won’t be able to get coverage of both of your faces from start to finish of the first look. They might get some shots of the bride’s face as she walks up to her partner, and then move around to get shots of the partner’s face as they turn around. But if you have two photographers, one can focus on the bride, and one can focus on her partner. That way, you’ll get continuous shots of each of your reactions during the first look, rather than just one of you. The second photographer can also get different angles of the ceremony, which is HUGE. You’ll be able to have shots of the ceremony from far away, close up, from the sides, you name it. One photographer can only move so much during the ceremony, and with two, you’ll also get different angles of your first kiss, which is probably one of the biggest moments of the day!

It adds an extra layer of backup/protection.

As a wedding photographer, I already have 6+ layers of backups—dual SD cards for every wedding, physical hard drives, an online backup, etc. But you can never have enough layers of protection for the photos of one of the biggest days of your lives. A second photographer provides even more layers of protection and backup, with their own camera and sometimes second camera, you’ll have 3-4 cameras present on your day in case one of them happens to fail or malfunction. You’ll have double the amount of batteries and SD cards to prevent anything from being lost, and there’s much less of a chance of any moment of the day being missed if you have two photographers and two sets of eyes. Worst case scenario, say your primary photographer’s SD card malfunctions or gets lost during the day (which, God-willing, would never happen): with a second photographer, you’ll still have all of their photos of those moments and hopefully won’t have anything be missing. Backing up photos and being prepared for technological malfunctions is one of my most important jobs as a wedding photographer, and having a second photographer adds to my ability to protect your precious memories as much as I possibly can. 

Day-of efficiency.

Part of my job as a wedding photographer is also to help make your day go efficiently and reduce the amount of things that could go wrong. I know that family photos often stress couples out, because it’s one of the parts of the day that maaaybe isn’t as romantic, so, as your wedding photographer, I know how to get through those efficiently and effectively without missing any shots. BUT, with a second photographer there to help me, I can get through it even faster. I have all my couples come up with a shot list for family/bridal party photos with names and groupings that they absolutely want shots of, so that I don’t miss out on any important photos. And having a second photographer next to me to yell out names, organize people, gather family members who we can’t find, and cross off names as we go, helps us get through these parts of the day SO much faster. With another set of eyes and another brain accompanying me, I’m able to help the couple have the most carefree day possible and make sure it’s as efficient as they’d like it to be.

More coverage/photos.

With a second photographer present, that also means you’ll probably receive more photos, or you’ll receive a broader range of photos than you might with just one photographer (again, it depends on the primary photographer & how they prefer to work with their second photographers). If I have a second photographer with me on wedding days, I’m able to make sure we capture even more moments and shots of small things throughout the day. They’re able to help me get more detail shots (rings, accessories, dress, clothing, etc.), shots of guests talking (while I may be out with the couple for some portraits), etc. We’re able to make sure that everything is covered and captured, which is absolutely doable, but harder for just one photographer to do alone.

And there ya go! Those are my top 4 reasons that I believe couples should hire a second photographer for their wedding/elopement: angles, added backup/protection, day-of efficiency, and more coverage/photos. I hope that this has been helpful if you’re engaged or soon-to-be planning a wedding, and that now you have a better idea of what exactly it means to hire a second photographer! Again: the way your second photographer handles certain duties on your day entirely depends on the primary photographer and how they delegate tasks. If you’re still unsure of whether or not you should hire a second photog, or how it would help your day, ask your primary photographer! They’ll be happy to help you figure out the best way to capture your special day, as they’ve done this many times before and know what works best. Happy hiring, all you engaged babes!