1. I get to play around with settings and different techniques that I normally don't have the luxury of doing on the day of the wedding when nailing that perfect shot takes priority. It's especially great when I work with someone using the same brand since I also get to try out other lenses that I don't normally shoot with like the macro and the 70-200 mm, FUN!
2. Have you ever had couples who are relaxed and laughing one minute but as soon as you raise the camera to your face, they tense up and give you their "I'm-going-to-stop-what-I'm-doing-now-and-pose-for-the-camera" look? Being the second photographer, you hang out behind the scenes so you get a ton of those amazing candid shots that capture the couple's true personality. It's also a great opportunity to work on your photojournalistic technique.
3. The experience you gain from watching the primary photographer interact with their clients and how they run the show is paramount. It is also a great chance to find out about another photographer's creative process (obviously you'll want to time your questions for the down times during the day). I've had many insightful and inspirational conversations with fellow photographers during the car ride to different locations on the wedding day or in between speeches at the reception.
4. It has been said many times and I'll say it again, practice makes perfect. This is never more true than for photography. The confidence I gain and the quality of the images I get with every new wedding I shoot improve exponentially. 99% of the time, you don't want to shoot in the the same spot as the primary photographer so this really forces you to think about your shots and move around in order to find that unique angle and composition. This gets your creative juices flowing and enhances your wedding photography reportoire.
5. The food, the venues, the food. Although this is true for being a wedding photographer in general, you can double the number of venues and resturants you get to visit. As a second photographer, I've had the chance to shoot inside gorgeous and unique locations such as Casa Loma, Canoe, Jump Restaurant, the Bata Shoe Museum, the Eglinton Grand, the Old Mill, Oakview Terrace and the list goes on.
Here are some images from Sally and Mike's wedding in the picturesque Jordan Village, Ontario at Inn on the Twenty. These were shot by me as a second photographer for Lisa of LG Weddings. This wedding was a ton of fun. Riding in Porsches and visiting wine cellars for starters, then getting to meet Sally and Mike who are super cool and friendly! It was a real pleasure working with them on their big day.
Special thanks to Lisa for letting me use these images on my blog. You can also view more images from the special day on her blog.
That's all I have for now so if you are considering going for that second photographer job - go for it!
Until next time...
