First off, let’s go over what exactly a second shooter is, what they do, and how they help round out your wedding day gallery. 

1. What is a second shooter?

A second shooter is an additional photographer who shoots alongside the main photographer during your wedding day. They are typically chosen and sub-contracted by the lead photographer and is usually someone they have worked with before. The main shooter will still be your main contact throughout the process and will organize anything with your second that is needed. Adding a second shooter should only bring ease to your day. 

2. What does a second shooter do?

A second shooter is going to offer additional view points or angles of the day. They are able to step in if something goes wrong and can take over at any point during the day if needed. A second photographer might also offer creative suggestions and handle certain times of the timeline on their own so it is important they are a strong enough photographer to handle taking the lead. 

Your second shooter is not involved in the editing process. After your wedding day, the second shooter will hand their photos over to the lead who will sort through them and edit them seamlessly into your wedding gallery. 

3. How they round out your gallery

Adding a second shooter to your wedding day allows your final wedding gallery to be a fuller, richer memory of your day. They are able to be somewhere different from the lead, meaning two completely different moments during the day can be captured at the same time. 

Your main photographer can only be in one place at a time and if they are with you doing couples photos after the ceremony, who is capturing moments of your guests mingling at cocktail hour? If your main photographer is fixing your veil during bridal portraits, who is grabbing the picture of your mom watching you with tears in her eyes? Having a second shooter also allows you to have photos in different points of view at once, which is such a special way of reliving your wedding day. 

You should add a second shooter to your photography team if you…

• Have lots going on in your wedding day timeline
• Are not doing a first look (being able to do bridesmaid and groomsman photos at the same time gives you more flexibility in your timeline)
• Want multiple different angles throughout the day
• Want even more coverage of guests, reactions, in-between moments

Here are some examples of photos being taken at the same time:

While I got this ring bear being silly …

… she got this sweet sister moment

Her view from up in the church loft …

… my view with the newly weds right in front of me

I took these group photos of the girls …

… while she took group photos of the guys

I hope after reading this you have a better understanding of what a second shooter does and how they can add value to your wedding day. As always, I am happy to have a fuller conversation to see if adding this to your wedding day package is right for you.

Florida and Travel Wedding Photographer

Hi all, if you don’t know me, I am Casey, a wedding photographer based in the Tampa Bay Area but traveling wherever you’ll have me. I document your day as it unfolds while also intentionally carving away bits of time to create art you’ll want to hang on your walls. If you are looking for a wedding photographer who will help tell the story of your day and the love in your heart, reach out to me here – I can’t wait to capture these moments for you.