Do I Need a Second Photographer at my Wedding?

Nov 8, 2018

If there’s one thing that drives me insane about the loads of impersonal advice out there when it comes to wedding planning, it’s the “one size fits all” way that wedding advice can be force fed to couples. Too often, the advice turns into information overload—and it’s not always what you need to hear.

Take, for example, one of our most frequently asked questions: “Do I need a second photographer on my wedding day?”

Wedding Photography Advice: Should you have a Second Shooter?

The answer is: it depends. Like everything in life, context is incredibly important. We don’t like to give generic advice that doesn’t always fit your style or needs!

There are advantages to having a second shooter, but context matters to those advantages. Yes, second photographers are important to capturing moments—but only where one photographer isn’t enough. Are you getting ready in separate locations? Are you planning to have an insanely quick ceremony that would be too fast for just one person to feasibly photograph? If that’s the case, you might benefit from another photographer for logistical purposes.

But if that isn’t the case, I’d ask you this: would you rather have 1,000 okay photographs or 200 incredible, emotional photographs that capture the true feeling of your wedding day? I know the industry standard right now is “more, more, more,” but more isn’t always better. When I first got started in the wedding photography business, I’ll admit I struggled with how to do an entire wedding on my own, but I saw too many colleagues relying on second shooters for coverage rather than narrowing their focus to what was truly important.

Good photography has never been about quantity, and that’s what sets our documentary-style photography a cut above the rest. The most important thing to us is that we focus on your specific needs and find out what you want us to focus on.

What are Your Wedding Photography Dreams?

If I asked you what was most important to you about your wedding day, you probably wouldn’t say you wanted a hundred photographs of various guests. You’d point out specific moments! So, knowing that, would you be as scared about having only one wedding photographer if you knew your This is Feeling photographer was going to talk to you about your wedding and keep a list of the most important moments to focus on?

Of course not!

When it comes to your wedding, it is our goal to come fully prepared! We know that no two weddings and no two couples are alike. Talk to us about your wedding needs, and you might be surprised by how well a single photographer can cover you. For example, if you told me it was important for you to get pictures of you both in the moment you walk down the aisle and see each other for the first time, I’d assure you it’s no problem! You’re not planning to run down the aisle, right? I have plenty of time to take pictures of you both in the .05 seconds it takes me to turn and snap both of your reactions.

Of course, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I’m going to close this post with a bunch of photographs from a recent wedding. One photographer or two? I won’t make you guess; they’re all created by just one photographer.

Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography Second Shooter This Is Feeling Photography

Featured Chicago Wedding Vendors

Getting ready location – The Blackstone, Autograph Collection

Hair/makeup | Bisi | Crystal Eyez Makeup & Beauty Lounge

Venue/catering | Gabi | LM Catering

Floral | Bruce | Bonnie Flower Shop

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