Second Shooting.

One word comes to mind when I think of last year.  Whew.  A new baby, for one.  Then dove head first into one of the busiest wedding and senior seasons to date.  Throw in a few Blink Workshops, launching a new brand and collaborative projects with friends and it’s no wonder the year flew by in the blink of an eye!  It wasn’t a perfect year by any means, that’s for sure.  I struggled for the first 11 months (haha) to find a balance between work and being a mom of two.  I learned a lot from that kind of workload and I’ll be damned if I ever let my plate overfloweth like that again.

It’s that time of year again where I start to pool together my second shooters, and every year it gets a little trickier as they all have their own businesses as well and get busier and busier every year with their own weddings!  But here are a few things that I look for before I ask someone to second for me.  I look for second shooters who:

• Are established in their own business, and have shot at least a few weddings as the primary.
• Have their own gear, and shoot with full-frame cameras as well as professional grade lenses and flash.
• Shoot 100% manual, in RAW mode.
• Are confident and carry themselves professionally always.  Are friendly and warm to my clients and who love to have fun while shooting!
• Are available for a minimum of 6 hours on the wedding day. But are welcome to stay with me the entire day. (this is in my client’s contract)
• Are ok with the options I offer.  You can either shoot for free (yep, free.) and use your images to build your portfolio as you wish.  Or hand over your files and you will be paid for your time generously.  The choice is yours.  By the way, have I mentioned that I have amazing clients?  And they make for some really amazing portfolio shots. 
• Bring a creative edge of their own.  We really work together to deliver amazing images to my wedding clients, I truly believe two photographers are sometimes better than one.

My wedding schedule is almost full for this year, and I am always looking for talented second shooters.  So if you are at all interested in second shooting for me take a look below and feel free to contact me directly at info@Mishellelamarand.com.  Please make sure to include a link to your website and/or portfolio.

But one of the highlights of my year was working with some of the most talented, fun, crazy and hard working photographers around.  I made some new friends and loved every minute of shooting with such a great group of people.  And I can say for certain that they worked their asses off for me.  From timelines that went out the window at the first look, to shooting in an alley in Downtown Pontiac with not a stitch of light, and shooting on the 50 yard line in the middle of August on the hottest day in the history of the world, it was quite an awesome adventure.  Oh and I know they love it when I turned the camera on them to either test my light (pretty much everyone) or working it like a boss (ahem, Alex).  Here are a few shots of Rachel, Candice, Marek, Lia, Meg (don’t kill me. You’re just too cute to resist haha!), Alex, and Rachel doing their thing.  There were others like Jason, Kendra and Sarah.  But these were just a few images that I had handy.

Luckily, I had the chance to return the favor and do some second shooting too.  I actually love second shooting and I cannot lie, it’s kinda nice to shoot for fun without all of the pressure that comes with being the primary shooter. One wedding that I loved was for my dear friend Jen Geer on the 50 Yard line at The Big House.  I loved helping her out, but it was seriously the hottest day ever.  On Astroturf.  Yes, it’s was a day to remember. And a few quick shots of the camera turned on me too.  And these guys know how much I looove being in front of the camera.  I’m kidding.  I’d rather peel a pile of carrots blindfolded.

I am always looking for talented, reliable second shooters for my weddings.  I put together a post last year with tips on second shooting and what I am looking for in a second shooter.  I included a few shots from a wedding that I second shot for Candice last summer.  Hope you enjoy a few tips from a second shooter’s prospective.

Tip#1: Use your time wisely.  I had arrived to the venue a few minutes before the main shooter, so I spent some time with the guys shooting them as well as the surroundings and early-arriving guests.  Also, make sure to get some direction from the primary shooter with what type of guys shots they’re looking for.  Formal? Artistic? This will help you when setting up for those shots.

Tip #2:  Capture the details and moments that may get lost in the schedule of the day.  Let’s face it.  No matter how organized a bride may be, and even with an amazing coordinator, details and moments might go un noticed if the primary is busy with the bride and the events of the day.  Make sure to capture even the smallest details – a smile, a sigh, an expression – and turn an otherwise normal event into an extraordinary one that the couple will surley appreciate seeing them when they receive their final images.

Tip #3: Utilize your strengths.  Be confident. And remember, you’re there for a reason.  Good chance your primary shooter has asked you to second shoot this wedding because they thought you were a good fit with their clients.  Use this to your advantage and do your thing!  Shoot as you normally would and even feel free to get a little creative (creative doesn’t = crazy, so keep it in good taste!).  This wedding party was pretty large, so it was helpful to have someone there to help Candice stay on top of the shots she needed all while trying to get a wedding party of 20+ people to cooperate and follow her direction.  While Candice was changing lenses or shooting with the guys, I gathered the girls for a few different shots, as well as did some side shooting for the bride and groom’s formals.

Tip #4:  Look at things from a different perspective.  Make an effort to get different angles and shots than the primary.  Position yourself opposite from them.  This applies for ceremony, first look, processional and recessional as well as side shooting while they are and for the reception.