Second photographer… yay or nay

Some photographers, myself included, offer a package where you get two of us snapping away.

Question is, do you need two photographers?

Answer… sometimes. And here’s why…

Having just one photographer doesn’t mean you lose any of the ‘must have moments’ from you day. By myself, I am completely able to capture the key parts of your day and some awesome candid moments. But ultimately, it is just one person. There are times when having ‘just one of me’ may not be quite enough.

Morning preps can be covered for the both of you, meaning you get to see each others morning shenanigans. And if one of you doesn’t fancy it, the second photographer can head off earlier to the venue to get some gorge detail pics and guests arriving. It’s lovely to look back on it all and also have some snap shots of all the details you spent time (and money!) on organising or making for your wedding.

What else can a second photographer provide?

Let’s talk about the ceremony. It’s the main point of the day right? Actually getting married! But for a lot of couples, it’s the most nervy part too. Because of this, you tend not to look around you and soak it all in. You walk down the aisle, say your vows to each other, sign a marriage certificate and then walk back up the aisle. And breath! So what have you remembered from that part of your day… not an awful lot! So having all the angles covered here means you get to see it all afterwards and properly relive the moment.

To save causing distractions and to please the person leading your ceremony, photographers will generally stay in one place. It’s not a huge issue but it does place restrictions on what can be covered. By having two photographers, you negate this issue. One of us stays at the front and the other at the back. This means intimate moments are covered and the bigger picture too. See your guests reactions, the view of the whole room with you centre stage, the looks you share… the whole shebang!

And then you have the bulk of the day, the mingling, drinking antics, outside games, reunions with friends and family… the lot! There’s a whole heap of fun that happens and it’s not possible for me to be everywhere at once (I wish!)

Things to consider when deciding on one or two photographers: are you nearing or over the 100 guest mark? Do you have more than one venue (i.e church and reception venue or getting ready and wedding venue). Does your venue have a number of rooms for guests to congregate?

Yes to any of these would likely mean that you will benefit from a second photographer. Near or over 100 guests means there’s a lot of bodies for me to snap. Getting round them all or getting to something fab that’s going on the other side of the room isn’t always the easiest of things. Double the photographers and you have more floor space covered… like a stealth operation! If you are travelling from one venue to another, as a photographer, I am always weighing up a number of things. Do I leave a little earlier from morning preps and potentially miss something happening or do I follow them to the venue and risk issues with parking. It’s a rather hectic time to be fair! With two of us, that worry doesn’t happen at all as you always have one where the action is and one waiting for the action! And venues that have a number of different rooms or areas can be tricky to capture too. You never know what’s going on in the next room and whether you and your camera should be there getting the action. Again, with two togs, we can cover a wider area and get you more of the good stuff.

Just think about group shots now. When a photographer is organising groups, it leaves very little time to do anything other than, well… organise group shots!! Keeping everyone in tow means that your mates over in the corner, having a right old chuckle may not be snapped.

And finally you have the practical side of things. Two photographers means more images. Not twice the amount as some may think but a whole bulk more to make you smile! 

So there you have it… some well explained reasons why having two photographers might be the best way forward for you.

I hope you found this blog useful and it’s helped you make a decision on one or two photographers. And don’t forget, get in touch if you’re looking for a photographer!