The Art of Having a Second Shooter

As a KELOWNA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER, I am sometimes asked by my clients to explain the value of what the photography industry refers to as a “second shooter.”

I thought it was time for me to create a post about not only their value but give some specific examples of what a qualified, experienced “second shooter” can bring to a Wedding day.

First off, I feel the term “SECOND SHOOTER” doesn’t adequately describe what the photographer who works with me does on a Wedding day.  I prefer to call them an Associate Photographer.  The OXFORD DICTIONARY describes an associate thus:

as-so-ci-ate

noun

1. a partner or colleague in business or at work.

That is NOT someone who is carrying my bags, handing my clients (or myself) water, holding a reflector or “snapping” a few images when they are needed.  My associates are highly trained, skilled, creative individuals, who most often also have their own photography company and I, and my clients, are lucky enough to hire them on a weekend that they are free.

as-so-ci-ate

verb

1. connect (someone or something) with something else in one's mind.

Now I know the previous definition doesn’t exactly fit what I am about to say, but I  feel that a great associate is also like the “verb” tense.  We actually are of one mind, and connecting on a level that creates art, through the filter each of us sees the event through.  Every photographer has their unique style, and when you take the same subjects, same moment, and put that through each artists filter….you can get some pretty divergent ideas of what the images look like, and both are equally breathtakingly beautiful and artistic.

For the client, whose budget allows the two of us to capture their day, I can not recommend my associate photographers enough. I have photographed numerous Weddings on my own, and I am skilled at doing that; but when two of us show up at a Wedding, the creativity we are unable to unleash is unmatched.  We also now have additional time and varying creativity and it is a difference that I love to be able to offer my clients.

I LOVE being a Kelowna Wedding Photographer that is able to offer their clients TWO amazing photographers on their day.  Let me know I can help plan the Wedding of your dreams with my team of professional photographers.

Thank you to my incredible associate photographer, Kate Mahaits, for being my go to girl all these years.  

Here are just a few examples of us both capturing the exact moment, but with completely different artistic renderings.

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Financing

Believe it or not, a lot of people don’t realize just how important it is to choose the right Kelowna Wedding Photographer. Stop for a second and think about a wedding you went to in the last 5 years. Can you remember what flowers they used, the place settings, or what wine was served? If you are like my husband you would barely remember where the wedding took place! One thing everyone will always remember however is how the photographs came out. Because you and everyone you know will be looking at these photographs; the ONLY permanent record of your wedding, for decades to come. That’s how people will remember your wedding. By the photographs. In fact, history itself is remembered by the photos. Think of any famous historical photograph and notice how it conjures up all kind of associations and ideas about that period of time and history.

I believe that everyone’s love story deserves to be immortalized in history just like that. That’s why you need the best wedding photographer that you can afford. I also understand just how expensive it is these days to get married. 

We want to make sure that you aren’t forced to skimp on the most important expenditure of the day because of a temporary shortage of available funds. We don’t think that’s fair to you or your family. You deserve the best!

And that’s why, we have decided to be the ONLY okanagan professional wedding photographers (that we’re aware of at least) to provide financing. And with no credit checks and no applications. Just your word. Because I have been very pleased to learn over the years that when you photograph someone's wedding there is a special connection that is formed between the couple and photographer. So I am offering this financing to you even though you may not need it. Only because I have seen far too many couples skimp on their photos just because they don't have the money at the time. Unfortunately they pay for that temporary cash shortage for the rest of their lives with less than stellar wedding photographs. So I decided to break the mold. I'm offering this to my new clients to make absolutely sure that they get to look as good in their wedding photographs as they deserve. And we know that you will be so happy with your photographs that you'll feel they are worth 10 times what you paid for them.

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Finding the Sizzle in Wedding Photography

As a Kelowna Wedding Photographer, I know that as women, we all dream about our Wedding day as a day to not only pledge our love to our soon to be husband…but to look like we’re fashion ready for the cover of Vogue.

It’s okay to want that. You should feel sexy and glamorous on your Wedding day! Now the problem is finding a photographer who can invoke that passion and sizzle.

Enjoying the company of your photographer and knowing you can completely trust them is critical. After all, the relationship you have with your photographer is the most important of all your wedding vendors. You will spend more time with them than any other vendor and their vision for your day can make the difference between mediocre or “Wow”.

The challenge of any good photographer is to elicit the best from you and your fiancé. As beautiful as you are, they can make you shine brighter with some direction. The more you enjoy and respond to their direction, the more beautiful you will look.

You may think that chemistry happens naturally, but many clients feel nervous at a photo session. Find out if a complimentary Engagement Session is included in your package.   This will help you ease any anxiety and help you in understanding how you will all work together. It will make all the difference on your Wedding day.

To find a photographer who will not only want to meet your expectations but to exceed them, start evaluating them from your first correspondence. Are they easy to get a hold via email or phone and do they answer your questions in a professional and timely manner? During the interview process do you feel at ease around them and can you see yourself working with them for up to 14 hours on your Wedding day?

Browse as many photographers’ websites as you can to see whose work excites you.   Do their images radiate emotion and energy and have the glamorous feel you crave?

A photographer who has a professional degree and is continuously improving their artistry, will have a portfolio of work where the images appear effortless. You don’t notice the fancy Photoshop techniques; you see the couple.   Note if they have they won awards and who has hired them. Having photographed someone noteworthy such as a celebrity or professional athlete says they’ve got coveted skills and know how to make clients look their best.

When someone suggests your uncle can photograph your Wedding with his new camera…you’ve got to know his “point and shoot” won’t capture you looking your most beautiful. A professional photographer has invested tens of thousands of dollars in professional gear and countless hours of training.   Make peace with the fact that you’ll invest a minimum of 10 percent (or more) of your Wedding budget into hiring a professional photographer. That can easily run between $2,500 and $6,500 depending on the photographer and the package you chose.

Ask if the photographer you are contemplating hiring offers financing.   That way you don’t end up hiring a photographer based solely on price. What problem would you prefer? Seeing your photos and disliking them or looking better than you ever dreamed possible?

A Wedding day is a once in a lifetime experience. Finding a photographer who captures it more beautifully than you ever thought possible is worth more than anything else on your day. For generations to come, it’s the photos that will tell the story of your magical fairytale. Find a photographer who will make them sizzle!

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Professional vs. Amateur

Is YOUR home picture-poor?

Shocking Truth! Anyone can press the button on a camera. The millions of wedding guests per year who bring along their shiny, new pocket digital, or trusty disposable cameras have proved it. The question is just how good are those photos? And what exactly are your memories worth?

Keep in mind that you are paying for a professional photographer’s training, time, skill, creativity, experience, personality, and brand image. Too many people forget the many thousands of hours that a photographer has spent honing their craft, and the tens of thousands of dollars in state of the art, professional equipment they have invested in. They have worked hard at acquiring the necessary skills to capture your most important day with the artistry it deserves. Their vision for your day will literally be transformed into a physical and tangible thing which will be a part of your lives for ever and ever… your wedding album.

I can tell you from years of experience that people who are truly ecstatic with their wedding photos never feel they paid too much for them. Unfortunately, there are lots of people that spent too much money on centerpieces and too little on their wedding photographer, and they are now forced to live, for the rest of their lives, with a very mediocre representation of a truly magical and once in a lifetime event. In the wedding photography business you truly do get what you pay for. I would love a chance to be your Okanagan professional wedding photographer.

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Photojournalistic vs. Traditional Photography

As a Kelowna Wedding Photographer, I've had numerous clients over the years inquire to the differece between traditional wedding photography and a much more photojournalistic approach.  If you too have wondered about the two vastly different styles, read on!

There is a much confusion surrounding the different styles of wedding photography that professionals are shooting today. Most couples want the style and glamour that they see in magazines. They often don’t know exactly what that style is called and how a skilled photographer can make them look as good as the bride and groom in the latest trend-setting celebrity wedding. Other couples are looking for a more traditional style of wedding photography.

These are the two most common types of wedding photography; traditional and photojournalistic. While similar equipment is used in both, there are significant differences in technique and approach.

Traditional photographers concentrate most of their efforts on posed portraits, and rarely capture candid moments. The quality of traditional photography is usually judged by sharpness, lighting, correct skin tones, and the use of the background. Most traditional photos are instantly recognizable, as many poses are standard for all weddings.

The more glamorous, or modern style of photography is called Photojournalistic. It is also called documentary photography. While similarities exist between traditional and photojournalistic approaches, the main expectations of each style are very different. Traditional style is portrait oriented. Photojournalism is candid oriented. The photojournalist’s goal is to take pictures while people are not aware they are being photographed. By blending with the crowd, a photojournalist is able to capture the action as it unfolds – the true emotions, the real expressions, the happiness and joy. Instead of the traditional formal portraits and posed photos, this approach produces a more intimate, artistic take on a wedding. Photos will reflect a fleeting, un-posed moment that conveys the emotions of the day.

Photojournalism means to capture the real, true thing. Visual perception of an experienced photojournalist will add a unique charm to your pictures and you will end with up emotional and artistic photos capturing the very essence of your wedding day. The Album will resemble a storybook, rather than just be a series of posed portraits.

If you are a bride that loves wedding photojournalism, it is still a good idea to choose a photographer who recognizes the value of certain aspects of traditional photography and will work aspects of that style into their wide variety of shots. The photographer will gently coax a situation, and with a little guidance and interaction with their subject, get the shot that has the look and feel of a candid, photojournalistic shot, but the compositional beauty of a traditional one. A few familiar wedding poses, mixed in with the glamorous photojournalism, can also satisfy the desire for traditional portrait style poses that many people grew up with without taking away from the overall photojournalist style.

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