Hello there to the Bellamanda Photography readers! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read this post, as it was a pleasure to be asked by Amanda to guest post today. Before I dive right in, because let’s be honest that would just be rude, let me introduce myself. My name is Frances Corkill and I own Two Photography in Boise, Idaho. I have spent the last six years shooting weddings, families, engagements and beyond to build my portfolio. It wasn’t until this year, I took time to focus on what my passion was, which turned out to be weddings. Why weddings you ask? Weddings are full of love, fun and each one is COMPLETELY different. They present a variety of challenges that challenge me as a photographer to be better each time I shoot. I enjoy them so much that I look forward to every single one I shoot. I even get to shoot with Amanda and Chad in September! Can we say GIDDY-MCGIDDERSON? Yes… that’s right I just said that. Well, enough about me, let’s get this going with the burning question…

When booking a wedding photographer, do you pay for just one photographer or fork over the extra dough for a second?

You are probably thinking one photographer is sufficient. The extra cost isn’t worth it to have to feed a second photographer at dinner, have the distraction of a second photographer, and what are you going to get in images that are different from the lead photographer? Let me tell you why I would strongly recommend springing for the second photographer.

A second photographer is the best insurance policy I can have as a lead photographer. Sure it’s selfish reasons for me, but it is a great incentive for you, our client, to have a second photographer cover your wedding with the lead photographer.

Here are the top reasons to hire a second photographer when booking your wedding photography.

• You get more images, different angles capturing a variety of emotions and candid shots on your wedding day.

• Really, the additional expense is minimal and TOTALLY worth it. If you are working with an experienced professional photographer/company, most will build it into their collection prices, so really you never see the additional cost. If it is listed as an a la carte price, it shouldn’t exceed 500-700 for a second shooter, which is very reasonable for a full day of shooting and a variety of extra images.

• DOUBLE the fun. Read that again… it is very much true.

• It is a great insurance for the photographer and you as the client. It allows the second to be there as a go to, assistant and step in should something happen to the lead that is unexpected. It allows the coverage to continue without skipping a beat or being interrupted during the day.

Imagine if you had a wedding photographer that showed up, it was just them and their equipment quit working? What would you do? The last thing you want to get on your wedding day is bad news after the thousands of dollars you spent, that wedding coverage will now be discontinued because of faulty equipment. Having that second person there would save the day and your wedding. I call it the wedding insurance policy to ensure that best coverage is received and given after the wedding of the beautiful images captured. The likelihood of something going wrong is really slim, but just in case, having that second person can make ALL the difference.

As a photographer, I refuse to shoot a wedding without a second shooter. I prefer to shoot with a second person because when we work together as a team, we form new ideas, try new poses, we have a good time and we aren’t going at it alone. We can rely on each other to ensure all shots were captured and nothing was missed. Two years ago, the only wedding I booked that did not book a second shooter,
I really wished they had. It was the only wedding something went wrong. At the time, my camera stopped working. I didn’t have a backup camera (REALLY dumb, I know) and I was calmly freaking out trying to wonder how I was going to tell the client. By the grace of God, I got through it. I covered everything and got every shot the best I could and delivered beautiful images. It turned out that my shutter was breaking down and eventually would stop working altogether. After that wedding, I invested in a second camera and now always shoot with a backup camera as well as a second shooter.

I offer this up to you as a choice and not something you HAVE to do, but totally worth the investment on the most important day of your life. Thank you for taking the time to read and letting me take over the blog for today! If you have any other questions about photography for your wedding and what would be best options, feel free to comment below! I will be more than happy to answer questions regarding booking a fantastic photographer for your wedding and things to be on the lookout for.

xoxo – Frances