Second Shooter - Male or Female?

[rgm-photos]

I'm about to sign my first wedding contract where the bride wants a second shooter. I have never used a second shooter before and I have a few questions to ask.

• (Me being a male) I'm wondering if a female second shooter would be better to hire than a male?
• Does a male/female team have an advantage over a duo team?
• Where is that posting about the second shooter's fees?

[MyKey]

Originally Posted by rgm-photos

• (Me being a male) I'm wondering if a female second shooter would be better to hire than a male?
  

• To me shooting is not about sex of the photographer but the talent of the photographer. If your client truly cares about the images and the talent and art behind them the sex simply should not be a factor. TriCoast is a two man team and we shoot brides getting dressed all the time, to us it is about the art, nothing more and nothing less.
  
  

  Does a male/female team have an advantage over a duo team?

  Again I think it is the art of the team and not the sex, simply stated you produce the goods and have a good time with the clients and they like you, well everything will be alright
  
  
  

  Where is that posting about the second shooter's fees?

Don't know but if we pay a second shooter we only pay a daily rate and not an hourly one. Also we allow the shooter to use the images which they capture in their personal porfolio. This is only after we clear it with the client themselves though. We pay anywhere between $150 to $300 for a third shooter, if we pay at all. Normally we do not need one being a two man team already so we only take them on now if we; one enjoy the person as a friends, and two; they want to build their work at higher end weddings.

[LadyShutterBug]

i am generally a two-female team shooter. i do most of the work but my assistants shoot as well... and they are both women.

i don't think it has any bearing on the quality or artistry of the images in the end.

[HotHolly]

We are a male and female team. It has advantages if the bride is shy, especially with the getting ready shots. This tends to be a factor more so in lower budget weddings. But you never know. One wedding had all the girls changing in a hallway with the entire wedding party walking in and out of the room, but they wouldnt let the male photographer in?!?! That was the exotic dancer wedding...

I've felt like having a male and female shooter has been an asset over all.

I've also shot weddings where its just me and the intern (also female). We had the groomsmen catcalling us when we walked in. It flustered the intern a lot, and it never happens when *Mike* is there.

I would say its more important that the 2nd shooter knows what you are going for and compliments your weakness (eg if you are shy, they are bold). If you feel like a feminine touch would help make your images more evocative, it might be helpful for you.

Just a suggestion...

[adirty1]

male/male , female/male, or just male.
I have had a couple brides say they didnt want me in the changing room.... these where brides that where not comfortable with their bodies to begin with. really depends on the bride. you tell a model/bride that you dont see anything but a subject when you are working but the bride doesnt always believe it.

[LadyShutterBug]

you tell a model/bride that you dont see anything but a subject when you are working but the bride doesnt always believe it.

while this may be true, your wedding day, for some ladies, is a day you are giving your mind, body, heart, and soul to your mate for the rest of your life. dressing in front of another man doesn't really jive with that. it wouldn't have for me, anyway.. especially if it involved the girdling and bra-fastening that i have seen at some weddings. ;)

[Daniel Bates]

And because I am a minor, I will employ an adult female as a second-shooter if pictures of that nature are specifically requested. Better safe than sorry...

[Wendy]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

We are a male and female team. It has advantages if the bride is shy, especially with the getting ready shots. This tends to be a factor more so in lower budget weddings.

Don't know why that would be more of a factor in a low budget wedding. When I got married it was a very high budget affair and I never would have allowed a male photographer in the changing room. I specifically made sure there would be a female assistant that would do the photos in the bride's room and none of the shots would show anything. I was very conservative back then. It wouldn't bother me a bit today, but 15 years and 2 kids later, I flat out don't care what anyone thinks anymore.

My point being though, some brides would prefer females, most probably don't care. Get to know your bride, find out her comfort level, and respect that.

[MyKey]

This is interesting, over the last year for the most part we have not had one problem with this. In fact I have alot of naked and half naked images of brides getting dressed from many different body types and backgrounds. Given we are middle-high end photographers and I don't know if that has something to do with it or not. What I feel does is our pre-meeting with the client, picking and choosing the right client for us and making them think we are the right photographers for them. Once you get this understanding they trust you and expect shots of this nature.

Again I could care less, its about creating the art not seeing some women naked or in a g-string that says heartbreaker on it. I want to capture the best portrait I can filled with emotion of the day. If the bride does not want that or does not trust us to capture it, we simply do not want them as a client.

Not trying to sound like a hard a$$ but seriously they are going to let a photographer who happens to be female take a picture of them half dressed then post it online for EVERYONE to see. Makes no sense to me.


I feel problems like this along with just about all others can be sorted out in the pre-wedding-meeting. If you communicate well with the client there usually are no problems on the wedding day besides drinking and eating too much.

[Wendy]

Originally Posted by MyKey

In fact I have alot of naked and half naked images of brides getting dressed from many different body types and backgrounds.

That's probably why you don't end up with many brides that care if you're in the changing room. If I'd seen your books when I was looking at photographers, I would have immediately crossed you off my list because of the half-naked shots in your portfolio. You have a different style of photography than someone like myself would have ever considered. My photographer did a fantastic job and got some fantastic, very artistic shots. Photography doesn't have to include nudity or semi-nudity to be artistic. It's just a different style. Fifteen years ago, your style would have totally not been my thing. I was wayyy too conservative for that.

Also, I never would have allowed a female to take those photos either. I did allow the female second shooter in the changing room, but with strict restrictions on what she could and could not photograph.

I tell you one thing, though. If I were to ever renew my vows and do another ceremony, I'd make SURE you and Cody were both in the changing room. Heck, I'd even change the date to make sure you were available. I figure if anyone could take flattering photos of me half naked it would be the two of you!

[HotHolly]

Budget has something to do with nudity and art - if you pitch your work as art, its normal. Different mind set - different price tag - different expectation. They usually go hand-in-hand. That mindset criss-crosses into portraits - ummm...like oil on canvas kind of portraits.

My little opinion is still to get someone that compliments your style (so you blend) and do the Jerry M. thing and find someone who 'completes you.' (wow, i sound like a corn dog!)

Also, most brides are more concerned about what you are taking pictures of, more than if you are in there or not.

At our stripper wedding, they were changing in the hallway, in front of the entire wedding party, and wandering old people (that got an eye full) from the hotel, but they were shy with the photographer. At the other end of that - we had the grandma bride walking around with nothing on.

Fun times...All to get the dress over the head shot. Whats with all the girls (and grandmas) going braless?

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by Wendy

If I'd seen your books when I was looking at photographers, I would have immediately crossed you off my list because of the half-naked shots in your portfolio.

MyKey, I would have hired you, unless this shot made it into your portfolio. Thats gonna haunt you man!

[Michelle Allmon]

i haven't done a ton of weddings yet, but i did try to shoot the guys getting ready once and they hit me in the ass with a ping pong ball when i was shooting.

on the other hand, i know some brides don't want makes in there. so i think it would be beneficial. after i move i have a male friend in mind to shoot weddings with me.

[MyKey]

Im sorry if I sounded harsh this is just a nip pick of mine and especially Cody's. We truly want to capture the image, to use its an important part of the day and one we personally get upset about when we can not capture it.

Also on the pick Holly, I promise you that one wont come back to haunt me, just ask around there are a TON of MUCH worse images out there on me :)


I love making a living off of making a fool of myself, and I am so very good at it :)

[LadyShutterBug]

Not trying to sound like a hard a$$ but seriously they are going to let a photographer who happens to be female take a picture of them half dressed then post it online for EVERYONE to see. Makes no sense to me.

when i take pictures on the day of the wedding that show even a bit of underwear, or even a bit too much bra, they don't go in the public gallery. i don't want to embarass the bride's father when his boss is looking at images online... nor do i want anyone to have to see the bride's thong if that's more than they bargained for. those images are for the bride and are password-protected. she can give out the password to others and explain why they are protected if she wants-- but then it becomes her issue of control.

i have got some hilarious images of a bride trying to shove herself into a pair of "spanx", but no way in hell woudl i have put those in her gallery for everyone to see.