lifestyle
engagement
wedding
travel
personal
all posts

Journal

Navigate

Home

about

Weddings

Portraits

Blog

contact

couples

families

Joyful photographer & videographers, lovers of film and chasing golden light.

MEET Holly & Grant

Wedding days are HARD. They’re long, they’re exhausting, and when you don’t have a good pair of shoes your feet hurt at the end of the night! I have never actually shot a wedding by myself – I’ve always had someone with me! However, I know many good photographers who started out shooting them by themselves and they always recommend the same thing I do. HAVE A SECOND SHOOTER.

Brides, I also recommend asking for a second shooter if it’s not included in the package you are booking with your photographer! Second shooters are vital to helping the lead photographer all day long! Below, I’ve included a few things that Second Shooters should be doing for you!

  1. CAPTURE A SECOND ANGLE
    • Second shooters should be capturing a different angle than the lead photographer! The lead photographer is to guide and direct the couple, family members, bridal party, etc. into elegant poses that capture the best of everybody during the day. However, the second shooter has a little more freedom because they aren’t directing the couple or family members. They are able to capture the emotion, while the lead captures the action! They are also able to photograph things that the lead can’t photograph. The groomsmen while the Bride is getting ready, cocktail hour, the details and sometimes the reception.
  2. ALLOW YOU TO FOCUS ON THE COUPLE
    • This one is HUGE. The second shooter has a very important job during the day and it’s keeping distractions at bay! They also can carry equipment, run and get waters, get errant groomsmen, track down family members or juggle extra batteries allowing the lead photographer to just focus on loving their couple well that day.
  3. SAVE TIME POST-PROCESSING
    • The second shooter can always do a few things to help you cut down on time. If you have an editing suave second shooter, they can either A. begin uploading your favorites and editing sneak peeks while you snap some shots before the meal (or prep your day of slideshow) or B. they can upload all of their cards to your computer while you eat, saving you time later! Having all of their images right away allows the lead photographer to start culling and editing on the drive home! Saving the lead a TON of sleep for later that night!

 

Have any more tips on why Second shooters are the best? Comment below and I’ll add them later!

Why you need a second shooter!

Navigate

Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

«

Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This engagement session was a special one. Leah and Jordan are tying the knot this summer at Camp YoliJwa, a place near and dear to my heart. We spent this cloudy afternoon getting to know each other and how they met – through mutual friends – while wandering around Caledonia State Park. It was a […]

You May Also Enjoy:

Studios are such a fun way to mix up sessions, and this session was no different. Shooting in a studio forces me to get creative because I’m not relying on scenery and lighting to help tell the story. I’m solely focusing on the couple that I’m photographing. This offers a nice way of keeping the […]

Colin + Mary are getting married this fall at the stunning Elizabeth Furnace in Lancaster. We had a gorgeous spring evening touring their venue and taking their engagement photos this past April! You’ve seen these two on my page often, and will probably continue to see more of them. They are some of my favorite […]

I’ve had the honor of photographing the Smiths the past couple of years. Lauren is a very talented photographer herself, while her husband Levi is a large animal vet. Their farm is my favorite place to photograph them, with their cows as a fabulous backdrop! This year was so special, it was my first time […]

© Holly Marie Photography 2025

Insert the embed code for your one-of-a-kind Interact quiz here!

What is your Bridal Style?

Quiz

Close