Role of second shooter?

bunny99123 · Mar 8, 2013

Hi,
Well, I have finally shot my renewal wedding. I got a lot of good photos, but I had a large learning curve. Some friends are not ment to work with. Sorry, got to vent again.

I thought the wedding went well, but after I though about it my new friend took the wedding over! She got into postion were I should have been shooting during the ceremony. Also, the dressing rooms were so small that it did not allow enough room for both of us to take photos at the same time. Even made a comment to me that, normally when she has a second shooter, they stay in the back of the church and shoot only the wedding party entering and leaving. I was taken back, because she invited herself, and the people asked me to photographed their ceremony free of charge. She was suppose to be the second shooter.

I do not cause any conflict, period on the job, so I did not want to tell her to back off. Then she hurried and got her photos pp, which is okay with me, but we had many of the same shots. When I went to pick up the photos, she had put only her name on her dvd label and had a business card with it. I planned on putting both our logo and names on the dvd.

She confessed she came to practice with her new camera and get new photos for her website.

I know she has a right to be recognized for her photos which I have done, but I feel she is going after future business. I spent money meeting with the couple, visiting the wedding site, and gas to go to the renewal wedding. She wasn't out anything financially. Also we got a tip, which I split with her.

What do you think about this, it has bothered me?

gsgary · Mar 8, 2013

That was nice of them to ask you to shoot it for free

Lmphotos · Mar 8, 2013

I seen pictures of the renewal wedding......I think you need more practice ecspecially lighting and composition before you take on another. As for the drama part of it if you guys don't work well together then cut your losses and move on!

imagemaker46 · Mar 8, 2013

As the primary photographer you should have taken control of the situation, you didn't, it's really that simple. This is the difference of being a professional and being an amateur, you can't allow someone else to control your shoot. You should have quietly taken her aside and asked her to step back.

12sndsgood · Mar 8, 2013

agree with imagemaker, if you were the main shooter before the wedding began you should have spelled out the 2nd shooters role from start to finish, where you want them. what you want them covering, all the way to the end with what you wanted her to do with the photos when done. if she was getting in the way during the middle. you step aside somewhere private and handle the situation.

rexbobcat · Mar 8, 2013

Like I said in the last thread, the fact that she invited herself kind of sounds kid of pretentious like she doesn't trust you.

Apparently that was the case...

Also; this is gonna sound really bad depending on how well you're friends with her, but she kind of sounds like a *****.

Real friends don't take advantage of other friends' opportunities.

pixmedic · Mar 8, 2013

It looks to me like she jumped on YOUR gig to supplement HER portfolio. And giving them the CD with only her name and business information... Thats the kind of friend you dont need. You should have said something during the wedding. You let her take control of your job.

12sndsgood · Mar 8, 2013

Yeah she's definately not someone I would shoot with again.

pixmedic · Mar 8, 2013

How do you feel your photos came out compared to your friend's?

Mully · Mar 8, 2013

When you are in charge ....stay in charge or you will get run over every time.... treat this as a business and be prepared for your shooting. Some of the best lessons are the toughest.

runnah · Mar 8, 2013

I always have my second shooter take shots from a grassy knoll.

tirediron · Mar 8, 2013

No point in reiterating what has already been said several times, but I would definitely use this as a learning experience and make sure that you DO NOT repeat these mistakes again. Perhaps it might be worthwhile to take a sober, second look at yourself and decide if you have the personality required for this situation? Can you take charge of a second-shooter and give direction? Can you reign them in if/when they start to go off on a tangent? Some people can, some can't. Nothing right or wrong about either one, it's just personality, but if you find you're not comfortable taking charge of others, soloing may be the way to go.

Double H · Mar 8, 2013

When I hire a second shooter, I make it very clear what I want them to do, and where I want them to be, without stepping on their creativity. We work as a team, always opposite of each other, always capturing great moments from two different angles. Also, when I deliver the final images I include the second-shooter's images on the same discs as mine. They work for me, and understand it is my gig. I am the one who booked the wedding, I am the one who scouted the locations, I am the one who has taken care of the client the entire way. The bride and groom expect to get my "brand" in the end. I let my second shooters post the images on their blog with credit to me for the gig. When I include some of their images in my online posts, I might add a watermark like, "Image by Bob Smith for Double H Photography. We promote each other this way, yet it is still very clear it was MY gig, and they were hired by me. Maintain complete control, this is what a good client expects.

weepete · Mar 8, 2013

Well, it's difficult to say without seeing your friends shots to compare. However you said before that she had or has her own photography buisness, and I get the impression that you are reasonably new to this. It could well be that your friend was making sure she got the shots in case yours didn't turn out but doesn't want to offend you or criticise your work too harshy.

DiskoJoe · Mar 8, 2013

bunny99123 said:
Hi,
Well, I have finally shot my renewal wedding. I got a lot of good photos, but I had a large learning curve. Some friends are not ment to work with. Sorry, got to vent again.

I thought the wedding went well, but after I though about it my new friend took the wedding over! She got into postion were I should have been shooting during the ceremony. Also, the dressing rooms were so small that it did not allow enough room for both of us to take photos at the same time. Even made a comment to me that, normally when she has a second shooter, they stay in the back of the church and shoot only the wedding party entering and leaving. I was taken back, because she invited herself, and the people asked me to photographed their ceremony free of charge. She was suppose to be the second shooter.

I do not cause any conflict, period on the job, so I did not want to tell her to back off. Then she hurried and got her photos pp, which is okay with me, but we had many of the same shots. When I went to pick up the photos, she had put only her name on her dvd label and had a business card with it. I planned on putting both our logo and names on the dvd.

She confessed she came to practice with her new camera and get new photos for her website.

I know she has a right to be recognized for her photos which I have done, but I feel she is going after future business. I spent money meeting with the couple, visiting the wedding site, and gas to go to the renewal wedding. She wasn't out anything financially. Also we got a tip, which I split with her.

What do you think about this, it has bothered me?

The role of a second shooter is what I tell them to do. Before we even show up I have already went over an outline of what is going to occur. I tell them where to position and what shots to take for me. And the main shooter should ALWAYS edits the final work, ALWAYS. This is to keep the output consistent. But honestly dont get all mad cause you LET your Friend (?) walk all over you.