wedding tips – Mallory Shorter Photography

Do I Need A Second Shooter For My Wedding?

February 17, 2022 No Comments

You’re getting married and starting to look into wedding photographers. You keep hearing the words “second shooter” thrown around, so let’s get into it!

What is a second shooter?

A second shooter is another photographer, who will come and help shoot your wedding. If you have a second shooter at your wedding it means you will have 2 photographers. The photographer that you hire will provide the second shooter. The second shooter will come help shoot your wedding, but all of your images will be edited by the main photographer that you hired. This ensures you get the max amount of photos and they will also look consistent.

What are the benefits?

1. You will get different angles of all of the big moments!

Here are some scenarios: The bride walking down the aisle vs the groom’s reaction to her coming down the aisle. The first look. One photographer focuses on the groom’s reaction and the other focuses on the bride’s. Same deal with the first dance. The photographers can stand on opposite sides of the room, so you have completely different back drops. One photographer can be zoomed in getting close ups and the other can get wide shots.

2. The photographers can be in 2 different places at once.

Aside from capturing different angles of the same event, the photographers can spread out to capture what’s going on in different areas. For example one photographer can get photos of the bride getting ready while other gets photos of the groom. While the main photographer is taking formal family portraits after the ceremony, the other can be at cocktail hour with your guests. And did I mention the dance floor? 2 photographers will capture tons of different moments happening on the dance floor. Not a single one of your drunk friends will make it out without documentation!

3. Extra Security

Twice as many photographers and twice as many cameras. Hopefully none of the following happens at your wedding, but if it does a second photographer will have you covered! If something happens and one photographer misses it the other will still have it. If a camera breaks that’s twice as many backup cameras. If one photographer is running late the other can cover. Never hurts to have extra hands(and cameras)!

4. They can help your wedding run smoothly.

A second shooter helps with more than just taking photos. They help the main photographer by holding lights and moving things around which helps get photos done quicker and more efficiently. They can also help communicate between the photographer, wedding, planner, and the couple, so that everyone is on the same page without having to stop what they are doing.

5. Best of all, You get more photos!

This one is pretty simple, but probably the best perk of having a second shooter. You will automatically receive more photos if you have a second shooter than if you only have one photographer.

So do you need a second shooter?

I always recommend having one if you’re budget allows. You will never regret having a second shooter. The only scenario where I’d say you might not need one is if you are having a very small(less than 20 people) wedding, but even then you may still enjoy the perks that come with a second shooter.

Bonus! Here are some gems my second photographer took while I was shooting the bridal party, seen in the background!

9 Reasons You Should Do A First Look

January 22, 2020 No Comments

A first look is some time set aside before the wedding for the bride and groom to see each other for the first time in their full wedding attire. It normally takes no longer than 10 minutes. Ultimately, deciding whether you want to do a first a first look at your wedding is a personal decision. And the percentage of couples who decide to do one vs. not is just about even. With all of that being said, a first look can be a WEDDING LIFE-SAVER and here’s why!

1. Calm your nerves

Weddings can be stressful and who’s better at putting you at ease than the person you’ve chosen to be there for you for the rest of your life!

2. A private moment with your partner

Ironically, this can be one of the few intimate private moments you’ll have with your partner all day. Enjoy having a moment with one another to talk about all the crazy things that have happened that morning, what you’re looking forward to, and just unapologetically gawk at that beautiful human being you’re about to marry!

3. Time to fix makeup/ get tears out before the wedding

All of your emotions have been welling up all day. You’re probably going to cry. At least, if you do it before your ceremony you’ll have time to fix your makeup before going in front of all of your guests.

4. The first time you see each other is going to be special no matter what!

Regardless of what time you see each other, that moment is going to be epic! When you see each other at the end of the aisle it’s still going to be an entirely different experience in itself.

5. The groom’s reaction is often more emotional & less restricted when others aren’t watching.

When the groom is alone with the person he feels most comfortable with in the world, he’s much more likely to let those walls down and get emotional rather than trying to hold it together and not cry in front of all of his friends and family.

6. Take care of most of your formal portraits before the wedding starts!

By doing a first look you can knock out SO many pictures that you would otherwise be doing between your ceremony and reception. You can get ALL of your bridal party photos done, some of just the two of you, and maybe even some photos with your immediate family if they’re around.

7. This is the best you are going to look all day!

Your hair and makeup is freshly done and you’ve just gotten into your formal attire. You’re only going to get sweatier as the day goes on and the longer you’re in those clothes the more of a risk you have of getting something on them. Why not get some photos while you are fresh, clean, and not stressed about getting to your reception.

8. Join the cocktail hour/reception early!

A lot of times if couples don’t do a first look they’ll have to completely miss the cocktail hour. You’ve spent a lot of time and money planning your wedding! You should have time to enjoy it! By doing a first look you can get in to our reception quicker and maybe even get to cocktail hour!

9. The emotions are so organic!

The emotions during a first look are so completely raw and genuine. As photographer those are exactly the kinds of shots I want to get and as a couple those are the shots you’re going to treasure for the rest of your life.

Essentially what it boils down to is, if you do a first look you will feel better and less stressed throughout the day, you will look nice and fresh in your formal photos, and you will have more time to get jiggy at your reception.

Fun Fact

The tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other began when arranged marriages were the norm. In fact, the bride and groom did not meet and the veil was kept over the brides face until the end of the ceremony for fear that the groom might find the bride unattractive and call off the wedding. Romantic right?