Another Photographer Question

Jeannine12

What is everyone's view of one photographer vs two photohgrapher?  I am starting to get quotes back from people and comparing packages, prices, and of course if their style of pictures matches what I am looking for.  But some of them have come back and said they are the only photographer but we can add a 2nd one if we would like.  I am just not sure what the benefits of 1 vs 2 really is.  Thanks for the advice in advance

Michele1114

Hi Jeannine. We are having 2 and I think it will be really helpful when we are getting ready. One will be photographing the groom and groomsmen and the other will be with me and my bridesmaids. I guess there's also someone who will focus on bride and groom and the other who will be taking photos of guests. Just covering all bases. I think it also depends on the size of the wedding. Mine isn't big - just average (175 invited) but if we were having a small wedding one would probably be enough.

danielle60314

I agree with @Michele1114...

I personally think its important to have 2 photographers... The getting ready part they split up to get both sides getting ready and throughout the night... One can be in the middle of everything while the other one is off scouting around getting creative photos etc.  I think you will get a wider variety of photos on your wedding... Did you book any other photographers to go meet with yet? @Jeannine12 If you want.. TEXT ME! 

silver0319

Our photographer recommended 1, based on the size of our wedding. In hindsight, H and I wish we had a second shooter (or at least an assistant). A lot of time was wasted bc the photog was with me while I got ready, and then she had to travel to take photos of the guys getting ready. It would have been better if we could have gotten ready at our respective locations simultaneously. We also wished there was a second shooter for cocktail hour, as our photog was taking our family photos then.

FutureMrsN3312

Like PP have said if a 2nd photographer is in your budget do it! I can't recommend it enough. We had a decent size wedding 210 people. I have plenty of pics of the guys getting ready, me and the girls getting ready, guests at cocktail hour, the church decorated before everyone arrived. etc. I don't think 1 person would have been able to get all of those shots.

JCbride2015

It seems that the biggest advantage is in the getting-ready pictures. Fi and I are getting ready in the same hotel, probably in adjoining rooms, and the getting-ready pics are not super important to us. Our wedding is just average-sized, not huge. So we are saving the money and only having one shooter.

Jeannine12

Thank you all for your feedback! I was leaning towards 2 all for the reasons listed above. We are probably inviting 260 to the wedding so it will be a larger group. And my FI and I are getting ready in 2 different places. Also I would like a photographer at the church before we get there taking those pictures.

danielle60314

@Jeannine12..  Have you decided on one yet or are you still looking?

Jeannine12

@danielle60314 i haven't met with any photographers yet.  But i have decided on 2 photographers because of the size of wedding we are having and also I just dont want to miss the look of FI when i am coming down teh aisle.  I am meeting with 5 photographers over the next 3 weeks.

Peaseblossom55

We had two, even though our wedding had under 100 guests I don't regret it. H & I got ready at separate locations so they were both able to capture pictures of us getting ready.  They were able to get different angles of the same shot and at 2 points during the reception our photographer pulled us away to get some sunset and dusk pictures ( they were amazing) and the 2nd photographer was able to keep shooting what was going on at the reception. Also as you mentioned I wanted to get pictures of H's reaction to me walking down the aisle and the one or two we've seen as part of the preview were amazing.

JoanE2012

JCbride2015 said:

It seems that the biggest advantage is in the getting-ready pictures. Fi and I are getting ready in the same hotel, probably in adjoining rooms, and the getting-ready pics are not super important to us. Our wedding is just average-sized, not huge. So we are saving the money and only having one shooter.

This.  I'm not a fan of getting ready pictures.  I knew I wouldn't be putting any of those photos in the album or frame.  Many of them are not even flattering.  Needless to say, we just had one photographer.  The guys and girls did have rooms though right down the hall from each other getting ready, so our photographer was able to quickly and easily get both photos of both groups. So I still managed to get "getting ready" photos.  I guess a 2nd photographer could get more photos, different types, different perspective......but I'm happy with the results of our one photographer, so I have no regrets.

MissADS1981

Most photographers can do it on their own, the only time to really use a 2nd is if you have getting ready photos far apart and you really want those. i am using one shooter, i didnt feel the need for a 2nd shooter for what we want.

Gordo2014

Likewise.  We're already going to get many hundreds of photos from the single photographer.  We're not getting ready in a hotel but photos of me getting ready (I'm the groom) just aren't important to us.  And we'll grab a few of our own for fun.  While two photographers will always be better than one photographer, we decided we'd get more value putting those dollars into a really nice album.

danielle60314

The photographer we contracted with gives you 2 people all day.  There wasn't any extra cost to add another one or for more hours etc. 

Jeannine12

Yeah my goal is 2 photographer and full day service.  The search begins tonight with photographers.  

Gordo2014

danielle60314 said:

The photographer we contracted with gives you 2 people all day.  There wasn't any extra cost to add another one or for more hours etc. 

Nothing is free.  It's just that your photogarpher doesn't give you the option of dropping the second and saving that money, but I assure you, you're paying for it.

Jenn7778

I agree with Gordo2014...they just added the cost in. They have to pay the 2nd shooter so it is definitely just not free. Also, make sure the 2nd shooter is actually a professional photographer. I have seen a ton of comments on here where the 2nd shooter is a student or simply an assistant to the photographer. This would not be acceptable to me.

danielle60314

I've shopped around awhile and... She had the most for your money and she still came in less than a lot of other popular photographers so  maybe the other photographers you looked at added the second person in their cost... but, she hasn't. She is still less money and we are getting a TON of stuff...    I'm beyond happy and soooo glad we found her!

Jenn7778

I'm glad you are happy...that is the most important thing. I was just agreeig that the cost is probably built intro the package. Most photographers have the options for a single or double shooter. If there as no option with your photographer it must be built in since he or she will have to pay that 3nd person. She might be less then others but you are still paying for it in the end. I would still def make sure that the 2nd shooter is not a student though. There are a ton of complaints on here where that was the case.

danielle60314

@Jenn7778... 

Oh no.. I know its not free. Nothing in life is free. LOL  The 2nd photographer is def. not a student. Its a family owned business and everyone that comes with her is a professional photographer.  She gave us everything we wanted and then some and still came in at a lower cost than most others we priced out. Her packages gave more right off the bat then all the others and they were a higher price.  I do agree that regardless who you pick and what you pay... you have to LOVE them..  Now I need to find a cinematographer that we love as much! LOL

Cookie Pusher

We had 2 shooters for our wedding, and it was worth the additional charge. We didn't do getting ready pictures. We didn't do a first-look either, so one photographer was still able to take pictures of DH's family before the ceremony while the other took pictures of the reception set-up. Even though we had a relatively small wedding (75 total people), it was great that we had one photographer working either side of the room so we got twice as many shots of the big moments - first dance, toast, tea ceremony, parent dances, cake cutting, Irish car bomb shots on the dance floor, etc.

Michele1114

I have the same photographer as Danielle and I like that she didn't give us the option to drop the 2nd photographer.  They have been in this business for a long time and know what works best. I do believe she has our best interest in mind.  With all that she offered and having a second photographer she is still reasonably priced and her photos are beautiful. 

JoanE2012

danielle60314 said:

I've shopped around awhile and... She had the most for your money and she still came in less than a lot of other popular photographers so  maybe the other photographers you looked at added the second person in their cost... but, she hasn't. She is still less money and we are getting a TON of stuff...    I'm beyond happy and soooo glad we found her!

Trust me, the cost of the 2nd photographer is added in to the cost.  You don't think the 2nd photographer is doing it for free out of the goodness of her heart??

With that said, I'm a firm believer in you pay for what you get.  If everyone is priced around price point A for x number of services and then one person is at a much lower price point with many additional services, I'd be suspicious.  Why is that person offering more services for much less?   That's just me.  In the end, all that matters is that YOU are happy with their work.

danielle60314

As i stated above… Nothing in life is free but…. All the vendors I've spoke to and met (the ones we've contracted with and the ones we haven't) were willing to work with our budget.  Not to mention they have been beyond generous in regards to my fiancé being active military for over 17 years… As I understand where you are coming from… nothing to be suspicious about at all.