One photographer vs two?

SunshinyLees · August 2011

We are getting married at Olowalu Plantation house with a guest list of approximately 40-45 people. We're doing our photographer research right now and have narrowed down our list, but are wondering if It is completely worth the extra cost to have two photographers over just one? We love our photos and will definitely buck up if its absolutely worth it, but from our research its twice the cost if the photographer brings an assistant. Before we commit we would love to get your feedback!
Thanks, Lees

maui2011 · August 2011

I hired a husband and wife duo. Personally i love the idea of having two photogs...we will be around 30 and we have two. Not necessary but a nice add on if your budget allows. They can get shots of the same moment from different angles, while you and your photog are taking photos during cocktail hour the other photog can hang back and take photos of your guests. Plus one can take the guys getting ready and the other the ladies. As well, we are having two videographers. HTH! J. :-)

kaesha · August 2011

My photog brought someone else along with her of her own choice; I didn't have to pay for the second shooter.

dianalynm · August 2011

I agree with maui2011. I think 1 is sufficient enough, but having 2 is a nice perk!

[Deleted User] · August 2011

Yikes I had the same dilemma! I really thought I needed 2 photographers to make sure we didn't miss a moment. The prices we saw were actually pretty close for 1 or 2. We ultimately chose the photographer according to the style we liked, personality, and who I felt understood us better. I guess it was just hunch. We were torn between 2 photographers and did a phone interview. We chose ours because she seemed to want to get to know us better and we felt we could trust. The photographer has an assistant but she does the shooting so the pricing was fr 1. She also had a good portfolio so we thought 1 would be plenty.

tiggy5555 · August 2011

I choose two because I like the idea of having different angles. Budget wise, I'd not spend anything you're uncomfortable with. HTH

breaness · August 2011

As a photographer I just want to pipe in and say that any photographer who shoots alone is running a very big risk.

I would NEVER do a wedding without a backup shooter, and here's why. Gear fails.

Gear fails, and sometimes even your backup gear fails. And when you're fiddling with your backup's backup to try to get the shot and you miss the "you may now kiss the bride" moment? Get ready for a lawsuit.

My photographer for our wedding has become a friend, and she told me that last weekend when she shot a wedding one of her rental lenses broke during the cake cutting. Fell off the camera onto the ground, shattered, dead, gone. It was bad enough that she had missed the moment, but now all she could think about was 1, getting the broken pieces off the ground, 2, getting to her gear bag to grab another lens to put on that camera body, and 3, the $1,600 that she was now liable for because when she signed off on the lens as a rental, she signed off that it was in proper working condition.

Luckily, she has a partner, and she will not shoot without a second, and he caught everything. Including the look on her face when she pulled the camera up to her face and then lens fell to the ground.

Just this weekend, my DSLR died. No reason, it just died. I dropped it off at the camera shop to get sent for repair yesterday hoping to find some insight as to what the hell happened to make my 2 year old camera just STOP WORKING and they said "It just happens."

So my point is... always always always have a second shooter. Or at least a photographer with backup bodies and backup lenses. But my preference is to have a second shooter, because many of these photographers can't handle the type of lawsuit that you are completely capable of bringing if they miss a moment at your wedding. Weddings can't have do-overs.

WinstonsGirl · August 2011

Our photogs are the same from my brothers wedding, a husband a wife team. It was awesome to work with 2, as he stayed with my brother through go-karting and getting ready, and she stayed with us at the salon/hotel while we got ready. They then did the seperate bridal party photos as we walked a couple of blocks to the ceremony through downtown. they were constantly on the phone with each other asking where they were so the bride and groom wouldn't catch a glimpse, and since these photos were already done before the ceremony, we finished photos early and they treated us to a drink on a local patio before finishing their individual photos. It was pretty sweet!!

HaYnCaNdi808 · August 2011

I am another vote for 2 photographers, but I LOVE pics - quite OCD actually (need them in chronological order.)

If its not a huge splurge, I would say go for it!

AKWinterBride · August 2011

My photographer had an assistant with her who acted as her second shooter. Would I have paid more for the second shooter? Nope!

Tanq&Tonic · August 2011

We had a second shooter -- our photog and his wife shoot together. You know what? I'm damn glad we had both. That's twice as many people covering the key moments, and sometimes, just sometimes, the primary gets every frame while you're blinking :P

I also agree with Brea -- less so around the legal stuff...honestly it doesn't matter if you sue them or not...if they miss the shot, you can never get that back. Whether you have one photog or two, you probably wouldn't win in court anyway...most photogs have an "acts of god" and "unforeseen circumstance" clause that essentially covers them if sh*t happens. So think of it as 2 main cameras and 2 backups, resulting in 2 angles of the same thing, and insurance just in case.

I would never have accepted just a single shooter at the wedding -- and I actually would have paid more if I needed to (although I didn't) just to have the extra insurance. But, I am also a photo nut like that and would totally have skipped something like the cake to pay for more photo coverage

richnikki · August 2011

Vote for 2!! Ditto for all the reasons posted above

SunshinyLees · August 2011

Thanks ladies...two it is! Now just have to make a decion on the photographer...;)

MarisaLovell · August 2011

TWO! But then again our photographers are the first thing we booked and I feel like we got a steal of a deal! Definintely the most important vendor (in my opinion). They are incharge of capturing your memories. Not something I would want to skimp on.

One photographer vs two?

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