Second Shooter Diaries, Part II: Distillery Details

I’ve started my first real series on the blog, and while I don’t get a chance to post as much as I would like, a few posts here and there are better than none, right? In the first part of the series, I touched on the basics of second shooting and why I think it’s a really great idea for anyone – seasoned pros and newbies alike. This time, I want to touch on my favorite element of second shooting – getting to tackle DETAILS.

First off, I am a detail freak. I love photographing the little unique elements of a wedding day and noticing the small things that might otherwise go unnoticed. However, as a lead, you have to stay focused on the big picture and keep to a timeline, all the while making sure you get ALL  the shots you need to portray the entire day. Often, this means I can’t get “lost” in shooting details as much as I would otherwise enjoy doing (unless you’re extra awesome and plan your timeline so as to give me hours to just shoot them….in which case, sign me up! I could shoot details FOREVER).

One of the fantastic things about second shooting is getting the chance to creatively explore different elements of photographing a wedding more without the pressure of being a lead photographer. Often, as a second shooter, you will need to photograph the details of a reception room while the lead focuses on getting portraits. This is one of my favorite “assignments” as a second shooter because it means I have time to explore my own creativity and just focus on getting beautiful detail shots. Last year, I had the chance to do just that as a second shooter for the insanely talented Amanda Marie (no seriously, go to her website – she’s fantastic) when she shot a wedding at the Journeyman Distillery in Michigan. Not only was shooting with Amanda so much fun (talented + nice!) but the venue was a DREAM. The details were ON POINT. Check it out!