Adding a second photographer.
Do we need one?
I shoot many weddings on my own and a second photographer isn’t always necessary, but there are times when having a second photographer is invaluable. I would recommend adding one to your package:-
If you would like to have both morning preps photographed.
I always photograph bridal breparations, but if you would like to have two full sets of morning preparations captured I would advise booking a second photographer. I can shoot both preps if you are getting ready at the same venue (or if the venues are a maximum of 5 minutes from eachother and the timings fit).
If you are planning a church ceremony.
With a church ceremony, a second photographer really comes into their own and there are multiple benefits of having one! They can be with your partner at the church beforehand and they can also photograph your guests arriving while I stay at bridal prep. A second photographer at church can get alternative angles from the back/on the balcony/at the sides whilst I am at the front so you will get full coverage of your ceremony. They can also offer different perspectives for the confetti shot.
If you have a large number of guests (120+)
When your numbers are big, I recommend adding a second on to your package because it allows us to be in two places at once. There is so much going on with a large wedding, having two photographers makes it much easier to work the room and document all the different moments and stories that happen.
Here are some examples of when it’s been worthwhile have a second photographer on the day…
Shooting this bouquet toss from the side allowed me (main photographer) to set the scene and include all the beautiful scenery too!
…while Nik (second photographer) positioned himself in amongst the girls to capture Vanessa’s reaction! Both of these photos would be perfect on their own but having a second meant we could be in two places at once and tell the story from different perspectives!
Photo Credit: Nik Bryant
Being at the front (main photographer) meant I had this angle when Eoin and Ness said I do…
…while Nik (second photographer) had this one! Both images were delivered but having a second at the back definitely helped here!
Photo Credit: Nik Bryant
While I was at the front for this confetti shot (main photographer)…
Charlotte (second photographer) was at the back to get a reverse angle.
Photo Credit: Charlotte Giddings
If you choose to book a second shooter, they will be with you from morning preparations right through to your speeches.
You will also receive 30% more photographs!
I have a network of amazingly talented second shooters who are all wedding photographers in their own right and who are capable of leading a full wedding on their own.
A good second photographer really is worth their weight in gold!
Let’s talk about Group Photos!
Here’s the thing…
Being a documentary photographer I want you to have the most authentic day with your family and friends, but it’s also not very often that you get everybody together in one place! As much as I believe your day should be completely uninterrupted, I do realise the importance of having family photos and I always make time for these! If you want them, my strong advice is to aim for no more than 5 formal photos and if you want more than that, don’t go above 10! Trust me - this is for your benefit! I have been a guest at weddings in the past where the photographer has taken hours to work through the list of group photos! While the idea of having all these different combinations of family line-up sounds great at the time, the stark reality is that you will be standing in line, forcing out smiles for a very long time away from your guests - which is never a good idea in my opinion! It can also quickly become a stressful experience. Trust your photographer when they say keep the group photo list short and the party time long! They speak from years of experience!
Nominate an Usher or a Bridesmaid (or both) to help gather guests.
This is really helpful for me and it helps to speed up the process too. Remember I don’t know anybody at your wedding, so nominating someone who does is really rather useful! Brief them before your wedding and I will print off your group list and pass this to them on the day. We’ll work together with them to find the right people for each photo.
Each photo takes time.
As a rule, each formal group photo takes around 3-5 minutes to gather the right people, to set up and to shoot. If you are working to a list of 10 groups, this can take between 30 and 50 minutes to complete. Remember to keep your list short.
When to do group photos?
I usually do these during the drinks reception after you’ve had a chance to mingle with your guests. If the list is short enough, we can be finished in under 20 minutes!
Where to do them?
I’ll do your group photos outside wherever possible. If it’s sunny, we’ll find a spot in the shade and if it’s raining I’ll find somewhere quiet inside. The only photo that is weather/space dependent is the big group photo with everybody although not everyone chooses to do this one. If it’s too wet to do this one outside, there will need to be enough space indoors to do it.
Do you really need a big group photo of everyone?
We had the ‘big group shot’ at our wedding - it felt important to me at the time as it was ‘the thing to do’ yet 15 years later, I can count on one finger the amount of times I’ve looked at it! While it’s no problem at all to do (weather dependent and space permitting), consider if you really want this shot.
Confetti.
I absolutely love confetti! It’s such a fun, happy part of the day! Here are some tips to ensure it all runs smoothly!
Buy more than you think you’ll need… Then double it!!
Honestly, the more confetti you have the better! Forget filling tiny packets of the stuff! Fill two buckets full of it, so your guests can grab the biggest handfuls they can! It’s much more eco friendly without the packaging too! Have an usher, bridesmaid, pageboy or a flowergirl hand this out!
Check with your venue beforehand what you are allowed to throw and where, as there may be some restrictions or they may not allow confetti at all!
Paper confetti.
Paper confetti is great! You don’t need as much of this! Especially those brightly coloured dots - this kind really floats around and lingers in the air! Do bear in mind that not everywhere allows paper confetti though, especially churches so best to check beforehand!
Petals.
Biodegradable confetti - petals, dried flowers, flowerbuds - these are all great to throw and more accepted by certain venues! Most places will allow biodegradable confetti even if they don’t allow the paper kind! You will need more of this, as it falls to the floor faster than paper!
Rice.
I’ve only ever been to one wedding where the guest were handed paper cones full of rice to throw at the bride and groom! This was in Greece and it was amazing for reactions!!
Lavender.
…Yes lavender!! One of my couples had their guests throw lavendar at them and it was one of the best confetti moments because not only did it look amazing, it smelt absolutely gorgeous too!!!
Bubbles.
Believe it or not, I’ve not actually photographed bubbles instead of confetti, but it’s a great alternative in my opinion, if you would prefer something a bit different or if your venue doesn’t allow confetti in the grounds!
Booking a Documentary Wedding Photographer.
Getting the most out of your documentary wedding photographer
So now that you've decided you'd like a candid approach to your wedding day, there are a few things that you need to do as a couple in order to maximise the results of this type of wedding photography and ensure that you have a relaxed and uninterrupted day getting the images you want and love from your photographer!
Research your documentary wedding photographer.
It’s no secret - there are lots of photographers and styles out there - it's a bit of a minefield and can be quite overwhelming - but do check out your photographers website portfolio! Instagram is like a mini portfolio for photographers and is a great place to check out what they've been up to! Their work should be consistent and consistently candid if this is what you'd like.
A lot of photographers advertise themselves as 'documentary' because to a certain extent they are however they may place more of an emphasis on the posed shots or they may actually set things up more. Make sure you know just how candid your day will be. If you want complete documentary, make sure you see examples of consistent candid photography in their portfolio and not just portraits.
Myself, I shoot 95% candidly with just 5% of the day spent on group photos and portraits. I don’t ever interrupt your day nor will I ask you to move near a window or ask you to do something again. Authenticity is paramount to me and my style.
Meet up with your photographer.
I shoot a lot of weddings where I meet the couple for the first time on their wedding day, in fact a lot of couples I only have email contact with and this works well for us, but if meeting up is important to you before hand, this is a great way to get to know your photographer better and find out if you are a good match.
Don't give your photographer a huge list of ‘must have’ photographs.
When you choose a documentary approach for your wedding photography, this is really important. Candid photography relies heavily on the photographers ability to anticipate moments and be in the right places at the right times. It also requires 100% focus on finding these moments. If my couples were to give me a long list of 'must have' photographs then the documentary approach you like so much goes completely out of the window because the photographer is now constantly checking the checklist and consequently missing out on the moments. Give your photographer the freedom to shoot your wedding the way they know how to and they will give you the results you want.
Don't give your documentary photographer too many group shots to shoot.
As important as documentary photography is to me, I do realise the importance of group photos too - even if it's just to keep the grandparents happy, but if you hand me a list of 20 group shots, you are going to have a fair chunk of your day taken up with them. Bearing in mind that each group takes around 3-5 minutes to set up and shoot so if you give me a list of 20, this is equates to 1 - 1.5 hours of standing around/waiting for photos away from the celebrations. If you do want this however, you can book a second photographer and I will focus on the candids (do bear in mind that you and your other half will be in ALL the photos though so really consider if you want to spend an hour and a half posing for pictures). I normally shoot between 5 and 8 groups, so this would take between 15 and 40 minutes depending on group size and the number you choose to have.
Set aside some time for couple photos (if you would like them).
I usually set aside around 15 minutes for your couple photos - we often do these during the drinks reception but it may be dependant on the weather. They are very relaxed and there is no posing involved. We usually just go for a wander around the venue to give you some much needed time alone together. By keeping the session short, you won’t be away from your guests for very long at all. I’m a bit of a light lover, so if we have a nice golden hour or sunset I may whisk you outside for some quick evening photos and these will be just as chilled as before, however if you want a completely documentary approach to your wedding day, let me know because couple photos and group photos aren’t essential if you don’t want them.
Fill your day with fun!
It may sound obvious, but I can only capture what is in front of me. If everyone has gone off for a power nap, then your images from that part of the day will be quite a bit dull. If you have a long drinks reception, or if there's a big gap between the wedding breakfast and evening reception I'd advise some form of entertainment for your guests. There are so many possibilities - Garden games, a photo booth, a magician, a caricaturist, a casino, piñata for the kids, a bouncy castle, beer pong…. the list is endless and your imagination is the limit.
Have an unplugged wedding ceremony.
Have your guests focused on you during the ceremony and ask for them not to use their phones. I've been to so many weddings where the just married couple are walking through a sea of ipad screens and mobile phones. If you want to see peoples faces and have them congratulate you than have a hundred pictures taken and see no-one, have your guests be fully in the moment by asking them to put away their phones and your official photos will be better for it too.
Trust your documentary wedding photographer to do their job.
Documentary Wedding Photographers work a bit differently to most traditional photographers but in order to do our job best and to give you the most amazing images we possibly can, we really need you to trust us. This is what we do, we are passionate about capturing real honest moments, we love weddings and people and we will go above and beyond to give you the best images we can but we do need to be a team and working together will allow us to produce the best work and the best results.
If you're getting married in Cheshire or indeed anywhere in the UK or worldwide and would like to have a candid unposed documentary approach to your day or to check my availability for your wedding, please get in touch - I'd love to hear from you!