Boy do I LOVE workshops. I cannot tell you HOW much I have learned from them!! Yes they are pretty pricey but so amazing for networking and learning. BUT what if I told you there was a way to learn AND get paid!? It’s like a workshop, but for free? ***Drumroll please**** SECOND SHOOTING.
Second shooting with V.A. Photography
I have learned JUST AS MUCH if not more from second shooting as I have from workshops. Here’s the thing though – you have to go into second shooting with one thing in mind – It’s not about you. In the beginning, I thought that I would second shoot just to get pretty pictures for my portfolio. Don’t get me wrong the pretty pictures were great but it’s about serving the main photographer in the best possible way. I was there to do a job and give it 100% but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn too. I like to ask questions, probably too many (my mom had to limit my questions because they were never ending). I am not afraid (neither should you be) to ask your main photographer questions through out the day – but in a timely manner. You don’t want to bombard them all day long. This distracts them from giving their clients the best possible experience. Don’t forget, you should always write down questions for later in the car ride! 😉 Sometimes I’ll ask their settings, or why they are doing things a certain way. I can’t tell you how this has changed my shooting. Not only is it important to ask questions but to be observant with your eyes and ears (HA! I sounds like a teacher). Every photographer treats a wedding differently from the way they lay out their details, to arranging their clients in family formals. Just by second shooting I have learned so many amazing strategies that have enriched my skill set. To all you amazing photographers who have let me tag along – A BIG THANKS!!!
Second Shooting with Nikki Santere
PS – Having trouble finding second shooting jobs? Join local Facebook Groups. People are asking all the time! Don’t be afraid to reach out to your favorite photographer. The worst they can do is say “No” right?
