Looking for advice for getting work second shooting weddings?

[An Exception]

Hi Folks

I want to get into wedding photography, but I don't want to start advertising for paid services before I'v second shot quite a few weddings, and have enough experience under my belt, before becoming a first photog, (although I am tempted to just dive in )

I'm based in Oxfordshire and have been practising my photography for a little over 6 months now, and have finally gotten to the point where I feel happy enough in my technical ability, and am confident I can produce some nice work.

I thought about calling local photographers and asking them if they need a free assistant/second/third shooter.

Does anyone have any advice for how I should go about approaching them?

Thanks in advance...

 

[An Exception]

First off, 9/10 will reject you. Don't take it personally, it's because they shoot alone and used to shooting alone.

Secondly, make it clear that you don't want payment, you have your own gear, get your own insurance will help (they can turn you away on that reason alone, an employee not covered under his insurance), and you have a much better chance if you have met them in person. Since your attitude, interaction with others plays as great a part as taking pictures.

Thirdly, keep trying.

P.s. 6 months isn't long at all, what is your portfolio that you will be using to impress them?

P.p.s. You can always dive right in like i did, but do the first few (5 for me) as freebie to gain experience.

Thanks Raymond.

Any advise on which is a good insurance company to use, and how much roughly I can expect to pay?

I will be try to get my website finished asap so that they can see my portfolio online.
My portfolio is a bit thin on the ground if I'm honest, but I have few shoots planed with friends to pad it out a bit.

Below are a few shot's of where I'm currently at, and that I am thinking of including in my portfolio...

 

[An Exception]

I got into it by going on the websites photographers.co.uk and found the ad that Mark had posted and replied to it

Cheers Phate, looks like potentially very a helpful site.

 

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6 months in total ?

Yes, 6 months in total.

 

[An Exception]

I can see you have an eye for composition and nailed flash photography to a Tee.....which btw, is mighty impressive for 6 months since picking up a camera? What about your natural light work? I don't think I can question your formal shots, but that's barely 1 hour out of the 12, what are your natural light work like?

And what is your gear btw?

P.s. I don't think i have ever come across anyone this competent after 6 months owning a camera.

Thanks allot Raymond that's encouraging to hear.

Strangely as I'v mostly been doing portraits of folks I'v rarely used just natural light, and where I do use natural light it's been to balance it in with my flash or sometimes use harsh sun light as a rim light or something.

I pretty much always shoot in manual, and would be able to expose shot's ok using natural light, but I haven't really taken the opportunity as I usually always had a flash with me since I got my camera.
Thanks for asking that question though, as it's highlighted an area where my portfolio is lacking.

Below is the gear I currently use:

Canon 550D
Tamron 28-75mm 2.8
Nifty Fifty
580exii
A few Yongnuo flashes
RF-602 Triggers ( getting some PW Flex's soon so I can remotely adjust flash power)
Various light modifiers.

 

[An Exception]

Ejizz, I see from your website you've already got some service avenues you are offering. Did you start off with the re-touching and then move into photography? I've thought about the re-touching service but I can't really afford the software let alone the training! Are you self taught or did you learn through college etc?

Hey Rojin

Yeh, I started out with an old version of Photochop trying to fix some of my GF's P&S 'snaps', I felt completely lost at first, and it took a little while to get my bearings. I did get the following course which helped allot.
http://www.digitalphotoshopretouching.com/

Let me know once you got PS and I might be able to help you out a little.

Then once I was confident with PS, I decided to get a Camera, as I'd rather take the images instead to begin with.

I currently use both PS & light-room for retouching.

 

[An Exception]

What about back up gear, if the worst was to happen, the 550D is a capable camera but its only capable if its working.

i'm impressed with the quality of work after such a short period of time and you definatley show you know your way round a camera.

so get things in place first.

1. insurance both proffesional gear cover, liability etc.
2. Have access to at least a 2nd body.
3. As Raymond Lin advised your formal shots are covered but you need to able to catch the moment. Go to a local event and set out to catch intimate moments between couples. a hug, a sneaky kiss, the reaction to a joke. Learn to pre empt these situations so you can get them spot on.

Thanks 33L

I was planning on renting a 2nd 550D body for the day until I upgraded.
Do you have a any recommendations on which insurance companies are worth considering?

 

[An Exception]

Phate and mark can tell you more than i can but the role of a second shooter is to pick up things where the main tog might have missed or can't do.

For example I would be at the front of the church and you would need to go to the back and shoot with something long like a 70-200. In theory you could borrow mine or the main tog as that's an advantage of shooting the same gear, but you won't be able to use flash in a church.

Similarly, if I go with the couple away for 20min to shoot formals you will be picking off candids in natural light of the guests mingling.

In the evening however I think you would be great if you are good with flashes, as it's a lot of flash work. But for 2/3 of the day you need to know natural light, know how to shoot into the light, in shadows, technique to shoot steady in low light, and pick moments.

Try to shoot a week without flashes, just to learn, it will help you no end.

Thanks, Raymond I will have a go at shooting flashless for a while to get used to not using flash.

I'v also been tempted to get the Jasmine Stare Wedding course that she did with creative live as she's a natural light photographer.
Also I'm going to my GF's cousins wedding on 5th November so that should give me a chance to watch what goes on...

I want to ask who is the girl with the light brown hair?

Walk around the town/park with her and take some candids, see how that goes

That was one of my cousins who lives in Gloucestershire, I decided to take some gear with me when I went to visit.
She's actually extremely shy and was absolutely dreading being in front of the camera, while her sister is the complete opposite and didn't care at all which I found weird.

Hopefully this upcoming wedding will be a good chance to get some practice...
Then after that I might see what event's are going on locally.

 

[An Exception]

Photoguard are the best

Cheers Phate I will look into them then.

 

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^^^
Thanks Fozzybear, I'l pass that on.

 

[An Exception]

Hey Raymond

Just curious, do you shoot solo at your weddings or do you use an assistant/second shooters?

 

[An Exception]

I have always shoot solo. Phate thinks I am mad though but I manage.

There is a good chance I have a wedding in Oxfordshire next year (September)...I know I said I don't use assistants in the past (not so much to do with skill, more about the other things like attitude, dress code, unknown character), but you seem sound, and competent.

No promises but I am thinking.....lol (your shots certainly do give me thoughts, though I am concern on your natural light work and ability to "SEE" a shot before it happens.)

Meeting the Bride in December.

Ah I see, I'm glad you liked my work.
September feels a long way off, I'm sure by then my skill set will be a bit more rounded.
As for 'anticipating the reaction/shot', I'v generally always been reasonably good at that, and I'm guessing the more weddings you shoot the better your able to pickup on patterns and be ready for those moments?

Anyway thanks for your advise and good luck at the meeting...

 

[An Exception]

I really like your portraits Ejizz. Do you always spot meter? How did you light 6 and 7?

Thanks Dannyjo22.

I don't own a spot meter so I chimp instead.

The shoot was done in their kitchen, space was a premium as there was an island in the middle of it.
A black collapsible backdrop was used as the background, and was leaned against a tripod.

The lighting setup consisted of the following.

Main light - Beauty Dish camera left. (Gridded as not to spill light onto background)

Cross light/kicker - Beauty Dish camera right slightly behind subject (Gridded as not to spill light onto background)

Background light - small flash with blue gelled diffuser hidden behind subject to create a subtle graduated blue glow.

Was shooting at F2.8 or F4 as I like to throw the backdrop completely out of focus (if not blown out) so any creases or imperfections doesn't show.

The setup was similar to below.

 

[An Exception]

Interesting stuff, where did you buy the collapsible backdrop and what stands did you use for it?

I was meaning do you always set your 550D to spot metering rather than evaluative?
Looking at your exifs I was wondering why you preferred it. I only tend to use it with heavy backlit portraits

Oh I see, well I nearly always shoot in full manual so it makes little difference really what mode I use.
If I was using TTL in a more of a run and gun situation then I would probably go for evaluative metering though.

The backdrop is made by PhotoSEL and can be found on the bay or from their website.
The stands are just various cheapies off the bay...