wedding photography assistinggg

[my_computer]

Hi.

I know from dropping by here over the years that some of you guys do some great work for weddings. I'm wondering how many of the users here have managed to assist at weddings (coming from NO professional experience). bold highlighted and underlined!

I'm looking to study a masters next year in documentary photography. Whilst I'm planning on working on personal projects for this, I'm also eager to get stuck in and photograph weddings for the trial by fire kind of experience I believe it'll offer.
I think i'm basically competent. I have high standards, specific likes and dislikes and SOME of the stuff I've taken I think is alright (I hope that over the years I can improve and become the kind of photographer I enjoy)

I'm not hugely technically proficient. I usually shoot with a medium format rangefinder though I use a 5dII at times.

I know insurance is a *thing* which would possibly make assisting anyone a headache for the photographer

I'm sure I've seen threads asking this same sort of question so I hope I'm not being a nuisance!

So has anyone had any luck in contacting strangers, showing them their own work and managed to tag along and help out as a 2nd photographer?

I'm in the North East...If anyone has any contacts that would be great!

 

[D.P.]

Some people have, sometimes it is easier just to go all out and shoot the full wedding yourself. A very typical starting point is shooting some friends wedding who has no budget, and then another friend really likes your work and although could afford a pro would rather save money, and word of mouth gets out and you get more esquires (at this stage it is important to to starting charge full rates so you dont have the reputation of a budget tog for the rest of your career).

Some togs would hate to allow a second shooter there, others would like to exploit a second shooter, and a few others would genuinely not mind giving others a chance. One general issue is you might be perceived as competition - why should someone take you under their wing, train you up and then let you go free to compete for his customers? Then there is the whole trust thing, last thing a pro wants is some second shooter turn up and be rude to guests, interrupt things, get in the way etc. Then there are things like differing styles meaning it is hard for him to incorporate any of your photos in their final work.

In the end all you can do is ask a load of togs if they would mind you second shooting and see what you get. Hopefully you have some kind of portfolio to show them your standards. with some persistence you should get somewhere.

The insurance is easy - you can buy it yourself you want.

 

[my_computer]

Good point about being competition. I hadn't thought about that.

I've done some asking around and found out that someone who works with my girlfriend has shot some weddings. I think this was her first summer doing it so they might be more grateful for some help, whereas a seasoned professional might see me as more hindrance than anything useful. Anyway I'll have a word and see how it goes.

Thanks D.P.