When hiring a 2nd shooter

Hey guys,

When you guys hire a 2nd photographer for your weddings, do you guys usually hire someone with the same camera brand or it doesn't matter?

I am a Canon guy, and I recently hired a 2nd photographer who shoots Nikon for a wedding, we did the engagement shoot recently to test him out and everything is good. Composition/exposure/t​echnical stuff is there, i have no problems. What I notice though is that the output is totally different when it comes to the overall colors.

I try to make all the photos generally look the same. I do have to work extra on his photos to make it consistent with mine.

what's your take on this?

Fair few people use http://www.smugmug.com​/

The brand of camera won't matter, his camera settings and ability to use fill flash will.

Even larger issue: have the 2nd shooter sign a contract that assigns the ownership and copyright of all his images to you. If you can, supply your 2nd shooter with all the memory cards to use and get them back at the end of the event. Do NOT allow them to take photos for themselves, it can (and will) cloud the legal ownership issue.

rhommel wrote in post #14403821
Hey guys,

When you guys hire a 2nd photographer for your weddings, do you guys usually hire someone with the same camera brand or it doesn't matter?

I am a Canon guy, and I recently hired a 2nd photographer who shoots Nikon for a wedding, we did the engagement shoot recently to test him out and everything is good. Composition/exposure/t​echnical stuff is there, i have no problems. What I notice though is that the output is totally different when it comes to the overall colors.

I try to make all the photos generally look the same. I do have to work extra on his photos to make it consistent with mine.

what's your take on this?

All else equal, sure, the same camera brand, even make, would take a little guess work out of it. That said, I wouldn't really be concerned. I'd be looking at which cameras and lenses the second shooter had though. Don't want someone showing up with a Digital Rebel and kit lens, not that I couldn't shoot a wedding with that, but that's one of the indicators I would use. But if he/she takes great photos, that's really all that matters.

Panoz wrote in post #14404207
The brand of camera won't matter, his camera settings and ability to use fill flash will.

Even larger issue: have the 2nd shooter sign a contract that assigns the ownership and copyright of all his images to you. If you can, supply your 2nd shooter with all the memory cards to use and get them back at the end of the event. Do NOT allow them to take photos for themselves, it can (and will) cloud the legal ownership issue.

I've second shot about 40 times and have never signed a contract. I own the copyrights to what I shoot and that's the final word for me. Otherwise I wouldn't work for that photographer and I would expect the same attitude from anyone shooting for me. As far as usage is concerned with regards to posting photos to market myself, that's an entirely different story. I'll give you that much. But still, it's always been a verbal/email agreement where some would tell me use it but put a link to their website. Others will tell me not to use them at all. Things like Facebook complicates matters as well.

I've shot for one photographer who wanted me to use his cards. Actually I couldn't meet up with him beforehand so I ended up using my own. He took them and sent it back to me. I could of flat out told him no way is he taking my card. But of course that's not what happened. Got my cards back safe and sound. Honor amongst photographers I suppose. However, yeah, if you want to make absolutely sure there are no kinks or surprises, like your second shooter turning out to be a major a-hole, then sure, a contract is usually a good start. I have run into zero issues, but that's b/c I'm honest to a fault. You tell me I can't use the images, and I'll never, ever use them. Period.

I never signed a contract when I 2nd shot (9 years ago) and I don't make any of my 2nd shooters sign one either.

I know one photographer who had two different Canon models...and she gave up trying to use both because the PP requirements were very different for each of the models. She was trying to ensure the same look from each camera and couldn't make it happen. Now she shoots with only one body.

Sorry that I do not remember which bodies she used.

It may be the in-camera settings that he has that might add or take away saturation (i.e. neatral, portrait, etc.). Not by my camera right now so I forgot the technical word for it but think it may be picture style or something like that. But if he has it something that is different than you that will definately make a small difference (not sure about Nikon files when shooting raw it may or may not apply this effect to it).

Besides that as long as you guys are in the exact same lighting conditions and exposed correctly is should not matter.

I actually will only hire someone who uses Canon or is willing to learn. I provide all of my second shooters with gear so I can control the color settings and know that lens quality is similar. I've had seconds who's only gear options were old Rebels with kit lenses, but they were amazing photographers. While that combo is great in some situations, it wouldn't be very great at most weddings, especially along side a 5DII and L lens or whatever. So that's something to consider if you hire a second in the future. At the very least, check their camera settings before you begin shooting.

PeaceFire wrote in post #14421018
I actually will only hire someone who uses Canon or is willing to learn. I provide all of my second shooters with gear so I can control the color settings and know that lens quality is similar. I've had seconds who's only gear options were old Rebels with kit lenses, but they were amazing photographers. While that combo is great in some situations, it wouldn't be very great at most weddings, especially along side a 5DII and L lens or whatever. So that's something to consider if you hire a second in the future. At the very least, check their camera settings before you begin shooting.

And please dont forget to sync the cameras so you can have the same time tags in the photos. Will make your life a heck of alot easier in post.

PeaceFire wrote in post #14421018
At the very least, check their camera settings before you begin shooting.

If I had to check their camera settings before they begin shooting, I wouldn't want them second shooting for me.

And all you have to do is ask them to provide an equipment list. I wouldn't hire someone with a Drebel and kit lens as a second shooter no matter how "great" that person is.

nicksan wrote in post #14424960
If I had to check their camera settings before they begin shooting, I wouldn't want them second shooting for me.

I think the purpose of "checking the camera settings" is to ensure both cameras are set the same.

Of course, if you looked at their camera and it was on "Green Square" and the knob was jammed and couldn't be moved...

cpam.pix wrote in post #14425037
I think the purpose of "checking the camera settings" is to ensure both cameras are set the same.

Of course, if you looked at their camera and it was on "Green Square" and the knob was jammed and couldn't be moved...

That wasn't made clear though, but I suppose you can make sure of things like not going above a certain ISO, shutter speed used at the ceremony, etc, etc. I wouldn't expect the newbie second shooter to know every little details.

cpam.pix wrote in post #14425037
I think the purpose of "checking the camera settings" is to ensure both cameras are set the same.

Of course, if you looked at their camera and it was on "Green Square" and the knob was jammed and couldn't be moved...

There is a lot more to camera settings that should be checked.

I was referring more to picture styles, color space, highlight tone priority, ensure they are shooting in RAW, etc. Because if they are set on Portrait and I'm set on Neutral, we're going to have an issue in post with getting the two sets of images to flow.

PeaceFire wrote in post #14425936
There is a lot more to camera settings that should be checked.

I was referring more to picture styles, color space, highlight tone priority, ensure they are shooting in RAW, etc. Because if they are set on Portrait and I'm set on Neutral, we're going to have an issue in post with getting the two sets of images to flow.

Not if you are shooting raw. The picture style only has an effect on the in camera jpg for the LCD display.

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #14425995
Not if you are shooting raw. The picture style only has an effect on the in camera jpg for the LCD display.

When I shoot portrait sessions I only shoot JPEG. No need for RAW, really. And in that case it really does matter. And Highlight Tone does matter. In general, I just want their camera set exactly to mine in every way and take away any issues later on. And yes, like pp said, time sync EACH TIME is so important! I use the same cameras at weddings and always sync them before the wedding and by the next one they are always off again!