Questions for all the Weeding pros ..

I never done a wedding, but I will love to start doing weddings ...

With that said, I have been asked many times to shoot weddings because the clients are going based on my regular photography skills and studio work, which by no means translate to candid shots or outdoors skills.

I have turned them all down, because I don't want to be the one with bad news on how I couldn't capture those special moments .. I don't want to be guilty that I ruined someone special day for ever ..

Anyways, moving fast forward ..

I been asked by someone I know that if I'm interested in being the second shooter .. from what I have heard he is a good weeding photographer and I would love to assist and learn from him .. I even told him I'm interested if he needs a second shooter .. Now is the part that I'm stuck at .. He wants me to drive with him for 5 hours to the location NY is pretty damn big and spend another 6-8 hours with him shooting for $150-$220 for the entire time .. along with that I will have responsibilities of shooting .. Now I know he is helping me and introducing me to the game but I want to know if this is fair ..

I don't see anything wrong with that, you're driving with him (do you like him and his work enough to drive 5 hours there and back?) and you get paid a bit..for a rank newbie that's pretty damn tight. You also learn and he teaches you for free..a lot of people apply for interning or assisting and don't get paid anything for it (some photogs even yank their rights on the photos they took during the day..speaking of which do you keep the rights to your shots? make sure so you can use them for portfolio considerations)

not a wedding photographer, mind you, I'd love an opportunity to do something like that..for free..for pay. Is it worth it, really? How good is he?

it still beats cutting your teeth by shooting for free AND still being held responsible in case you wiff it, right? worst case scenario you're not asked to second shoot with him again. Best case, if you're serious about getting into this, you'll gain a high profile wedding for your portfolio, get some good experience, and make some pocket change.

thanks guys ..

I will have to ask about the rights and I will make sure a contract is done .. good point!

Question is how bad do you want it.

are you doing anything else that day thats going to net you >$225 and learn weather or not you can hack the wedding game?

Given your experience be thankful you've been offered any money. 5 hours drive, 8 hours shooting, then 5 hours drive back is very tough though, if I were the main photog i'd be staying there the night before so I was fresh for the wedding.

Also you may or may not be allowed to use the images you take, probably not at least not publicly. You're being paid for your time and your photos, so they have all the rights to them. Personally I let my assistant use the images she takes in a printed portfolio or in private (eg showing people photos), but not publicly or online.

I drove hours just to tag along & learn. Be glad someone let you second-shoot And pay you.

tim wrote in post #8898976
You're being paid for your time and your photos, so they have all the rights to them

I believe in the US, without a WRITTEN "work-for-hire" agreement which explictly grants rights to the "hirer", the copyright remains with the photographer who took the pictures. (all model release/commercial usage concepts still apply)

is it fair ? i personally think its more than fair ... but thats just me .. if the person you're 2nd for is good or you can learn tons from .. shoot, i would do it for free .. and i wouldn't worry about if the images taken belongs to me or him/her

there's nothing like learning on the spot .. better than any class can teach

if i were given the chance to 2nd shoot with Tim in New Zealand or Bobby in San Diego .. i would be johnny on the spot with it ! of course its more than 3-5 hr drive from me .. but if they were drive-able distance..

I am still unaware of any university that pays you to attend classes, although scholarships can let you sometimes break even.

... Unless you play football

5 hour drive, I would want a hotel room as well. I would probably fall asleep on the drive home if I had to do that. With that said, I would do it. I would do it even now and i have shot weddings. Why? Because I like it. I love to travel and see new places and I get to shoot and not having to worry about post work is a bonus.

On the rights issue. I do have issues with that. I want portfolio rights. I would never try and sell them just want to be able to show of about 10 or so. Now if they provide the equipment, just pay me and keep all the photos. Only downside is, you really dont get to learn that way cause you wont see your work after the shoot.

Even have shot some wedding already I would still like to still second shot from the PRO's since you learn more and gets some cash in the end!!!

sounds more than fair. The driving is the sticking point which makes it 18 hours = 12.22 an hour (at $220). That's much better than minimum wage and you'll be learning.

If I were in your shoes I would definitely do it if the guy really knows what he is doing.

I echo that all I would expect were rights to show the work in a portfolio. I would also want to do my own PP on the pictures I took and I'm not sure how that would work out in the end of things but it could be easily put in a contract.

RiKaN HaVoK wrote in post #8888210
I never done a wedding, but I will love to start doing weddings ...

With that said, I have been asked many times to shoot weddings because the clients are going based on my regular photography skills and studio work, which by no means translate to candid shots or outdoors skills.

I have turned them all down, because I don't want to be the one with bad news on how I couldn't capture those special moments .. I don't want to be guilty that I ruined someone special day for ever ..

Anyways, moving fast forward ..

I been asked by someone I know that if I'm interested in being the second shooter .. from what I have heard he is a good weeding photographer and I would love to assist and learn from him .. I even told him I'm interested if he needs a second shooter .. Now is the part that I'm stuck at .. He wants me to drive with him for 5 hours to the location NY is pretty damn big and spend another 6-8 hours with him shooting for $150-$220 for the entire time .. along with that I will have responsibilities of shooting .. Now I know he is helping me and introducing me to the game but I want to know if this is fair ..

Finally Ivan! hey i started as a second shooter for free.