We get a lot of questions from prospective clients about the pros and cons of hiring a second wedding photographer. Along with the hours of coverage, the number of photographers is one of the main factors that determine package prices. So it is natural that you and other future newlyweds will want to think carefully about whether to have a second person photographing your wedding. As professional DC wedding photographers, we understand how expensive marriage celebrations can be. We therefore also understand how important it is for you to stick to your budget. Everything you purchase for your wedding day should be worth what you pay for it. With that in mind, we are always happy to walk prospective clients through the benefits of having a second person photograph their wedding.
For starters, hiring a second Washington DC engagement photographer greatly expands the moments you can get captured on film. It allows us to be in two places at once when your wedding’s principal participants are not together. For example, if you and your future spouse are getting ready in separate locations, it is impossible for one photographer to be with both of you simultaneously. The same is true even if you are getting prepared in the same building. Having your photographer bounce between one room and the other means a lot of important moments will go unpreserved. If you hire a second photographer, you can rest a bit easier knowing that the meaningful interactions you and your future spouse have with those closest to you will be caught on film. In the same vein, having a second professional photographer present after your ceremony can also be extremely valuable. At most weddings that we photograph, the time allotted for couples portraits coincides with cocktail hour. If you only have one photographer, you will not get any pictures of your guests interacting with one another prior to the reception.
A second Washington DC wedding photographer at your nuptials also ensures that you are getting shots of every meaningful moment in another way. Even when all your wedding participants and guests are together, there is a lot going on away from the main action. For instance, your mother might be discreetly wiping away tears as you and your future spouse are exchanging rings. A lone photographer would be hard pressed to capture both moments simultaneously, but two photographers can get them easily.
The final and most important reason to have two DC wedding photographers at your wedding is that it greatly expands the kinds of images that you will receive. You will get multiple looks at the same moment, for example. During your reception, we will be standing in different places when you cut the cake, toss the bouquet/garter or share your first dance. So you will get shots of those moments from more than one angle. Additionally, we use different cameras and different lenses. That means you will get both closeup and wide-angle shots. Finally, each of us sees the world in a slightly different way. We have different ideas about how to frame shots and what lighting to use. At the same time, we understand each other’s thinking and often build off of one another’s creativity.
That is exactly what happened during this engagement shoot at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum. We were posing this couple in front of Gene Davis’s Hot Beat, a work famous for its distinctive stripes and rainbow colors. The future spouses had wanted a shot that showed off the engagement ring, so we posed them with her hands wrapped around the back of his head. One of us captured some images from directly behind him so that the aforementioned ring was front and center. At the same time, the other photographer noticed a very tender moment that the couple was sharing between the two of them. So that photographer moved to the side and captured that as well. And the happy couple got two very different photos of the same moment.
Interested in learning more about our services? Please visit our Wedding Photography FAQ page for answers to all your questions! Ready to inquire about our availability on your wedding date? Contact us now to get the conversation started!
Location: National Portrait Gallery, 8th St NW & F St NW, Washington, DC 20001.
Keywords: DC Engagement Sessions (4).© 2024 Potok's World Photography - Wife & Husband Washington DC Wedding Photographers
