Are Two Photographers Necessary for my Wedding?

When you start interviewing photographers to capture your wedding moments, you’ll notice that some always have a second photographer included in their packages, some may say it’s not necessary, or others may even tell you it’s a terrible idea not to have one.

At Lara Photography, I’m more than capable and comfortable covering an entire event as a single photographer. I’ve trained myself to be self-sufficient as the only photographer and can confidently tell you that whether you have two photographers or not, you’ll get amazing photos. My starting package does not include a second photographer, however it is always available as an add-on.

With that said, if it’s in the budget, a second photographer is never a bad idea, and here are some reasons why that you may want to consider:

Better storytelling – Because there is more than one photographer, it’s easier to capture additional candid moments and crowd reactions to the key moments of a wedding. That’s not to say that one photographer won’t be able to capture these moments, there are just more opportunities with two.

Split attention – Piggy-backing off of “better storytelling”, an additional photographer allows us to be in more than one place at a time. For example, if a couple is getting ready in two separate locations, there can be a photographer with each of them. This provides more diverse coverage and more photos for you! In addition to this, if for some reason the wedding day is running behind on the timeline, two photographers can split up wedding party or guests for portraits to make better use of time.

Easier to manage a large wedding party and guest count – We know that capturing ample photos of friends, family and the wedding party is important to you. When there is a large wedding party or guest count, it can be easier with two photographers to help collect, organize and pose guests so you can spend more time enjoying the celebration.

Additional Opportunities for Creativity – The saying “two heads are better than one” definitely applies here. With two artists behind the camera, there’s more of an opportunity to let creativity fly. Another advantage the second photographer provides is to act as an assistant when the primary shooter may need a helping hand holding a light stand or another piece of photography equipment. An assistant placing a light in a specific spot can help create a dramatic image otherwise challenging for one photographer to accomplish alone.

Peace of mind in an emergency – In the unlikely event of an emergency it’s our policy to find a replacement photographer for you as quickly as possible, regardless of what type of package is booked. If an emergency does occur at the very last minute and a replacement photographer can’t be secured, you are guaranteed to have coverage due to the fact that a second photographer is already scheduled.