mirrorrim Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Is second shooting detrimental to your own success? | |
I'm a little confused because you say you already have your own successful photography business, but you are asking if second shooting is hurting your success? I imagine it would only hurt you if you were wanting to book more main gigs, but were accepting too many second shooting jobs...which is an easy problem to fix. And since so far no one has ever recognized you at a wedding and then wanted to hire you later, you have not run into that problem either, so what do you think is hurting your success?
Second shooting has helped me immensely and definitely lead to a more successful business. I learned, earned experience, grew my portfolio, and made professional connections with not only the primary shooter, but the other wedding vendors. That expanded my networking world to various local FB groups where I got to know more people, connected with others and worked with them, and it has all snowballed from there. I still second shoot even with my own full-time wedding schedule to keep my connections active, make some money, have some fun in a low-pressure situation, etc. In fact, the few photographers I know who for some reason do not want to participate in networking/making friendships are mostly all worse off, working less and making less.
That the main shooter wants you to credit him if you use your photos in your portfolio is extremely common. It's what I require with my seconds and in fact, you could have an even worse deal! Plenty of main shooters are very strict and say you can't use the photos at all. They hired you, they own the work, that's how it goes. It makes sense if you think about it not as "my" photo, but as "If I use this photo in my portfolio, are people going to think this was "my" wedding that a couple entrusted me to photograph?" This is usually a concern for newbie photographers who want to look more legit to clients, but similar to you I never use my second shooting images in my portfolio--simply because I don't need to. I have plenty of my own work to show off. Not because I don't want some other person's name on the photo.
The part about someone knowing you from outside photography and seeing you working a wedding and then wanting to hire you: you are doing the right thing to refer them to the main's company while at the wedding. Giving your info out while working for someone else is a huge no no. Outside the wedding, it's professional courtesy to refer them back to the main, because the main earned their place at this wedding, but presumably the acquaintance will say "yeah ok whatever but I know you let's work together." After that I think it's ok. Since your main is a good friend, I would bring it up with them. Perhaps they'll be horrified, perhaps they'll be ok with it. Personally I think the relationship is waaaay more important than a hypothetical client.
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