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Archive 2022 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

Sauseschritt
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

POTOMAN wrote:
So is second shooter someone who is hired by the main photographer to assist? Or by the customer?

Do customers usually know the second shooter is a third party hire on the photography team?

Is this primarily for redundancy or more event coverage? Or both?

Just curious.

You will obviously only hire ONE photographer, or photography company. Two competing photographers at the same event would get in each others way, since they both would want to get the good shots.

The second shooter is hired by the photographer and is there to take the shots the first photographer cant take, because he cant be in all places at the same time.

Jul 05, 2022 at 05:00 AM

boshek
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

$500 for the day

Jul 13, 2022 at 06:22 PM

Bastian Bleu
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

I pay my 2nd a flat fee between $500 and $800 for the day depending on if I have worked with them before and their skill level, and never keep them longer than 8 hours, more like 6ish. Once the formalities are done they are cut loose because who needs multiple photos of dancing.

Aug 17, 2022 at 06:41 PM

evag
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

Here in the UK I have met more than one wedding photographer offering second shooters £150 ($200) for the day. I just checked Facebook and the latest post is £100 ($130) for 8 hours onsite. With the following restriction:
@These are NOT portfolio building opportunities and I have very strict rules on image usage. So there are no surprises, you will not be able to use the pictures online to promote yourself@

my planner

Sep 09, 2022 at 12:33 PM

mineymole
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

I'm in New York. The rate can be anywhere from $40-$100 per hour depending on the experience of the photographer, and the needs of a particular wedding.

Sep 29, 2022 at 10:09 AM

LeeSimms
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

> The rate can be anywhere from $40-$100 per hour

In other words, there is no rate.

Sep 29, 2022 at 12:57 PM

elkhornsun
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

I pay $500 for 8 hours and more if the wedding is at a location that requires more than an hour of drive time. These are technically contractors but I still have them named on my liability insurance coverage. If they caused an accident or injury I want my insurance to cover the problem.

Oct 06, 2022 at 04:34 PM

Oscarsmadness
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

I'm a little unconventional. I pay my second a third of the contract. The reason for this is because more expensive contracts have higher expectations for quality and a more stressful workload, so I hire accordingly. If I was to translate this into a "per hour" rate, I'm anywhere between $20 and $60, in Oklahoma.

That said, I have brought on a second who was unproven and could use an opportunity to practice. I paid him a token amount without setting too many expectations for him. I knew I could complete the contract without the help. Turns out he was marvelous, and I'd bring him back as a real second.

Oct 12, 2022 at 08:27 PM

ents
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

LeeSimms wrote:
> The rate can be anywhere from $40-$100 per hour

In other words, there is no rate.

I'm in the same area (Hudson Valley/Upstate NY) and the rate really is that wide of a spread. Reliable and strong seconds are quite hard to come by, and there are tons of new photographers who basically want to be paid to do a real time mentor session from a lead shooter during someones wedding. Not what I need from a second at all, so I'm happy to pay for someone who knows what they're doing.

Oct 16, 2022 at 07:50 PM

keepclicking
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

Very interesting thread! Does the second shooter just hand over the RAW files and walk away or is the expectation is for minimal PP? Just curious

Nov 15, 2022 at 05:31 PM

LeeSimms
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

For us, yes. Lossy DNGs, unculled.

Nov 15, 2022 at 05:35 PM

Ziffl3
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

keepclicking wrote:
Very interesting thread! Does the second shooter just hand over the RAW files and walk away or is the expectation is for minimal PP? Just curious

just hand over the raws.

many different ways to skin the cat as they say.
my baseline can be different than yours.

Nov 15, 2022 at 08:35 PM

manthonyphoto1
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

Depends on who you ask......

Ask a career second shooter they will tell you $75-$100 per hour. Ask them how many weddings they get hired for at that rate and I am not sure if they will be honest. How many studios can afford to give 30-40% of their contract to a second shooter, and if they could...why would they? It's not sound business.

Ask the studios that hire hundreds per year and you will find rates between $30-35

But most studios that hire for 20-30 weddings a year will be around the $50 mark.

We hire our seconds for around $50 per hour. We recently cut the hours back in our packages. A second is part of your COGS and total COGS shouldn't exceed 20% in a package.

Nov 16, 2022 at 09:59 PM

ikmx
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

The folks I know (with decent experience) who will occasionally be second shooters usually charge around $50/hour in the Tri-state and DMV area.

Nov 19, 2022 at 12:35 AM

KieranB1996
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

I agree with this. Although if you know your client well you can probably get away with more.

My last client was a multi millionaire, all the bridesmaids wore Nadine Merabi dresses and I was paid very well for that job.

Dec 16, 2022 at 11:36 AM

Lulanstudio
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

I think it really depend on the person. For us it’s 60-100/hr in socal, no editing required!

Mar 02, 2023 at 12:48 AM

KarmaKramer
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

I’ve never been one or used one.

Mar 02, 2023 at 10:36 PM

boshek
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

$500 for the day

Mar 31, 2023 at 03:26 PM

doncarlo
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · What's an average rate for a second wedding shooter per hour?

£250-£300 for the day + fed and watered. This seems on ongoing rate in the UK for a second shooter.

Apr 08, 2023 at 08:04 AM

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