2nd Shooter Question

<p>This weekend I had a second shooter, someone who eventually wants to be out on their own. She asked if she can use the shots that she took in her portfolio, which I have no issue with. My question pertains to her posting the shots she took on her web-site as samples of her work. My contract with the bride states that I can use the shots for portfolio/samples, but the question is can the second shooter? Assuming the bride has no issue with this (I will get it in writing):<br>

Would you let the 2nd shooter post the shots she took on with a watermark with her company name?<br>

Would you limit shots she took to be used only as printed samples?<br>

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.</p>

<p>That is more of a personal choice of what you will and will not allow the 2nd shooter to do with the images.<br /> I have a fairly restrictive contract that my 2nd shooters have to sign before they work at a wedding with me. If they don't like the terms, then they don't have to work with me.</p>

<p>Anything after the event have taken place, you are pretty much screwed to enforce anything at that point.</p>

<p>If you have permission from the bride and <em>you</em> are fine with your second shooter posting it on her blog, by all means, go ahead. Some compromises include putting both watermarks on the images (your company and hers) ensuring she notes that she was a second shooter at the event on her blog, etc. You might let her do unwatermarked uncredited images on her blog, too. You might not like that and only allow her to do it (unwatermarked) as part of a print portfolio, it's really up to you.</p>

<p>Our second shooter agreement is that we offer two different deals to the shooter. (We get model releases for both photographers if they choose option 2.)<br>

1. You shoot our equipment, bodies, lenses, cards, etc. You get $X and you get zero credit for your work, you are merely an extension of my body. You are required to transfer your copyright to the work to my company. You don't retain any copies of what you've done. It's my stuff and I give it to the bride. I don't use her images for my self-promotion, but I give them to the B&G (after I pick through them).</p>

<p>2. You shoot your equipment, bodies, lenses, cards etc. You get $X/4 but you get to keep your images and use them for self-promotion only. I still require the shooter to transfer full copyright to my company, but I grant them limited use for public self-promotion. I still do all the post production work on their images, but they get to keep a copy to show off. I still encourage them to say they were a second shooter on their blog, if they decide to post them online.</p>

<p>With this model, it makes it a tougher choice for the second shooter. I think that using my wedding that I booked for <em>your</em> self-promotion has a real value, and I believe my choice reflects that. I often hire more established pros who aren't busy that day and don't care about boosting their portfolio--they'd rather just take the money and run. Some might not like this model, and they're free to shoot with someone else if they like.</p>

 

I allow it only for a sample album. NEVER on the internet, because the bride and groom signed, or hopefully signed a contract with you. Guests at the wedding can get pretty weird about seeing their foto on some another site, even indignant if kids are on there.

<p>Another option is to allow internet use on only the second shooter's images that you provided to your clients as part of their package. If your second is any good that should still be quite a few images. Then, if the bride and groom stumble upon your second's photos, you avoid the awkward question of why there are images of them that weren't included in your package. Also, any online usage (web or blog) should also mention the primary photographer's name. Exact wording would be dictated by the primary photographer.</p>

<p>As a 2nd I am not allowed to use any images publicly. I can however show them privately like during a consult. This works for me as I have no desire to do this as anything other than a 2nd shooter.</p>

<p>I work as a second-shooter, both paid and unpaid, using my own equipment.<br>

When I was unpaid, I expected to be granted (and was granted) permission to process my images and display them as my work on my blog (always with references and links to my primary photographer). This was the trade for my work as a second. In some cases, I did all the post-processing work on my images, which were presented to the client as the work of the primary photographer, often with no reference to me at all. <br>

I now work mostly as a paid second-shooter, and my primary photographer does not want me to post the images publicly. She copies all the RAW images from my cards and processes them herself. I consider this a good trade for the payment. I keep backups of all the images I shot, though I never post-process them. I do still blog about the wedding, but I use screenshots of my primary photographer's website and link to her site (with lots of glowing words about the whole event).<br>

I have never signed a contract as a second-shooter, but I do have a verbal contract with the primary photographer who pays me, and, again, I think the terms are reasonable in trade for the payment. If I'm unpaid, I think I should get something in return for my work, even though I have no ambition to go out on my own. At this point, I am fairly experienced and I produce quality images, so it's no longer a simple trade for experience/knowledge from the primary photographer.</p>