Wedding | Briar Rose Hill, Bethpage, TN | Second Shot with Victoria Hjelte

I really do love to photograph weddings. But something I’ve recently found out that I also love to do is second shoot weddings.

HOLD UP ANGEL. I know nothing about photography — what the heck is second shooting?

Great question! Second shooting is when a main photographer hires on a second photographer for your wedding day. The second photographer will add more photos to your album, although the main photographer will still be the one editing and communicating with you throughout the whole process. Honestly, most photographers don’t know who their second shooter will be until a month or so before the wedding which is totally normal.

For me, second shooting comes down to finding more ways to serve the bride and groom (we LOVE a full service staff!!) and second shooting also grows me creatively. When I second shoot, I try to find some of the shots that the main photographer won’t capture (because they are focusing on YOU) — your parents’ reactions, the family dog running around, your daughter dancing, guests chatting, etc. My goal as a second shooter is to round out the album that you’ll be receiving. The main photographer’s job is to follow the two of YOU around, but if you want to see more photos of what the guests are doing, that’s what I’m for! I also help the main photographer with herding the masses for wedding party photos and family photos, grabbing equipment (or umbrellas like this wedding), and more.

Second shooters are truly just people of SERVICE, giving their all to help make the delivered photo album complete and full. 

In addition, second shooting has just reminded me why I fell in love with photography in the first place. I’m allowed to create fun images. I’m allowed to be artsy and artistic and play around with angles and designs. I’m allowed to hide in the shadows and wait for the perfect spot, because I’m not needed elsewhere. It’s been fun to second shoot and let my imagination just dream, and create beautiful images for couples in the process.

BUT OKAY. THIS WEDDING! Y’all, everything about Shelby and Daniel’s wedding was a DREAM. These two are just so kind and down-to-earth, and were SO unbelievably kind to me.

Every time I think about this day, I just think of how God has formed my personality and character for His glory and I’m FLOORED. I’m so grateful for this life of adventure, love, passion, joy, and service that I’ve been given. God just KNOWS me.

I hyped Shelby up SO MUCH during getting ready that she asked me to find the extra bridesmaid dress lying around and put it on so I could join her in the wedding party (I obviously didn’t bc I was at my #job, but my words of affirmation heart was EXPLODING). After the ceremony, Shelby, Daniel, Victoria, and I were chilling in a room (Victoria was testing lighting out on me, because it was POURING outside) and Shelby turns to Daniel and tells him how amazing Victoria and I have been all day, and that if they ever have a bad day, they just need to call us and we can pick them up, because we are HYPE WOMEN . And after the send-off, Shelby hugs both Victoria and I, and tells me that we need to hang out and get our nails done and be actual friends . What EVEN. Guys, I met this girl at 3pm that very day, and we had never talked via the phone or anything else prior to that day. Send-off was a mere 6 hours later .

But that’s just who I am. I’m a hype woman, either as your main photographer or as a second shooter (or just as a friend in your life). I just find so much joy in serving and celebrating friends around me, even if I just met you THAT DAY. It’s just a part of my personality and I can’t stop it (another thing I can’t stop is singing and dancing to music, so catch me dancing with two cameras like a BOSS, near the dance floor). When my friends need support or someone to just cheer them on and take a step into the unknown, they call me up because I know how to do that so well (along with words of wisdom and necessary caution, don’t worry. I’m not a fully optimistic ball of sunshine that never sees the negative). I love giving encouragement and compliments to my friends, because I LOVE seeing people step into what God has gifted them in.

That’s just who I am and that’s what comes naturally to me. Service. 

Service as your photographer.
Service as your second shooter.
Service as your friend.

Y’all. I love my job. I know that not that many people actually read these blogs in their entirety, but I hope that if you reached this far into the blog, that one day you can feel known and loved by me, those in your community, your loved ones, and Jesus. I hope your friends love you so much that their actions show it. I hope you have friends who hype you up and see the vision in you.

ANYWAY, check out these amazing photos that I took second shooting for the one and only Victoria! This woman is truly a queen, so so sweet, fun, selfless, and hilarious. We have a BLAST together at truly all the weddings, and I love being her friend and second shooter. Yes, we hang out at coffee shops and have editing dates (yes, that is a thing). But check out these PHOTOS!