Assistants and Second Shooters

MMcClainPhoto

I tossed back and forth to post this in Weddings or Business and well here we are:). I have lead shooters who if we double book a date can take the lead and shoot without us there, secondary shooters, and lighting assistants. Our past couple of years we've tried the flat rate, hourly, and percentage of the package compensations and I can't seem to find one that's a fair price to have them or one that doesn't kill our profit margin. I'd love anyone's thoughts on this, how you pay, what you pay, those who help you day of?

Matthew Saville

Pay them hourly, and pay them well. If you're killing your profit margin with the shooter's pay alone, ...you're not charging enough!

Some lead shooters ask for $50-$100 per hour, and any second shooter is worth at least $25 per hour. A plain 'ol assistant can be paid whatever you think is fair for "manual labor"; usually $15-20 / hr...

At least, that's around here in So Cal...


=Matt=

michaelglenn

For second shooting, I charge $400 to a client. I pay the second shooter $300 and use the extra $100 to pay for their gas, food, etc.

Sam

MMcClainPhoto wrote: »

I tossed back and forth to post this in Weddings or Business and well here we are:). I have lead shooters who if we double book a date can take the lead and shoot without us there, secondary shooters, and lighting assistants. Our past couple of years we've tried the flat rate, hourly, and percentage of the package compensations and I can't seem to find one that's a fair price to have them or one that doesn't kill our profit margin. I'd love anyone's thoughts on this, how you pay, what you pay, those who help you day of?

I am going to make two comments here. First, you double book a date then send another photographer to shoot the wedding? To me that sounds totally unethical. If there is an emergency that would be a different story.

As to payment, I think the easiest way to deal with it is to pay a flat rate for the second's services. You charge the couple whatever you think you need to for the second. You pay that amount or slightly less to the second. Everybody knows what they are paying and what they are receiving. If this affects your profit your not charging enough for the initial wedding package.

Sam

NagoC50

Sam wrote: »

I am going to make two comments here. First, you double book a date then send another photographer to shoot the wedding? To me that sounds totally unethical. If there is an emergency that would be a different story.
Sam

I think what she is saying (from the context of "we have lead shooters...") is that the contract is with her studio and these leads are independent contractors or employees of the studio, known to the B&G.

Sam

NagoC50 wrote: »

I think what she is saying (from the context of "we have lead shooters...") is that the contract is with her studio and these leads are independent contractors or employees of the studio, known to the B&G.

That of course would be a different story, but to me double booking means booking the same service, seat, ticket, etc twice, not, you have multiple services, seats, tickets, etc each booked once.

Sam

NagoC50

Sam wrote: »

That of course would be a different story, but to me double booking means booking the same service, seat, ticket, etc twice, not, you have multiple services, seats, tickets, etc each booked once.

Sam

I would agree!

MMcClainPhoto

NagoC50 wrote: »

I think what she is saying (from the context of "we have lead shooters...") is that the contract is with her studio and these leads are independent contractors or employees of the studio, known to the B&G.

Absolutely correct:)

MMcClainPhoto

Sam wrote: »

That of course would be a different story, but to me double booking means booking the same service, seat, ticket, etc twice, not, you have multiple services, seats, tickets, etc each booked once.

Sam

We're a multi-op house who can take two events per day with back ups for both if something should happen.

Sam

MMcClainPhoto wrote: »

We're a multi-op house who can take two events per day with back ups for both if something should happen.

Can we get a link to your website?

Sam

Matthew Saville

A flat rate is okay for part-time or a light load of full-time work, however when you shoot every single weekend for the entire spring-summer-fall season, sometimes two days back-to-back, getting paid extra for extra hours starts to sound very fair. I shoot a lot of various different cultural ceremonies, and when the wedding day hits 12-14+ hours, as opposed to an easier 6-8 hr day, ...I want my 2nd shooters (and myself!) to be getting paid for that hard work...

:-)

=Matt=

MMcClainPhoto

Sam wrote: »

Can we get a link to your website?

Sam

www.melissamcclainphotography.com

MMcClainPhoto

Matthew Saville wrote: »

A flat rate is okay for part-time or a light load of full-time work, however when you shoot every single weekend for the entire spring-summer-fall season, sometimes two days back-to-back, getting paid extra for extra hours starts to sound very fair. I shoot a lot of various different cultural ceremonies, and when the wedding day hits 12-14+ hours, as opposed to an easier 6-8 hr day, ...I want my 2nd shooters (and myself!) to be getting paid for that hard work...

:-)

=Matt=

I couldn't agree more. I do like the lead getting around $50 per hour. Second shooter around $25 and any assistants like 50-100 per day. I think our issue was we were treating two shooters as leads rather than one designated lead. Would you do raises each year for them or keep the same? Bonuses at the end of the year. Basically people are our greatest assets so I want to take care of them but not so much I forget about ourselves.

michaelglenn

Matthew Saville wrote: »

A flat rate is okay for part-time or a light load of full-time work, however when you shoot every single weekend for the entire spring-summer-fall season, sometimes two days back-to-back, getting paid extra for extra hours starts to sound very fair. I shoot a lot of various different cultural ceremonies, and when the wedding day hits 12-14+ hours, as opposed to an easier 6-8 hr day, ...I want my 2nd shooters (and myself!) to be getting paid for that hard work...

:-)

=Matt=

This is I agree with! I should elaborate that I charge $300 to a second shooter for 8 hours of shooting. If it is overtime, I charge appropriately to the second shooter as well as myself.

Matt, do you have a limit on wedding hours? For instance, I offer a package where I include "full time coverage". However my full time coverage is limited to 12 hours. I commend you for 14 hour days!

Matthew Saville

michaelglenn wrote: »

This is I agree with! I should elaborate that I charge $300 to a second shooter for 8 hours of shooting. If it is overtime, I charge appropriately to the second shooter as well as myself.

Matt, do you have a limit on wedding hours? For instance, I offer a package where I include "full time coverage". However my full time coverage is limited to 12 hours. I commend you for 14 hour days!

My personal record is 17-18 hours shooting, 90 minutes from home. I've had a handful of 14-16 hour days, over the years...

I don't really have a limit, what really burns me out is doing two or three days in a row, haha. The biggest wedding ever ended up being nearly 40 hours spread over three days. THAT is tough.


=Matt=

michaelglenn

Matthew Saville wrote: »

My personal record is 17-18 hours shooting, 90 minutes from home. I've had a handful of 14-16 hour days, over the years...

I don't really have a limit, what really burns me out is doing two or three days in a row, haha. The biggest wedding ever ended up being nearly 40 hours spread over three days. THAT is tough.


=Matt=

Wow! I don't even... Good for you! Haha. The longest I have done so far is 10 hours. But this is my first year in the wedding industry, so I'm sure I'll come across longer weddings. Great portfolio by the way