Wedding Photographers›How to price
Second-shooter pricing is two questions: what to charge the client and what to pay the shooter. Get either wrong and you eat the difference.
Second shooters are how you scale into bigger weddings, get coverage at simultaneous events, and reduce single-point-of-failure risk on shoot day. But the pricing is two-sided: what you bill the couple, and what you pay your second. Most photographers either underbill the couple (eating margin) or underpay the second shooter (losing trusted talent). This 2026 guide walks both sides with concrete numbers.
Bill to client (per hour)
$80–$120
Pay newer associate
$40–$60/hr
Pay established shooter
$65–$95/hr
Bill the client $100/hr × 8 hours = $800. Pay your second $60/hr × 8 hours = $480. Net margin per shoot: $320. Multiply by 25 weddings a year with a second = $8000 incremental gross. That is real money, but only if you stick to the rate discipline.
Default: you own everything the second shooter captures while on your booking. They get a portfolio license for personal use (their website, their Instagram, with credit to your business). Anything else — selling prints, licensing for editorial — requires explicit permission. Use a 1-page second-shooter agreement. Use it every time.
Most photographers underestimate how hard it is to find a reliable second. Build a bench of 3-5 trusted shooters. Pay above market on first 2-3 jobs to lock in loyalty, then settle into normal rate. Always pay invoice within 14 days. The talent network is small; reputations stick.
Industry standard: $80-$120/hr billed to the client, per shooter. Scales with main-shooter coverage, not flat-rate.
$40-$60/hr for newer associates, $65-$95/hr for established shooters with their own portfolio. Day rates: $500-$800 for 8-10 hours.
Usually yes — body + 1-2 lenses. If you provide gear, drop their rate by ~15%.
Default: you (the primary photographer) own. They get a portfolio license with credit to your business. Get this in writing every time.
Required for: weddings over 80 guests, simultaneous bride/groom prep at different locations, full-day coverage (10+ hours), or destination weddings.
Itemize. Couples see the value and self-select. Bundled, you lose the upsell signal and the second feels 'free' (which makes the main package look more expensive).
5 free quotes per month. Auto-applies travel, setup, rush, and tax — every time.
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