The Biggest Mistakes I Made as a 2nd Photographer | Critiquing My Old Work

A good wedding photography critique can be helpful in seeing how well you've improved as a wedding photographer and also mistakes to avoid as a 2nd photographer. Let's check out one of my old weddings and the mistakes I made as a 2nd photographer.
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[@hannahwood1384]

where’s the flash presale ? not seeing it

[@jbivphotography]

Sorry about that. You can find it here. courses.jbivphotography.com/courses/the-simple-guide-to-wedding-photography-flash

[@RamosAPhotography]

John - this is humbling to see! Thank you for sharing your 2017 work. It’s amazing to see the evolution of your photography. It’s very inspiring & motivating. 🙏🏻

[@jbivphotography]

You're welcome! I always love bringing things back to "real life" and not only showing the most amazing work at all times.

[@ricewine122]

Got my first job as a wedding photographer and drop in to say, thank you, I have gain so many useful insight from your channel

[@jbivphotography]

That’s awesome to hear! Good luck on your first job.

[@MarchonC]

Congratulations on the first wedding. You're going to do great. Have fun and don't forget your wide shot Wednesday shot lol

[@baros-]

As someone who's starting a photography business and is focusing on 2nd shooting to gain experience, I really appreciate this video. Please do more of these! :)

[@jbivphotography]

That's awesome to hear! I'm glad it was helpful for you.

[@rickbiessman6084]

Seeing how you started and how far you’ve come is really encouraging to me. I’d like to think I’m a better wedding photographer than you were back then, but obviously I don’t know how I really would’ve fared at this wedding. And... now I’m scared to look back at the photos I took last season. 😄

[@jbivphotography]

LOL. I’m happy to hear this is encouraging. I really want to make sure people know we all start somewhere and at some time we took bad photos. I do hope you’re better than I was when I started and I wish you the best in your photography.

[@rickbiessman6084]

@@jbivphotographyThanks so much. =) I’m still pretty good at taking bad photos, but your channel has been one of the key sources for me to becoming more intentional in literally everything I do as a photographer.

[@frankeezee]

Hi John. I am getting back into photography after giving it up 10 years ago. Looking at the progression of your work, I regret not staying at it and growing. This video is encouraging in so many ways. I appreciate your channel and will not look elsewhere to look for motivation and education. I would happily be your 2nd photographer any day. Thank you!!

[@lorelei619]

I preordered your flash course when you first announced it and am so excited. This video was really encouraging going into my second year of business. I am constantly growing, but seeing that photographers I look up to also struggled and went through some of the same learning curves really motivates me to keep going!

[@dragnfly138]

This was so awesome and so humbling at that same time. Thanks for sharing. It goes to show that practice does make you better.

[@jbivphotography]

Glad to share. Practice always helps out so much.

[@kathealy60]

This is a great episode. Thanks for spending the time making this video. Interesting to see your own development from this shoot until the more recent ones you shared with us.

[@jbivphotography]

It really is fun to see how far I've come. You can definitely see how my style has changed over the years.

[@wade3371]

Thanks for this John! I'm a 17 year old from Australia who's yet to shoot a wedding, but I want to know about all the common mistakes so I can identify them and fix them quickly. I really like this style of unscripted critique video for that.

[@diegoteran3812]

Awesome video. Would be nice to maybe compare those photos with whoever the main photographer was and what they took. To see a 1 to 1 comparison.

[@sweet4nice2003]

This was very helpful John 😅 I must say it took me back when I was starting as well and when I also looked at my second shooter on a recent wedding I could see where I too started and just encouraged them also not to give up as this is a practice practice solution. We all came from somewhere truly. Thank you for some highlight tips as always.

[@jbivphotography]

Very true! I try my best to build my second photographers up rather than making them feel bad about their results. We all start somewhere and it takes time and practice to get better.

[@amoore2715]

Just want to say that I attempted to buy the flash course using PayPal. When it’s completed on PayPal’s side, you get sent back to the site but no option to finalize the process. I now have two pending transactions for the same course. 😂😂 I used the contact info so hopefully it gets straightened out soon.

[@Mo-mt9gi]

Thanks for the info. Ironically I started doing photo boothing in 2017. I’m trying to get into weddings/events now. Your videos are encouraging knowing how you started

[@jbivphotography]

Nice! That’s awesome to hear. I hope everything goes well with weddings and events for you.

[@cedricdy131]

HAHA, I used to shoot on 6D too and that looks exactly like how I was shooting back then.

[@NCPhotography]

The beach photos from above.. I felt that deep in my soul. I promised myself never again ._.

[@jbivphotography]

😂😂😂

[@ronlemelinphotography]

great advice

[@phlotographer]

If that many images was taken in the day of film, the photographer and the studio would go broke. We considered each image or crank of the Hassy was $1.00 Also, Watch the movie Singing in the Rain and see how Fred Astaire danced and the photographer/director captured it. People dance with their feet. Shoot the images full length. Capture the couple alone but also with other folks in the frame. It would be interesting to know how many and what size images are either included in the wedding package and what additional prints cost plus the album page price is. What is the average # of images taken and shown and then purchased? Does the couple today get the files of the images shown to them? Just asking as I retired pre digital age so most of what is being done today is unknown. TIA

[@GiGoes]

Hey, John! Thank you, keep up the great work! You said you barely use the second photographer's photos, so why do you hire them?

[@jbivphotography]

Mainly for support and having another person there in case the worst happens. Generally it’s dependent on if my couple purchases it in their package. I would say I do about 80% of my weddings alone.

[@jackharris-sandstrom371]

Great video John 😊 such a valuable lesson looking back at your early work. Think I’ll be doing this tonight! Are you back on the Benq ultrawide? Keep up the great work

[@jbivphotography]

Yep yep. Every time I use another monitor it just reminds me how much I love the BenQ Ultrawide. I'm going to have a really hard time going back to 16:9 aspect ratio.

[@jackharris-sandstrom371]

Nice! I was thinking of picking one up myself, that screen real estate just looks dope. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for a 4k ultra wide soon 🤞

[@Christellezphoto]

So good to see this perspective. Ever miss the 6D though? Such a pretty sensor in the right conditions

[@jbivphotography]

Not really. But I did love that camera when I was using it.

[@Shakeitupcreationsmia]

John I have a long winded question. I hope you can help. I want to get into wedding photography. The equipment I have is Nikon d750 with a 50mm lens only. I also have a d3200 with kits lens 18-55mm, 55-200mm and a 35mm. What do you recommend as another lens for the d750 and are the lenses for the 3200 good enough or should I get another one. I don’t have the funds to buy another full frame camera or another camera period. I would rather invest in my lenses. Got any advice? Thanks so much!!

[@kendramanuel968]

My God Mr John I’ve looked at my old work and made myself SICK 😂

[@jbivphotography]

lol. It's always fun going back and finding old work.

[@CoffeeEdgeMedia]

@22:20 dont forget to crop or delete your shadow XD PS: thank you for roasting yourself for the sake of education. PSS: Not all of those were "so bad". we are tough on ourselves but many were great moments even if the composition wasn't front cover material

[@DylanLiveLifeCreative]

What sound absorption are you using on your walls?

[@BTwenty]

8:10 What is the best approach on a bright day like that? Do you shoot toward the sun? Then how do you avoid them being dark without blowing out the background?

[@jbivphotography]

The best of the best approach is to use strobes (flash). That way you can fill them with light and also save the background as well. It's a little annoying of a setup but at a beach wedding it's probably the best approach.

[@phlotographer]

choose a better location. Wedding photographer of 33 years and never photographed in those lighting conditions and often would show the couple why not to do so. Also shoot closer if you decide to still use the area like was shown or in post -- crop.

[@TwoTimesRmedia]

Thanks for sharing you charged for those right? How did they hire you? I'm thinking to try and do more paid gigs. I had my first one last year but I wasn't happy with my photos.

[@gasgas6445]

I remember you said in one of your previous videos that you were never a second photographer!

[@jbivphotography]

Correct. I started my business in 2014. So not that I was never seconded, but I wasn’t a second until I had already been shooting for like 2-3 years.

[@endsoftheearth1138]

Do you use the camera's meter or a handheld light meter while shooting?

[@jbivphotography]

Generally the camera's built in meter

[@ulyssessait]

may I know what years was this? when you first started as second photographer.

[@jbivphotography]

This was 2017. I started my business and shooting weddings on my own in 2014.

[@ulyssessait]

thanks man..I reflected this to myself too. back then my first camera 2015 canon 80D. I love shooting just for hobby.. (nature, building). back then I doesnt know what its like a underexposed or overexposed.. back then I think it was cool to see white sky (overexposed. LOL). fast forward today, man..im so embarassing to see my work back then. but yeah, we all started somewhere. love your work man.. @@jbivphotography

[@tonypmedia]

I just want to be a wedding photographer PERIOD. Nobody discusses HOW TO become a second shooter when you DO NOT HAVE PHOTOS TO EVEN START WITH. Like how do you end up shooting a wedding without having to pay the lead just so they can look past it!

[@tanthan04]

Try starting with relatives and friends just shoot and try befriending their photographers and maybe they'll take you to some of their next jobs or maybe you'll just be experienced enough to be the lead yourself after a few weddings

[@juanlash]

@@tanthan04I think I understand what tony media is saying, also there are many cases where either we don’t have many friends 😅 or we do have friends but they don’t have girlfriends/boyfriends and much less marry on their lives, at the very least that’s my case, I swear my friends are just like me, they’re lonely wolves lol