I know quite a few of you here work as a couple. I am curious to find out what works well for you as far as sharing workflow, and how things work out with your gear.

Andy just made the switch from Nikon, to Canon (which is what I use). Right now we are selling off his Nikon gear and preparing to purchase more Canon lenses. For those of you that work as a team, do you basically have double lenses at each focal range? Do you take turns switching off? Does one shoot primes and one stick with zooms? Are there just a couple lenses that are so integral that you have two of them, and the rest you switch off as needed?

At the actual event, is one person more of the lead photographer, or are duties shared equally?

And as far as post production goes, who does what? We have the biggest issue with post production. We both want to be the one processing, and we have yet to find a system that works with us. I am of the opinion that we should just take turns doing the post for each event. Andy doesn't like this idea. I think ideally, he'd like me sitting next to him discussing each shot individually while we work on them. I think this is crazy talk. Perhaps as we get more work, this aspect will be less precious to us and each of us will be willing to give up more control, but we are both control freaks and want final say over the images. Most of the time we agree on what we want, but sometimes we don't. I think from a consistency standpoint, it makes more sense to have one person do all them and take turns. I'd really love to get some opinions on this one. Right now we are keeping all the images (backed up of course) on one computer, and it's his computer and set up the way he likes. I cannot stand working on this machine at all. He's got some goofy trackball that I can't stand, and he uses a mac and I'm much faster working on a PC and get WAY less frustrated. This is also a point of contention for us. Working from two different computers seems like it would be tedious and inefficient though. Any thoughts?

Any of you that have worked with your spouse/significant other and have any pearls of wisdom to share - please let us know!

this is a question i had also, my wife is starting to photograph with me also and im about to buy another better body for her than her using my backup only. at present we have 6 lenses, 3 are primes 3 are zooms, the thing is i usually carry the 50, 70-200 and 24-70 everywhere and they are usually the main carry along lenses which leaves her with the macro, other mid ranger and 28. ive shared equipment with other photographers a few times and the 24-70 and 70-200 is usually the lenses we fight over! so i think theyll be getting doubled up soon, but its also important as not on my own note but from couple clients ive worked with, sometimes have clients who request one of the partners specifically and not the other so if they are double booked they need to have duplicates of the most important gear, so technically it still works as 2 seperate photographers but just under one name.

likewise with the computer issue, my wife loves pc, hates mac, i love mac, hate pc! the way we get around that is macdrive, it allows your pc to read the macbook pro or mac hd drives so there isnt any issues there for us.

Gear
My wife and I work as a team and we carry the following to each event:
5D x2
30D
24-105
24-70
70-200
135
50

Getting ready:
She uses the 24-70 and I use the 24-105 or 50.

Portraits:
She uses the 70-200, I use the 24-105 or 50 (depending on if it is group or single)

Ceremony:
She uses the 70-200, I use a combo of the 24-105 and 135 w/30D.

Reception:
She uses the 24-70 and I use the 24-105.

Most likely, we will be adding another 70-200 2.8IS because the lens is just so good and for ceremonies, I just love it over a prime. But that set of gear seems to work okay, but we are still newer and things change as shooting style changes so this is just one data point for you.

Post Processing/Division of Tasks

After the shoot, we both sit down and choose the images that will be presented to the client. This takes us a good while, but it is nice having a female opinion. I may pick a photo and then she comes in and points out an unflattering feature that is highlighted a little too much in the photo. After that, she takes over the PP completely. I just check them at the end to see if there is anything that she may have overlooked. Normally there are a couple of images that we alter further, but in general she does a great job.

Since she does most of the PP, I do all of the other stuff for the biz. I do a lot of accounting, contract work, email correspondence, purchases, etc... It definitely isn't as fun, but I think it is the best for our business to divide the work that way. It gives clients consistent work.

She is the "primary" photographer sortof. I always let her have first take on pictures and angles, but we operate more like 2 primaries. Only 1 person takes the formals to avoid confusion, but for couple stuff, we are both shooting and just give specific direction where the couple should look.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

You need 2 midrange lenses (28-75 2.8 here) and you need at least one wide each. We prefer to swap back & forth on the 70-200 2.8 IS L because it's an EXPENSIVE lens and swapping has worked well for us in the past. We plan to get another as well, however. Ideally you have as much of both as possible just for backup & redundancy.



One person should be lead. It makes things go easier if people know who to listen to and who to smile at in main formal groups. Sarah doesn't shoot (at the group) during formals so people know there's only one main camera to look at - mine!



You guys are both nuts. lol If you can't agree, process your own images. Put them together at the end. Right now, I do ALL of the editing, Sarah does ALL of the album design and post-work. She would like more control over the editing and I would like to do less - but right now this works for us. Sitting next to each other processing is insanity (sorry Andy). Make your workflow FASTER, not slower. You have 2 people working there - act like it. If you sit next to each other, you lose productive time for both people. As far as consistency, if you guys are already looking over each image together, your work should be fairly consistent. If you process with actions, make sure both people have them. Presets, same. Just define your style and do it. In the case of an even split, just process your own images though.



You're not networked?

Ok, here's what I'd do.

Create a folder called "Wedding" and in that "Originals" and "Done"
In the Original folder, create your most recent wedding. 2008-07-05 Bob & Jill
Download your cards to 2 folders - Andy and Lynn
Edit your own images and move them to the MAIN originals folder when you're done editing. Give them names like johnsonandy001.jpg and johnsonlynn001.jpg When you're both done, rename the files the way you want.

That's the best way to have both of you edit them.

Simpler: Outsource to _________________. And be done with editing.

Working together can be difficult. You need to decide if you're doing it for ego (we both HAVE to post process), money (get the work done!) or art (I have to do it I have to do it!) Eventually most couples seem to realize that you're doing it for all of the above - and work together to create a fast, easy, good solution.

And hug a lot. We have a motto here that keeps things smooth when we start arguing.

MORE KISSY LESS TALKY.

Thanks Matt and everyone else who chimed in. Good info here. I am liking Chris' strategy of letting the wife do the post and him doing all the boring business stuff. Maybe I can implement this! Hehe.

Yes, we will most likely be networking the drives at some point. My old PC is a bit long in the tooth and Andy basically built a new one for me. We just need a few more things to make it operational, a wireless card being one thing. We've just been so busy. I am really looking forward to having a proper desk and work area set up. I bought my house last year and it's needed a lot of maintenance - new roof, windows, etc. I've not had the funds to really get the interior set up the way I want it and we've really been kind of roughing it for the past year. Having a real office area - even if it's in the dining room while we work on the upstairs - is something I'm really looking forward to.

As far as lenses go, we were thinking of picking up the 16-35mm L. Our walk-around lens is a Sigma 18-55mm (both shooting with crop bodies) and we figured at least with the 16-35mm we would have something in a similar range (25-56mm on a crop) that wouldn't be an exact duplicate of what we have. Plus we are assuming when the new version of the 5D comes out that we'll be acquiring one and taking full advantage of that wide angle.

I honestly think I could get by shooting with primes and a 70-200. I think a long lens zoom is probably going to be a requirement for both of us. Andy needs to hurry up and get his Nikon gear sold so we can go shopping!

and lots of wine.....

Nope, we're not rich enough for that. Like other people have posted, the three main lenses we use are the 70-200, 24-70 and 50. We honestly don't switch a whole lot because my S.O. likes just using the 24-70 and not going through the trouble of switching. He's one of those, "Don't fix it if it ain't broke" types. He does get jealous of the 70-200 now and then (one time he came home to find it in bed with me, and, well, let's just not go there). For our next wedding we're going to rent another 70-200 from LensProtoGo (only $100 for a week! awesome!) so he can keep it at his hip if he needs it.

As it stands now, usually I'm at the back of the ceremony (as in, far away from the altar) with the long lens while he stays on the peripherals up front, stepping in for two seconds when he needs to and then stepping back again. For formals, only one person shoots. The first half of the formals we do the traditional poses with parents, grandparents, etc. and he shoots that, and then we let them know they can leave and we start on more creative, artsy poses of just the bridal party (which I shoot).



Oops, guess I kinda answered this a bit above. But if one person is leader, it's me. Big surprise, knowing my personality right? Seriously, if anything it's because I'm more outgoing than he is and I think women can give polite suggestions without people feeling so on-the-spot than men.



Here's what works for us. I really LIKE doing PP and we both agree that I'm faster at it, anyway. So I do the PP and when there's a photo that I'm not sure we'd agree on, I bring it to his attention. This takes a little effort, because you have to be REALLY honest with yourself about how you think your partner would feel about it, which is harder than it sounds. You have to be able to put your ego in check so you aren't grabbing his attention for a photo that deep down you knew you'd both agree on anyway (wastes time) and you both have to be able to somewhat moderate your tastes so that you can find a happy medium. We try to keep the photos that one of us really doesn't like down below ten in the final gallery. Sometimes it helps to process the photo both ways and put both up there and let the client decide, too.

But like Matt said, I think for both people to review and process every single picture would just take too much time.



Set up a network!



The minute what you're doing starts to feel like drudgery, STOP. Take a break from the work, and from each other even. You'll work faster and better if you take a break for at least fifteen minutes and treat yourself to a snack, a walk, or a quickie in the shower.

I always try to employ the sage advice of a music teacher I had back in the day: always stop what you're doing before you're completely ready to, so that you end on a high note. You should finish work BEFORE you get to that point where you feel like you're starting to get burned out. That way, your fingers will be itching to get back to the computer later. Psychology is pretty simple in this respect...if the last time your brain remembers doing something it has a negative feeling of some kind attached to it, you are going to subconsciously condition yourself to feel reluctent, tired, or frustrated the next time you have to do get back up there.

Lastly, be honest with yourselves and look out for each other. I know you do that anyway, but try to be concious of the other person's weaknesses and strengths so that you can nurture each other and help each other become better photographers and business people. One of my weaknesses is that I get too wrapped up in the details...honestly it does NOT matter whether a picture looks just one shade warmer or whatever, and if I were doing this by myself I'd be clicking the "Preview Layer" button on and off all day. My S.O. is quick to tell me to stop being a noobcake and get the show on the road -- PICK ONE, it really doesn't matter. Coming from someone else, that might seem harsh, but because he's my S.O. he can say stuff like that without me taking it other than how it was truly meant instead of getting all huffy 'cause my poor little ego was bruised. I hope that makes sense. That's an advantage that couples have over aquaintences who work together, and you shouldn't hesitate to use it.

That's probably enough sermonizing from me for one day. I think I'm over quota this month, come to think of it.

Joy has her favorite lenses and I have mine. We have enough bodies (Canon and Nikon) for the both of us. There is rarely, if ever, a time throughout the day when we're both going after the same lens. The 70-200 is really only used for the ceremony. Otherwise I prefer to be using a mid-range lens and interacting with the client. Joy loves the 85mm.

As far as post, I cull the images, our image editor does the cc, I pic the faves for the blog while she is doing cc. Once we get them back from our editor, Joy does the slideshows and online upload. When it's time for albums or to send a wedding for publication, I do a final edit and then send the images to our album designer and/or publicist.

I can certainly see the benefits of the two of you sitting together going through the images (we'll usually do a quick 10-minute scan through), but to spend much more than that is too much to ask. This business is so demanding of our time, that being a good mom and dad is sometimes challenging. We're intentionally trying to remove the barriers that prevent that. And spending less time behind the computer is the first step.

giggle giggle

which ever way you look at it, its much easier to have your partner with you to photograph and deal with everything right to the end with each client project, thank bits here and bits there with second shooters, the main issue is just the lense part, partly because we cant afford to get lots of bodies and lenses, so until then we just gotta learn to share and set out ground rules at the beginning.

For Nate and I....

We each have our own lenses and bodies that we carry and sometimes we'll switch but usually he has his own wide and telephoto and I have a shorter range telephoto and my own wide and the portrait lens. During the wedding I usually take the 70-200 and he switches between some of the others. For portraits we both shoot with a telephoto and wide.

For shoots we actually take turns directing and it's worked really well for us so far. Even at weddings we take turns although he generally makes jokes about how I'm the boss so usually people look to me for the final say and that has worked well for us so far.

On the back end,
We sort through the photos together but I do all of the editing. (It's easier that way). He handles a bunch of the business and customer service stuff. He also is my tech guy and fixes all my computer problems.

But, I am doing this full time and he still has another job so I have more time to do all the editing and stuff.

Duane and I don't set up a lead photographer except for the family portraits. We are constantly feeding off eachother's ideas and arrangements throughout the day and find that it works really well. We always try to make sure that we have two different types of lenses going (wide and telephoto, mid-range and a prime etc...) just to keep the images fresh.

In terms of post-production we have a pretty tightly defined roles:
1. One person culls the shoot while the other tends to office work (life is too short to have both people cull - we trust eachother).
2. We work on the on the lightroom-conversions and photoshop stuff together - one starts from the end and the other from the beginning and work until we meet in the middle.
3. Then we sync everything up on our drives.
4. Duane does the slideshow and I do the blog.

It may not work for everyone, but it works really for us. One long day of editing and we have finished everything for the wedding.

We are still trying to iron out the kinks for our workflow and balance between us. Right now I do most of the business end of things (replying to emails, balancing the banking accounts, paying bills etc)

Typically one of us goes through and culls the photos, the second goes back over and culls some more if needed (sometimes you need that second eye to say, "no that doesn't need to be included or let's keep that one)

Then the next one edits. I understand what you are saying about having different styles of editing and both wanting to be the one to do it. If there are a few favorites, we will communicate that to the other requesting to edit those specific photos, otherwise just one of us goes through and edits. The other set of eyes comes through afterward and does a QUICK run through looking over the edits and suggesting changes IF THERE ARE ANY (this is what we've come up with to allow us to release that need for both of us to edit. If Chris edits, I know I look over the final edits prior to exporting, that way if there is a few I just really want done differently I have that option, and vice versa. **Note** this sounds like a lot of double work, but it's not, when I mean we do a QUICK run through, it's just that, we flip through the photos, with a quick look, and quick changes if needed. It's what we found helps us to keep a balance (and the peace )

As far as shooting, we typically have one that is the main shooter when we are together. During group formals etc. one has the camera and is shooting while the other is posing everyone and fine tuning. For the getting ready shots we split up, and for the reception events one acts as main, getting the main angle while the other acts as second.

For bodies, we each have a body with a backup we keep in the car. We each have a 50mm 1.8 lens and one has the 18-135 and the 70-200 2.8 while the other has the 18-200 VR

we also have a 70-300mm a 10-12mm that we divvy up according to who/what we are shooting and who needs it.

I love hearing everyones way of splitting the responsibilities, Good ideas here!

sorry if my posy is scatter brained, I've got trwo sick kids home right now so my concentration is SHOT

My situation's a little different since I'm the whole business/post processing and my husband only comes along on shoots, but here's what we do on the day of:

I carry a 5d with my primes (a 28 1.8, 50 1.4, 85 1.8 and macro)

and he carries a 30d with zooms (17-50 2.8, 70-200 2.8is)

we both have our own flashes and we hardly ever switch lenses.

For the ceremony I get more of the wide/detail stuff and some slightly closer images with the 85. He shoots all the close ups with the 70-200. For couples portraits I'm the "lead" photographer and do all of the directing and artistic stuff with the wider lenses (I'm loving the 28 and being super close up these days) and he gets farther back and uses the 70-200 for the super close ups of just their hands/faces, that type of thing. It works out really well for us since he doesn't like to do the interacting with the couples and I couldn't get those type of shots with the lenses I use.

If we were going to double up on any one lens I'd say the only one would be a 70-200 just so I could also have one for the ceremony, but we're getting by without it.

This is a great thread. Obviously I am still a newb compared to most everyone, but my husband and I have already talked about him moving into a second role for me. He is very gifted technically and has an artistic soul so I think he'd be good. He already helps me with business stuff, because he's better at keeping that crap organized. However, he has already said that if he moves into helping me do the photography, he is definitely second, I am the leader, and I will do all the PP.. He really has no experience in PS.. so.. I'll let him be the money man and I'll do the fun stuff.. Haha.

There has been a lot of great responses here. I have enjoyed reading them.

At weddings and sessions we prefer to make it this simple: I carry the 70-200 2.8 and the 14-24 2.8 for my d300 and Melissa will get by only using the 50 1.4 on her fuji S5 80% of the time with only natural light.

I like to pick our locations and I direct our lighting assistant with either adding light or modifying the sunlight. Melissa focuses on the couple being photographed and positioning them. I am more of the lead photographer but we work together always except if we split up while the bride and groom are getting ready.

As far as post production, Melissa selects the images that we will use and applies quick develop settings that we made up together for b/w conversions only (mainly on her own images). I do the computer and file maintenance, photoshop processing, uploading and ordering.


It works out well. Lately I have been sending off my raw files to SDE but the b/w images (about 40%-50% of a wedding) stay in studio.

good luck to you
ross.james