Second shooting and assisting
I'm Joshua. I run Cowdog Studio here in Philadelphia, I shoot families and engagements, and I'm building toward weddings. If you need a second shooter or an assistant, this page is for you.
The honest version
Where I'm at
I'm not going to oversell this. I've been making pictures a long time. Journalism, documentary work, portraits, a lot of low light. Weddings are the newer part, and that's exactly why I'm here.
Someone who knows his camera cold. You won't be checking my exposures or babysitting my focus. I've spent years photographing people who did not want their picture taken, which turns out to be a good chunk of any wedding.
Reps, and a lead who will tell me when I've gotten it wrong. Tell me what you want and how you want it handed over. I'd rather learn your way than guess at it and hope.
Twenty-two years in restaurants. I can stand for twelve hours, read a room, carry more than you'd think, and stay out of your frame. That's most of the job.
What I'm there for
Second shooter or assistant
Parents watching. The kid melting down by the cake. The reaction instead of the moment. If you're on the couple, I'm on everybody else.
Details while you're doing portraits. A second angle on the ceremony. Stands, batteries, the bag, the dress. Assisting isn't a step down for me, it's how I learn how you work.
I show up early and dressed for it. Cards come to you at the end of the night. I'm building a wedding portfolio too, so once you've delivered I'll ask to use a few frames, credited to you as the lead. If the answer is no, it's no.
A taste
Then go look at the rest
Two frames from one wedding. The empty room before the chairs filled up, and the part after dark. The full galleries are below and they're the real answer to whether you want me on your day.
The particulars
Rate, range, availability
$60 an hour, and flexible for the right date. If the wedding is interesting I am not going to lose it over money.
Philadelphia and roughly two hours out, which covers the Main Line, Delco, Bucks, Chester County, South Jersey and the shore. Farther for the right wedding.
Most weekends are open, and short notice is fine. If someone drops out on you on a Thursday, ask.
The gear
For the leads who ask first
Nikon Z8 and Z6II. Both dual card slot, so everything is written twice from the moment I press the shutter.
24, 50 and 85 primes, a 24–70 for when things move, and a 105 macro for rings and details.
Godox AD300 Pro, speedlights, triggers and modifiers. Comfortable off-camera, and comfortable without it when the room is better.
Let's talk
Or keep me on file
If you have a date, send it over. If you don't have anything right now, keep me in your back pocket for when a second drops out. That's usually how this goes.