Second Shooter, Photography Jobs in Napa, CA

About the role

We are accepting applications from photo second shooters in greater Napa. Applicants here are contacted first when our companies begin booking weddings in this market. Cover preparation, guests, candids and alternate angles while the lead photographer directs.

Weddings in the Napa area run year-round, with the busiest calendar in April–October. Mild weather means weddings run year-round, with the heaviest calendar from spring into fall. Our venue data covers 57 wedding venues across 9 cities in this market.

What you'll do

• Photograph the getting-ready rooms the lead is not in
• Shoot alternate ceremony angles and guest reactions
• Capture candids, details and cocktail hour
• Help with lighting setups and family formals

What you bring

• Some wedding or event experience, or a strong portrait portfolio
• One professional body, a fast lens and a flash
• Willingness to learn our house style and follow a lead

Napa venues you could shoot

Weddings in this market take place at venues like these, drawn from our directory of 57 local venues:

• The Westin Verasa NapaNapa
• Grand Reserve - Meritage ResortNapa
• CIA at Copia (The Culinary Institute of America at Copia)Napa
• Churchill ManorNapa
• JaM Cellars BallroomNapa
• Hennessey EstateNapa
• Casa Mani Resort Napa Valley, Curio Collection by HiltonNapa
• Fairview NapaNapa
• V. Sattui WinerySt. Helena
• The Lodge at Sonoma Resort, Autograph CollectionSonoma
• Viansa WinerySonoma
• B.R. Cohn WineryGlen Ellen

Areas covered

Napa (11), Sonoma (9), St. Helena (3), Yountville (3), Calistoga (2), Healdsburg (2), Santa Rosa (21), Petaluma (4), Glen Ellen (2). Numbers show venues per city in our data.

Pay in California

For context, photographers in California earn a median of $47,840 a year, with most earning between $36,470 and $125,490 (BLS, May 2025). Most wedding work is paid per event rather than salaried. See the full California pay guide.