Styles of Wedding Photography

Understanding what type fits your event.

You should always know your photographers style based on the samples you have seen. We generally tend not to be chameleons in this aspect. However, make sure to discuss this a little when you first meet. In addition, and this is VERY important, discuss how you want the event shot. There are five styles or wedding photography, which are:

1. Traditional Wedding Photography – This is when shots are super posed and almost out of a book. This will include posing your guests for pictures. We literally have a list including bride portrait, groom portrait, cake cutting, first dance groom, first dance father, getting in car, etc.
   
   

2. Wedding Photo Journalism – This is what I call stylized “winging it”. Essentially, we document how things happen. Do little to no posing at all but will get our self prepared to shoot specific events in a specific manner including using multiple flashes or getting on top of a ladder for a specific angle. Other than that we let you and your guests do your thing and we just document it.
   
   

3. Wedding Fashion – This is fairly new and stems not only from fashion photographers getting into shooting weddings, but also clients who want to feel as though they are being shot for a magazine layout. If this is what you want, keep in mind that you will be shooting and posing for about 60% of your event. You will not have much interaction with your guests. Also, remember that location, details like flowers, dress and suit play a major role in achieving this style. If you are shooting in a banquet hall, you will not be able to achieve this style. Also, use someone who shoots only this style and does so both for weddings and actual fashion clients. Just so you know, I am not one of these types of photographers.
   
   

4. Traditional / Photo Journalism Combination – This is the most popular style. This is where 80% of the wedding is shot as it happens but the photographer will shoot traditional formal portraits, will shoot requested shots including table shots of guests. This is the best choice if you want images that capture the events as they happened but still want some of those posed shots. If choosing this style, it is important to go over in detail what parts of the wedding you want shot traditional style and which parts are shot photo journalism.
   
   

5. The last is what I shoot. There is no specific name for it but I tend to call it Controlled Photo Journalism. This is where the photographer will tend to photograph most of the event in a photo journalism style and will take minimal "formal" or "posed" images. Instead of formal poses, we opt for a controlled form of photo journalism in which we will describe what we are looking for, we will determine our angle and may even use some controlled lighting devices but will then let the everyone be themselves. The outcome is quiet amazing. It results in images that while mildly choreographed still maintain a natural feel that allows everyone in the image be them self. Now don't fear, those of us that do it correctly are able to shoot in this style without keeping you and your guests from enjoying themselves and the event.
   

I hope this has given you some insight into what various styles of shooting weddings are. It is helpful to know what type of style you are looking for in your images so that you can look for that within the photographer you choose to document your special day.