Wedding Photography Styles - What are they all about?
Photographers use certain buzzwords to quickly describe their style- photojournalistic, documentary, lifestyle, artistic, fashion, dramatic, traditional and casually posed. Below I explain each one to help you decide which styles best suit your needs.
Wedding Photojournalism and Documentary
Wedding photojournalism and documentary involves capturing moments as they unfold without any direction from your photographer. Many photographers will photograph your entire day using only this approach. The allows you more time to spend with your family and friends as you do not need to allocate time for photographs.. The draw back is leaving everything to chance, I have spoken with brides who were disappointed on seeing the final results as no moment of them with their mother was caught on camera, or no image of their closest childhood friend was taken. As you can see from the images below, I'm a fan of the photojournalistic/documentary style when that approach suits the moment and capture about 80% of your day using that method. I also adopt a mix of other styles rather than leave everything to chance.
Lifestyle
I seek out the best available light in a room. Images captured there always make for more beautiful and flattering photographs. If required, I give a little direction too, ensuring the end result has a relaxed feel. Below is a perfect example of this. I advised the bride to stand in front of the window to take advantage of the amazing light. I then captured the moment as it happened. This is known as 'lifestyle" as some subtle staging was involved but the end result is very natural.
Artistic / Dramatic / Fashion / Creative
These images are directed with the intention of producing a wow- factor image. This style is achieved with specific lighting, angles and poses drawn from fashion. These images add variety to your wedding album , creating a dramatic break between other styles. I aim to take a few artistic shots at each wedding.
Traditional / Casually Posed
Traditional images are heavily directed. The photographer generally works from a set list, technical precision is key as opposed to natural expressions. I view this style as the best choice for family portraits however I believe in adding a modern twist to the traditional appraoch. I call this "casually posed". After the traditional shot is taken, if you're up for a little fun, then I am too. With casually posed, my goal is to achieve a natural and fun interaction of everyone together.
That's it, the main styles explained. When choosing your wedding photographer, it's important to first determine if you want one style or a photographer who weaves between different styles, selecting the right one to match the moment. If it's the latter, I would love to hear from you! Please get in contact, I'd be delighted to answer any questions you have.
Pam