Choosing Your Wedding Photographer – Wedding Photography Styles Explained

You’ve decided on your wedding date, you’ve booked your venue, and begun shopping for your wedding dress. Now, you’re searching for a photographer to capture your wedding. There are many wedding photography styles available there, and although professionals working in the field might be familiar with these styles, they can be challenging for couples. Be aware that you’re not just selecting a style for your wedding, and the various types of wedding photography may create different demands on the time you spend during your wedding day.

The decision of what style of photography you’d like for the wedding comes down to three factors. What type of photographs you’d like to see, the length of time you’d like to be the photographer on the day of your wedding and lastly, your personal style and confidence before the camera.

There are many different photography buzzwords that are available. Artistic, editorial, vintage or contemporary are only some. They are utilized by photographers in various ways. It is ultimately the responsibility of couples to ask lots of questions and perform plenty of research prior to selecting the photographer of their choice, and not to be sure to view the entire collection of photographs from their weddings. Do not depend on the top five or six images from a variety of weddings to choose from.

Wedding photography styles can be a compromise between producing fantastic work and adhering to a schedule. A photographer can produce stunning images, but if it takes too long to create, they won’t be able to enjoy the experience.

Traditional (or Posed) Wedding Photography

Many people imagine the traditional way of photographing weddings as stale group photos in which everyone is stiff as a piece of paper. The more troubling is that the various groups of people seem to continue for a long time. There is a trend towards toning less traditional in wedding photography. However, the basic structure remains the same for a majority of wedding photographers. The photos might look more fashionable, but the experience of the day for bride and groom is alike.

There is always a balance between the kind of work that a photographer performs and the amount of time to capture it. Formal posed photos are more difficult to prepare and produce. Photographers who produce beautifully posed photos will require some time to complete their best work. It is essential to know the amount of time he’ll require and figure out how you can incorporate it within your schedule. Some photographers devote a few hours to shooting formal photographs. Be sure that you’re comfortable with the amount of time during the day of your wedding. If you’re not at ease in front of the camera, you could be able to find this photography more challenging. A professional photographer should be able to assist you to feel at ease, however for many people; it might be a little daunting.

Reportage Wedding Photography (Wedding Photojournalism)

If traditional wedding photography is about taking posed photos reporting wedding photography is a different approach. It focuses on capturing the events as they occur. It’s more like an on-the-spot documentary. This type of wedding photography is that the photographer spends most of the time behind the camera, which makes it more popular for couples. Weddings are also becoming less formal than they were in the past. Photographing weddings for documentary needs an entirely different set of skills than traditional wedding photography. Therefore, you must ensure that your photographer is equipped with the proper background in photography and is able to provide you with complete weddings to support this. Wedding photojournalism is more about taking a complete set of photographs of the entire day rather more than a selection of 12 highlights. There are photographers who are willing to join the latest trend to increase their business yet keep using the same way of doing things they’ve always done. Wedding photography is concerned with anticipation and being at the perfect spot at the right moment. It’s not about carefully the people around, and this can put many wedding photographers out of their field of expertise. There are some photographers who are using trendy buzzwords to boost their online presence. However, they still take the same old photos.

If you’re hesitant about taking your picture, photography at your wedding is the ideal option. The photojournalism process happens without even realizing it, and you’ll appear at your best.

While these two styles may seem like opposing views, the majority of wedding photographers will provide an amalgamation of both styles. There aren’t many wedding photographers who do not capture at least some formal photos, and most traditional wedding photographers can also shoot informal photos. Find out the percentage of photographers who like to shoot. Better still, ask them what they love to shoot. Most probably, this is the thing they excel at.

Vintage Wedding Photography

Wedding photography is vintage, an aesthetic that has come into fashion in recent times, but in many ways, it’s difficult to measure. It could mean anything, including using old film cameras in a couple of weddings to a completely different method of post-production to create vintage-looking digital images. There are many great photographers on the market; however, keep in mind that if you receive images that have been heavily edited to a particular fashion, you are at chance of the photos appearing quite outdated a couple of years after. If I were hiring a photographer who was vintage, I personally would like at the very least a portion of the wedding photographs on film. I’m also not a big fan of fakes. As always, ask questions, look at examples and make an educated decision.

Editorial Wedding Photography

This wedding theme is inspired by the fashion editorials found in glossy magazines. At its finest, it can create stunning photographs that are high-end. In order to achieve this during a wedding, the photographer has to be highly organized and will likely require an assistant to set up the photos prior to the event, though this would depend on the style of the photographer. Make sure that the needs for this kind of shoot are compatible with your wedding plans. If you are a fan of this kind of photography but don’t wish to dedicate an excessive amount of time during your wedding day, you might want to consider scheduling an additional photo session following the wedding. It’s often described as trash or a cherished memory of the photoshoot for the dress. A separate photoshoot may be the best option to have the wedding you’d like and photographs you’ll be happy with without sacrificing a significant portion of the wedding day. This also means that you and your photographer will be able to select the perfect time of the day to capture the best lighting and also have the potential for rescheduling the event if it’s flooded with rain. There are many nations, especially the US, the high-end wedding photography is moving to three different shoots: the engagement session as well as the wedding day and an editorial shoot. Do not necessarily assume that everything needs to be accomplished all in one day.

Artistic or Fine Art Wedding Photography

In essence, it is an evolution of the traditional bridal photography style; this style of photography provides a modern version of conventional set-ups of photographs posed, but both are words that are overused by the photography community. Therefore, it is essential to take your time researching. The best this type of photography can create romantic, moving photos, but certain photographers may overuse identical poses, which means they can appear too formal. Request to view a variety of photographs, and don’t be shy to express your own ideas during your pre-wedding planning meeting.

Conclusions

There are many kinds of photographers out there; however, the most crucial factor is to look past the catchy phrases and have a look at portfolios. In the end, it’s the expertise of the photographer you’re hiring that is the most important thing. Personal service, experience and professionalism are what guarantee an unwavering quality for photography throughout the wedding day to wedding, as well as the reliability and capability to cope with the various shooting situations that can arise during the day of the wedding. Their portfolios should include an appropriate balance of photos, starting with bridal preparations and ending with the wedding night’s first dance. You can ask them questions about the time they’ll need to complete the formal and couple photos and figure out how much time you’re willing to spend. In the case of more casual designs, planning and communication prior to the wedding are essential to ensure the best outcome and also to ensure they are done quickly. Follow the rules, and you’ll have a memorable day at your wedding with pictures to match.