Picking your wedding photographer can seem daunting. There are lots of photographic styles, different packages and pricing options. It’s really important to choose a style of photography that you love. Your wedding photos are all that will be left after the celebration is finished. How those memories are captured is really significant. For couples who haven’t spent a lot of time enjoying photography choosing a wedding photography style is a voyage of discovery. We advise couples to firstly get an understanding of the basic principles which underpin each photographic style.
Explore our bright and contemporary wedding photography in our portfolio.
Natural, documentary and reportage
These terms all mean pretty much the same thing. Photography will be ‘moment’ focused. Meaning that your photographer will let the day flow naturally and steer away from posed shots. A lot of wedding photographers will have this style for the most part but also take some posed portraits and group shots. Be sure to ask when meeting a natural, documentary and reportage wedding photographer to what extent they stick to this style. Some will not pose anything. If you want portraits of you two together make sure you discuss this with your photographer. Documentary photographers can be quite serious about how they want to capture the day. Make sure that their style of photographing fits in with your vision too. If you want a lot of posed pictures a fully reportage photographer might not be right for you.
Read our guide on getting the best wedding portraits.
Fine art
Think magazine covers, the likes of Harpers Bazaar and Vogue. Very fashion-forward images, often using a lot of editing to create filter style images. These pictures would make fantastic stand out pieces to hang on the wall of your home. Usually quite traditional images with heavy use of black and white. Or much brighter images with an airy feel. If you are considering choosing this style of photography for your wedding we recommend asking for full galleries. Just seeing an amazing couples portrait is not enough to judge a photographic style. Think of how you want the more natural aspects of the day captured too. Getting a full gallery will give a much better idea of what to expect from your photographer.
View lots of real wedding inspiration on with our featured weddings.
Contemporary
If you choose a contemporary photographer you should expect images with a modern twist. Set piece photo opportunities loved by traditional photographers – e.g. couple clinking glasses, cutting the cake and signing the register – aren’t likely to feature. Images are usually more colourful than black and white. The focus is on the story of the day and capturing emotion. Photographers will experiment with new techniques like shooting through light prisms for stunning effects or using tilt shift lenses. Often this is teamed with natural, documentary and reportage photography too.
Read our tips on picking a wedding photographer.
Creative & alternative
From a creative photographer you should expect the unexpected. Use of interesting techniques and angles to create one-off photos. Each image will be quirky and interesting to look at. Not focused on traditional photo opportunities. Don’t expect a selection of images which will tell the story of the day in the same fluid way as you get with documentary photography. It can take time to create quirky photos on a wedding day. Make sure you ask how long you will be spending on photos. If you don’t want a long photoshoot it’s important to understand your photographer’s process. Natural photography is usually the go-to style for couples that want a more relaxed day.
Film
Few photographers will shoot weddings using film because it’s tricky to work with. The risk of not getting the right images is so much higher than with the amazing digital equipment available now. The aesthetic is niche and some couples love it. Usually photographers will shoot some of the day on film but the majority on an SLR camera, to make sure they capture the important moments perfectly. Fine art or creative photographers are your go-to for this kind of work. Photographing weddings on film is difficult. Hiring a really experienced photographer is paramount with this style of wedding photography.
Traditional
This kind of photography style hasn’t changed much over the last 20 or so years. Most traditional photographers will have worked in the industry for a long time and are very experienced. Images centre around formal shots e.g. cake cutting and are frequently set-up. If traditional is your thing be sure to choose a photographer who is using good equipment and proficient with the latest editing techniques. If you book a traditional photographer expect to spend 1-2 hours raking posed photographs.
Your Wedding Photography Style
Your choice of wedding photography is very personal and down to individual taste. At Shane Webber Photography we love natural and contemporary wedding photography. Whatever style speaks to you we would advise steering clear of anything that will age, wacky editing and Instagram style filters. We want to make sure your wedding photos never go out of fashion. Our most important piece of advice is to choose an experienced photographer. Think of your photography as an investment and choose the best one you can within your budget. Photography is not something to cut corners with, it’s the only thing you will have to look back on when your wedding is done. Be sure to look at your photographer’s reviews and see lots of examples of their work. Take a look at some of our blog for examples of our wedding photography.
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