Last week, I got into the nitty-gritty of how to pick a wedding photographer. I hope I helped make the process less intimidating. I do, however, need to go a bit more into depth about Step 1 (Figure out what style of wedding photography you like).
There really is no by-the-book definition for the different styles of wedding photography. I’m going to give you some simple descriptions of the different styles that I hope will help make figuring out which style you prefer a bit easier.
Classic/Traditional:
The classic style of wedding photography is typically what you see when paging through a wedding portrait album. If you look at your parents or grandparents wedding photos, they’re most likely the classic style of wedding photography. It truly is a beautiful, timeless style that is usually based off of a shot list that the photographer receives from the bride and groom. The images have a formal feel to them because everything in the shot is there on purpose.
Photo-journalistic/Documentary:
This is the kind of wedding photography that produces a lot of amazing candid shots because the photographer has blended into the background. He or she is shooting from the other side of the room to get the genuine interactions between the bride and groom.
The photographer typically documents the day’s events as they happen to tell the story of your day. The images feel more intimate and personal. This style requires the photographer to experiment with doing some out-of-the-ordinary things to get the shot.
Fine Art:
Fine art wedding photography leans towards the documentary style but breaks through into a realm that is tough to describe. Many fine art wedding photographers have just as much of a background in art as they do in photography.
You’ll find a lot of unique lighting, abstract angles, and you may even find your photographer shooting with film. In a nutshell, fine art photography produces work that you’d want to display in your living room…..even if the picture isn’t from YOUR wedding!
Natural Light:
There are some photographers that forego a flash and use the light provided by the environment. They also tend to hope for daytime weddings! The photographer has to be very skilled in reading the available light in a given situation and adjusting accordingly. This photography produces a very eye-catching image because the photographer can manipulate dramatic shadows and lighting to express mood.
Contemporary/Modern:
The contemporary style wedding photographer will operate with a bit more spontaneity and is a touch less formal. You’ll find less of the posing you’ll find in the classic style, and more adaptation to the environment to take advantage of a compelling background.
Your photos will look very unique and be a very good representation of your day. The contemporary photographer will be cognizant of the latest trends but a GOOD contemporary photographer will know better than to use those trends as a crutch because overuse can definitely show.
The one thing that may scare you is the fact that most photographers are some sort of hybrid between two or maybe even three styles. For example, I am a hybrid between Photo-journalistic and Contemporary styles. I tend to stay in the background to capture genuine emotion. I also make every wedding shoot as unique as possible. which may require a bit of stretching the limits of what is considered normal.
Your photographers style will shine the most when you and your photographer are doing the couple shoot. At the end of the day, picking your wedding photographer requires that you ask yourself these two questions: Do your like the photographer and could you envision yourself in his style of wedding photography? If so, that’s the photographer you go with.
Conclusion:
To reiterate an important point from last week, wedding photography is the one decision that you’ll have to make prior to being able to see the finished product. It’s also the one vendor whose finished product will last for years beyond the wedding day. Be sure to pick the one you are most comfortable with and have the most confidence in is very important.
While picking someone to photograph you big day can be intimidating, never forget that the process should be enjoyable and inspire confidence. If you have any further questions regarding the wedding photographer selection process or would like to inquire about photography for your wedding, please don’t hesitate to contact me here. As always, thanks for stopping by and spending a few minutes with me this week. If you like what you’ve read here, please subscribe and share via the social media links. You can also find MTM Photography on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram so be sure to check out those pages! I’ll see ya next week!
