The Photographic style

The Photographic style

Wedding photography today can be divided into 2 major categories - Traditional style posed photos, and photojournalistic candids. The traditional style tends to be mostly color, mostly posed (we like to use the term "structured") and is typically planned out ahead of time. This certainly doesn't mean they need to look posed, stiff or boring, but there is an element of control on the part of the photographer.

These photographs are typically taken with care and attention to lighting, backgrounds, and good poses. These are the photos that capture all the important people who are sharing your wedding day with you - your family, your wedding party, and perhaps some of those special friends.

Photojournalistic photos are typically black and white, completely non-posed, taken without flash and without interference on the part of the photographer. In other words, these photographs "document" the happenings of the wedding day as they actually happened without controlling those happenings.

Some couples prefer one style to the other, but most couples we talk to are looking for a combination of both. As one of our brides put it, "The color photographs show me what my wedding looked like, the black and white (photojournalistic) show me what it felt like".

Not all photographers are comfortable with both styles, so it's important that you determine what appeals to you, and find someone who can provide your preferred style or mix. Make sure you see an entire wedding, not just a few of the best prints from a bunch of different weddings. Make sure you understand how they approach the whole process of photographing a wedding, and that you are comfortable with the approach as well as the finished product.