wedding photography styles

Wedding photography is now so evolved as a genre, that it has divided into sub niches. Once upon a time, wedding photography simply meant wedding photography, everyone knew what to expect on the day and largely understood what their pictures would be like.

A few portraits, some family pictures and a stage cutting of the cake. Pretty much it.

Fast forward to present day and that style of photography is pretty much dead. Traditional wedding photography still exists, but even that has evolved to include more candid photographs.

Choosing the right style of wedding photography can be a daunting task, especially if you have no real knowledge of photography. You may know what you like, but may not know how to narrow down your google searches to land on the right style of photographer for you.

Enter this helpful post.

Each style of wedding photography offers a unique approach to capturing a wedding day, with its own set of techniques, shooting and editing styles. In this blog post, we’ll explore the different styles of wedding photography, from traditional and classic to contemporary and creative, to help you choose the style that best reflects your personality and preferences.

We’ll also discuss how the styles differ and considerations for each one, so you can make an informed decision about which style is right for you.

Bear in mind that whilst there are several different styles of wedding photography, not all are standalone and there are many grey areas or areas of overlap, photographers may incorporate elements of multiple styles in their work.

I pitch myself as a documentary photographer, but prospective clients will always ask me if I will take group photographs of their family and friends. It’s just expected as a given.

So, whilst you’re highly unlikely to see group pictures on my website, I do still take them. That doesn’t make me a traditional wedding photographer, it just means I’m listening to what my clients really want.

My top piece of advice before you start

Be hyper vigilant – particularly if you lean towards the fashion/fine art/editorial style of images.

Why?

Because some of the photographers use pictures from staged shoots in their portfolios.

One of the highest ranking wedding photographers in London has a portfolio full of images from staged shoots.

Why is this a problem? Staged shoots are nowhere near the same as a real wedding.

This is why it’s incredibly important that you get to see a gallery from a full, real wedding day.

Here’s an example, the staged shoots stick out like a sore thumb, but they’re mixed in with images from real weddings. Personally I think this is false advertising. Sure, have all your concept images, but not in your portfolio. Otherwise, it’s simply false advertising.

You might think is harsh of me to use someone’s actual portfolio. But hear me out.

I think this method of securing bookings is deceitful, and harms us all. It’s damaging for the industry. Couples spend A LOT of money on weddings, their wishes and dreams deserve to be treated with respect. To miss-sell a product to someone who is in a heightened emotional state is predatory and it perpetuates the idea that wedding suppliers over charge and are only in it for the money.

On a wedding day, people are often nervous. Nervous about the vows, nervous about giving a speech, nervous about whether or not their guests are having a nice time.

Maybe you’re the bride to be reading this. Imagine you’re just about to walk down the aisle and your photographer asks you to pose for a portrait. You may be so nervous that you’re unable to smile. This is real life.

Now, take a model on a sunny Wednesday to that exact same venue, they’re calm, relaxed and had a decent breakfast, of course they look fantastic. They have all the time in the world.

I find it incredibly deceptive that wedding photographers use staged shoots in their portfolios to generate business, but that’s sadly the reality, you as the consumer must be aware that it happens so you can make informed choices.

What are the different styles of wedding photography?

In my eyes, these are the five most distinct styles of wedding photography:

1. Traditional/Classic: Think old-school. Think your parents wedding photographs. Think oval picture mounts. This style of photography is formal and posed apart form the moments that can’t be orchestrated. The focus is on capturing traditional moments such as the first kiss, the cutting of the cake, and the first dance. The photographer will be directing the couple and their families into specific poses and positions for group pictures, pretty much shooting from a list that they’ve memorised over a few decades of doing it.
2. Photojournalistic/Reportage: Reportage or photojournalistic wedding photography is a fancy way of saying “capturing candid and spontaneous moments, rather than posed shots”. The photographer acts as a fly on the wall, capturing the day’s events as they unfold in a natural and unobtrusive manner. The photographer won’t tell you what to do, they’ll simply observe and document the day as it happens. Now, there’s room for variation here. Some photographers will shoot ‘warts and all’ style documentary, whereas others will choose lenses and depths of field that, whilst capturing moments, will create images that are considered more traditionally ‘beautiful’ as opposed to ‘real’, ‘true to life’ or ‘raw’.
3. Fine Art: The fine art movement focussed on imagery that was primarily for aesthetic purposes, it was not practical or functional. Fine art wedding photography follows this same philosophy. Of course it’s hard to argue that a photograph has practical uses in the same way that a chair does, but the images created in this style are typically heavily orchestrated, posed but unapologetically beautiful. Fine art wedding photography appreciates beauty and light, and takes a tremendous amount of skill and knowledge of light to execute well. In this style you should still expect some organic and candid moments, but they will still be created with beauty in mind. Fine art images tend to be static, but this isn’t strictly true. I include that last line as Lifestyle photography has definitely become a thing in recent years, where couples intend to create images that feel ‘aspirational’ as well as beautiful.
4. Fashion/Editorial: Think stylish, think edgy, think cool. Maybe using direct flash in an almost paparazzi style, the couple know they are posing and are happy to play along. These images are often very cool and chic, not to be undertaken by a client who has a fear of being in front of the camera. For this style to work at your wedding, you have to be willing to play the ‘cool’ game, and act and behave in front of the camera like a model would. Some photographers working in the editorial style like to take a long time to set up their shots, remember this if time is an issue on your day. The photographs are stunning and very cool, but if your photographer needs off-camera flash, reflectors, or other lighting equipment to create dynamic and dramatic images, then expect pictures of you both to be the main focus of the day, and anticipate it will take time to set up.
5. Lifestyle: This style captures natural and spontaneous moments in a documentary-style approach, with a lean into beauty, and aspirational style imagery. These images can be intimate but are often heavily orchestrated. The couple are often given a scenario to play out within a scene that the photographer has created. I don’t mean like in a play, more like ‘hug like you haven’t seen each other in a month’. This ‘scene’ will take place in an are of the photographers choosing, with the intention of creating beautiful imagery with a spontaneous and genuine feel.

Let’s look at some examples

Traditional wedding photography

Traditional wedding photography refers to the classic and timeless approach to capturing wedding moments.

It focuses on creating posed, formal portraits of the couple, their families, and the wedding party as well as capturing the typically most important traditional elements of a wedding. First dance, first kiss, cake cut etc.

The photographer typically follows a specific set of shots and poses, that captures the likeness of the people depicted in the picture, there is no attempt at stylising or posing.

Think of these images as being akin to a historical record of events, rather than an attempt to tell a story or to capture emotion. A traditional photographer will consider their day a success if they capture the traditional moments of the wedding day, such as first kiss, cake cutting, first dance etc.

The distinction however is in the nuance, because of course all photographers will look to capture these moments too.

Take the cake cutting for example.

A traditional wedding photographer will ask you to stand in a very specific way, hover over the cake with the knife, look at the camera and smile.

A documentary photographer won’t ask you to do any of that, they’ll just let you get on with it. They might shoot the entire scene looking to capture a wide angle shot, the cake might fall over, who knows, the point is to not to tell you what to do and to act as a fly on the wall.

What to Google:

• traditional wedding photography
• classic wedding photography

Photojournalistic and reportage wedding photography

Photojournalism uses photographs to tell a story or document an event. This story may take place over a series of photographs or the entire narrative may be captured in one scene.

Photojournalists capture candid and spontaneous moments in order to document a situation or story in a truthful and objective manner. In order to be effective, a photojournalist must have a keen eye for detail and the ability to capture moments that convey emotion and meaning.

Probably the single most important tool in a wedding photojournalists (probably all photojournalists) arsenal is their compassion.

You need to be so acutely aware of the emotional state that the people you are photographing are in. It is simply unkind to shove the camera in someone’s face when they are having an extreme emotional reaction to an event.

Weddings are full of joy, but they also have a sense of sadness. Sometimes the memory of lost loved ones resurfaces or parents simply can’t contain their emotions when they realise their children are ‘all grown up’. No one knows how the event will affect them, but as the photographer, you have to be tuned in to what they are feeling, and be able to photograph it with compassion and respect.

A photojournalistic photographer will often (but not always) prefer black and white photographs and focus on the emotional content of the image.

What to Google:

• photojournalistic wedding photography
• candid wedding photography
• reportage wedding photography
• natural wedding photography

Fine Art Wedding Photography

Fine art is a type of art that is created primarily for aesthetic purposes, rather than practical or functional purposes. It is often characterized by a high degree of creativity, originality, and skill, and is typically intended to be appreciated for its beauty.

The same description should be applied when thinking of fine art wedding photography, the images are made for their aesthetic purposes first and foremost.

They are not about storytelling or necessarily capturing a moment, the primary directive of the photographer will be to capture something beautiful.

This is where defining wedding photography styles gets tricky, because a fine art wedding photography is still going to capture moments, but overall you should expect the images to be focussed mostly on the couple and details of the day, shot to make everything look as beautiful as possible.

If you love the Pinterest and Instagram style of images where the images are light and bright with pastel colours, fine art wedding photography is what you should be googling. Jose Villa is the OG in this field, check out his work to gauge if that’s the style for you.

What to Google:

• fine art wedding photography
• beautiful wedding photography
• light airy wedding photography
• Jose Villa

Editorial & Fashion wedding photography

Here’s a definition of editorial photography to give you an idea of how it’s used in the wider world of photography; editorial photography is used to illustrate and accompany a story or article in a publication, such as a magazine, newspaper, or website. Editorial photographers work closely with editors and writers to create images that support the text and convey a specific message or mood. The images may be used to report on news events, provide visual commentary on social issues, or capture the essence of a particular trend or lifestyle. Editorial photography often involves working with models, props, and sets, as well as utilizing creative lighting and post-processing techniques to achieve a specific look or feel.

So what does that mean in the context of wedding photography?

The images need to be heavily orchestrated.

Editorial images are shot with the intention of telling a brands story, so if you imagine your wedding photographs are a campaign of some sorts, your on the right track.

The photographer will want to co-ordinate shots of your accessories, outfits, jewellery etc. all shot in a very specific way. The images are really cool, but expect to be away from your guests for some time to get all the pictures.

Similarly here is a definition of fashion photography; fashion photography is a genre of photography that is focused on capturing images of clothing, accessories, and fashion models in a way that highlights their aesthetic and commercial appeal. Fashion photography is often used by fashion brands, magazines, and designers to promote their products and showcase their latest designs. The style of fashion photography can vary widely, but it often incorporates elements of glamour, beauty, and style. Fashion photographers often work in collaboration with a team of stylists, makeup artists, and creative directors to create visually stunning images that are intended to convey a particular mood or style. They may use a range of techniques and styles, such as studio lighting, unconventional angles, and unusual settings, to create images that are both artistic and commercial. The goal of fashion photography is to create visually compelling images that capture the essence of the brand or designer and appeal to a target audience.

Sounds pretty similar right?

The main difference here is the level of creativity. If your photographer is fashion focussed, expect the images to be more avant garde when compared to an editorial style of shooting.

More exaggerated poses, more dramatic dress swooshing and potentially quite complex lighting setups.

All you can really do as the consumer is look at individual portfolios to gauge if you like the images, and then ask the photographer directly how they capture those images and how long does it take on the day.

What to Google:

• editorial photography
• luxury wedding photography

Lifestyle wedding photography

Rather than focusing on posed or formal shots, lifestyle photography captures authentic moments and interactions that convey the subject’s personality, interests, and lifestyle. Lifestyle photographers often use a documentary-style approach, using natural light and minimal staging or direction to create a relaxed and spontaneous atmosphere.

How is this different to documentary style wedding photography?

Don’t expect anything gritty.

Lifestyle photography, whilst mostly candid in nature, still has an element of stylising to it. Don’t expect to see the ‘rough around the edges’ moments.

The pictures are natural, but lean towards the pleasant side of weddings, rather than the ‘drunk under the table at 11pm’ side of weddings.

What to Google:

• lifestyle wedding photographer

These are the most common styles of wedding photography, but there is so much room for cross over setting a hard definition is actually quite difficult. Hopefully these definitions have given you a place to start and will at the very least help you refine your google searches. The single best piece of advice I can give you as a consumer is to find some portfolios you like, ask to see full wedding galleries and then make sure you like the person when you talk to them. Nail these three things and you’ll have a really fun day and excellent photographs.