FOUR STYLES OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS - National/World Styles

After Ceremony Formal Groups: Usually 30-75 minutes. Guests wait patiently, while having drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Taylor Photography Group (TPG) Photographers shoot 15-30 minute Formal Group Shots to help get everyone to the reception as quickly as possible.

Album Design:

Typical Traditional Photographers: 85% Posed pictures, Ceremony & Formal Group Shots with ending four to six pages consisting of Reception shots. Some Photographers like to stage these events to produce perfect photographs. Album contains a majority of 8X10/10X10's, some 5x7's and enough 4X5/4x6's to show Reception highlights. Album usually shows what you looked like at wedding, with suggestion of Reception fun.

TPG Photographers/Albums - Client picks what ever images they want in Bridal Album. We design your album with the images you chose, usually a mix of smaller 4x6 Prints and 5x7/6x8/8x8/8x10/5x10 Enlargements with 50% Pre-ceremony Portraits, Ceremony & After Ceremony Formal Group Shots and 50% More in Depth Reception Shots.

Bride's Point Of View: Want Photographer to direct pose shots, in various combinations. Use experienced fun photographer to insure good outcome of photographs. Many Traditional Photographers are inflexible to what they shoot. They often shoot 'their' way only. Choose your traditional photographer carefully! Go for an unobtrusive flexible traditional photographer who can mix traditional imagery with a casually posed style and photojournalism receptions. With an experienced fun photographer you experience the feeling... "This is fun, I'm glad I chose an unobtrusive photographer!"

Photographer Talent & Presentation: Creativity in the pose, lighting and directing. Proofs are usually Online and /or with CD Proofs or Image Catalogs, also known as Proof Magazines. Often 35-50 photos an hour delivered. 250-350 images delivered per wedding is the National Average among Photographers.

II.) Photojournalism Style - [ PJ ] Wedding proceeds naturally without interference from Photographer. Events and relationships are photographed as they occur without direction from the Photographer. Portraits are found and shot quickly. Before Ceremony portraits kept to a minimum capturing the essential relationships. Reception is photographed throughout with mostly unposed shots. Group shots if wanted are formed quickly and shot in a fun manner. Events are followed and documented naturally as they occur. Pictures are made on a constant basis producing 50% of the images of the Reception. Creativity is in the decisive moment captured describing the event, unusual things seen and photographed.

Big trend today is directed "fake" photojournalism as espoused by many well known photographers traveling the circuit. This becomes an orchestrated wedding shoot that parallels a Fashion Approach/commercial shoot. Another approach is a photographer has a PJ shot list in mind and shoots each wedding pretty much the same even orchestrating these type of pictures.

After Ceremony Formal Groups: Limited groups. Usually 15-30 minutes. Guests wait short while, having drinks and hors d'oeuvres. TIP: Many PJ shooters are poor Group Shot Photographers, so look carefully at these types photos to see if they are done better by another photographer who has skills in all styles.

Album Design: 5-15% Posed pictures mixed with action shots and Ceremony shots with approximately half the wedding album consisting of Reception shots photographed without interference from the Photographer. Album contains a strong mix of print sizes consisting of 8X10's, (5x10/7X10/8x8/6x8's), 5x7's and plenty of 3.5x5/ 4X5/4x6/5x5's to show Reception highlights. Large prints usually used to highlight important shots/groups and favorite photographs of B&G. Album depicts all of what happened at wedding. It describes the who, what, where and how of the day. The album really does help you remember all those special moments that is the one day that transformed your life into husband and wife.

Bride's Point Of View: Bride and Groom, family and participants do what they want and interact naturally. Photographer unobtrusive and interacts as little as possible. Posing time minimal and usually requested by client. Combinations kept to minimum. Photographer must be able to shoot pictures on the fly without directing to insure good outcome of photographs. You may experience the feeling... "Gee, am I having fun!" Photographer is forgotten.

Photographer Talent & Presentation: Creativity is in capturing the decisive moment. Anticipation skills are finely tuned. Posed pictures are usually casual with little direction, yet look great when taken by a great photographer.. Often 200-700 images an hour captured. Digital (CD or Internet) proofs have lots of picture choices, available from some Photographers. At TPG, because of having so many images to save money we use Online Web Galleries and or Low Res Proof CDs Image Catalogs are optional now.

Tip: This is the hottest type of Wedding Photography Style today. Carefully look at the Photographer's samples to see if they really have this style. Many Photographers say they shoot the Photojournalistic Style, but in reality control all shots. Look for typical stiff pictures that are fairly lifeless. Their shots have people looking in the camera at the reception, rather than being involved in what they're doing. . Fake Photojournalists or inflexible Traditional Photographers albums all look the same. They have a formula for shooting their weddings. If you like their formula, then they may be acceptable to book. Also many Photojournalist are pretty poor in posing groups. Their attention and talent is focused on action shots. If posed shots are important to you, choose a photographer who shoots multiple styles well.

More and more Photographers are joining the PJ ranks. You will start to see all the same shots at many studios. Watch for the "Bride and Groom Walking Away" shot, close-ups of glasses on trays, the veil over Bride and Groom faces.... you tell me! Formula PJ shooters.... the market is full of new people.... Photojournalism is the buzz word... Oh... Formals Groups shot by the assistant at an off angle and they say not posed.....

III.) Artistic (Artsy) Style - Wedding events and relationships are studied to find their meaning and photographed by the Photographer to reveal their hidden meaning and nuances. Portraits are studies that reveal character and emotion. Emphasis is on creativity through perspective, hidden layers in photographs, subject to subject relationships, light, form, shape. Often juxtaposition of picture elements studied. Creativity is in the unifying theme the wedding events and people reveal to the photographer.

The following may be used:

 

• Blur motion, panning techniques, sharp/blurry, selective focus photographs
• Wide-angle lenses, fisheye lenses, telephoto views - used for effect
• Odd print formats may be offered -panorama shapes, odd picture sizes
• Distortion effects, odd angles - high and low
• Non standard effects - grainy photos, weird color (cross-processing of films for effect) , intense color, pastel color, Asian color (Konica film look), sepia tones, blue tones, purple tones, infrared B& W producing white halos in trees and human figures glowing from infrared radiation
• Handcoloring of B& W images
• PhotoShop Talent that turn Color images into B+W images with Color subject matter.
• Soft focus for whole wedding for ethereal effect.
• Selective Focus where 1/2 the image is out of focus for effect.
• Nonprofessional cameras employed to give soft prints that are simple and direct.
• Prints may be borderless, sloppy borders, white borders, canvas prints, watercolor inkjet prints
• The list goes on....
  

  After Ceremony Formal Groups: Limited groups. Usually 10-30 minutes. Guests wait short while, having drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

  Artistic: Photographers may employ camera techniques and vision usually reserved for non wedding photography.

  Pan print of Groom with tums

Album Design: Usually non-tradition albums used. Handmade scrapbooks most often used. Photographer's Portfolio Boxes with limited edition prints mounted in archival mats are popular. Some clients prefer to mount the photographs for wall display instead of housing the prints in boxes or albums. Hand made books are available from limited number of photographers. Some clients prefer the safety of traditional albums to keep their prints safe. Some Photographers have more contemporary wedding albums that are very innovative in design and style. Album covers now available in leather, wood, aluminum, fabrics, art papers and typical man made 'leathers'. Digital Book Albums are now the rage. GraphiStudio The Wedding Book leads the way.

Album depicts wedding day events revealing the day's meaning though artful images that touch the soul of the viewer.

Bride's Point Of View: Bride and Groom, family and participants do what they want and interact naturally. Photographer is often unobtrusive but may want to interact with client for Portraits for a collaboration of experience. Posing time usually minimal, but can be more involved if more creative images wanted. Combinations kept to minimum. Photographer must be able to shoot pictures on the fly to produce a body of work that has a unifying vision that stitches the imagery together. You may experience the feeling... "Wow, this is fun!"

Photographer Talent & Presentation: Creativity is in finding a vision that fits the wedding day events and participants. Sensory skills of intuition, vision, auditory, tactile responses, are finely tuned. Posed pictures are usually quite captivating. Presentation methods range from contact sheets, image catalogs, proof magazines, proof books, proofs in various sizes, to Digital (CD or Internet) proofs. Some Art Photographers shoot very little, others shoot massive amounts. Photographers in masse are turning to Pro Digital Cameras, with tens of thousands in investment.

IV.) Fashion Style - Stylized Portraits, people shots and scene setting photographs drawn from fashion trends usually implemented. Poses often dramatic through creative lighting techniques, selective focus, and lens effects. Telephoto lenses and off angles often used. Ideas come from current national and international fashion magazines.

FAsHION Con't

Often a blend of other photography styles implemented to compliment work and flow of events documented.

After Ceremony Formal Groups: Limited groups. Usually 10-30 minutes. Guests wait short while, having drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

Album Design: Usually non-tradition albums used. Handmade scrapbooks most often used. Photographer's Portfolio Boxes with limited edition prints mounted in archival mats are popular. Some clients mount a few photographs for wall display in addition to the prints in boxes or albums. Hand made books are available from limited number of photographers. Traditional albums always popular to keep prints safe. Some Photographers have more contemporary wedding albums that are very innovative in design and style. Album covers now available in leather, wood, aluminum, fabrics, art papers and typical man made "leathers'.

Album usually a blend of stylized portraits and action event photographs. Often wedding is not as heavily documented as photojournalism style. Artful images/portraits main emphasis of album.

Bride's Point Of View: Bride and Groom, family and participants usually participate with photographer to achieve photographer's vision. Can be a blend of unobtrusive/intrusive Photographer presence. Collaboration between photographer and subject often needed. Posing time usually greater than Photojournalism Style, may be same time as Traditional Style. Photographer must be able to direct photo shoot to produce a body of work that has a unifying vision that stitches the imagery together. In the hands of an experienced fashion shooter you may experience the feeling... "This is fun, I like modeling!" Some Brides prefer some fashion type photographs mixed with action photojournalism to balance posing time.

Photographer Talent & Presentation: Creativity is in finding a vision that fits the wedding day events and participants. Sensory skills of intuition, vision, auditory, tactile responses, are finely tuned. Best Photographers are creative at the moment and produce fresh work on the spot, avoiding a "canned-cookie cutter" approach. It is not about a few select poses. It's more about creativity with the participants to evoke a feeling. Posed pictures are usually quite captivating. Presentation methods range from contact sheets, proofs in various sizes, to perhaps Digital (CD or Internet) proofs. Most Fashion Photographers shoot massive amounts of images.

All Photographs & Article Copyright Rick Taylor 1997-2008. Updated 07/05/2008. All Rights Reserved.

 

TRADITIONAL STYLE |    PHOTOJOURNALISM STYLE |    ARTISTIC STYLE |    FASHION STYLE