6 Common Styles of Wedding Photography
Hello there, your friendly neighborhood wedding photographer here to make choosing a photography style a whole lot easier! I’ve been blessed to have helped a lot of couples capture and preserve so many beautiful memories. I’ve been given so many opportunities to grow and learn! I know how difficult and stressful the wedding planning process can be. Choosing the right photography style is one of those hard decisions. I wanted to give back by sharing my insights of the most common types of wedding photography. I hope you enjoy reading and making a decision becomes easier!
Every wedding photographer has a different style to their work. Some focus heavily on artificial lighting, some on natural poses, some on the editing style. It’s the photographer’s job to be able to work with the couple to deliver a style that they envisioned. The couple may know what they want, but possibly wouldn’t know what it’s called. Here are the 6 most common styles of wedding photography that are popular nowadays!
Classic
Classic photography turns the ordinary moments into beautiful timepieces. These moments are usually posed, formal, and straightforward, but they last for ages. This style by itself may not make for the most interesting photos, which is why many photographers incorporate this style into other types of photography, and is most commonly used for family and group portraits. This simplistic style reflects how reality was, along with a bit of artistic flair.
Fine Art
Fine art is one of the most popular styles at the moment, most commonly referenced as “light, bright, and airy”. This style thrives at outdoor weddings where the abundance of natural light is used to its full potential. It provides a softer and delicate feeling with a more artistic style, but it must be used with restraint as there is a fine line between “light and airy” and “overexposed”.
Photojournalistic
The photojournalistic style of wedding photography is all about being candid. They are not posed nor perfect, but rather, capture the “in between” moments as they unfold throughout the day. This style of photography focuses a lot more about the story of the wedding day, and is the go-to style if you want your wedding documented fully throughout the day. While perfect for couples who may not be used to being in front of the camera, the downside is that some of the mind-blowing pictures or “bangers” that you see on Instagram does not always happen without a bit of posing and direction, which you may not get from this style.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle is a mix between photojournalistic and editorial. While most moments are still candid and captured as they go, prompts and directions are given along the way. While this style doesn’t excel in candid or editorial, it is a perfect in between for those who don’t want to pose heavily but still want those “perfect” photos.
Dark & Moody
This dark and moody style is the perfect style for a bodo wedding! While traditional photographers use the concept of soft and even lighting, dark and moody photographers focus heavily on the shadows and dark lines that lead to creative lighting and different patterns. This trending style is most commonly seen on pinterest, although this style may not suit everyone’s taste.
Editorial
Completely opposite to the photojournalistic style, we have editorial images. These are photos focused on technical lighting (usually artificial lighting) and perfect poses, with the environment also being controlled. This style creates the highest-end luxury feel. While the editorial style makes everything look straight out of a magazine, these expectations are going to be different for most couples. Choosing this style means the wedding turns out into more of a photoshoot.
