When choosing your wedding photographer, you are investing not just dollars and cents, but you are also investing you and your family’s time on the wedding day. That is why you should not necessarily settle for a cheap photographer, but seek out a skilled artisan whose style matches your vision of your wedding day… one who has an eye for superb images.
By understanding how today’s professionals approach weddings, you will have an easier time comparing photographers. To help you make the right decision, you should understand these four approaches to wedding photography: traditional, wedding photojournalism, illustrative and creative.
Traditional Wedding Photography
Traditional photography includes portraits of bridal party and family – close-up and full length – and candid photographs that tell the story of the day. This is the style that suits most weddings.
Wedding Photojournalism
Wedding photojournalism means no posed photographs – all pictures would be taken without any instruction from or awareness of the photographer.
Illustrative Photography
Illustrative photography has drama, grand poses and majestic scenery. Every detail in the image is carefully arranged to produce a photograph with impact. Think of this style as what you would find in high-fashion photography – where even the candid photos are the results of precise posing and lighting.
Creative Wedding Photography
The Creative or impressionistic photographer creates images with unusual angle or juxtaposition. The photographer is creating his or her artistic impression of your wedding day. The goal is to produce a limited number of art prints from your wedding.
Choosing a Wedding Photographer
Most photographers actually present a mix of all four of these, with an emphasis on the first (traditional). This makes sense because even if you love the impressionistic approach, your mom will surely want a touching photo of the bride and groom, and a smiling picture of mom and dad with their son or daughter.
When you visit a photographer or browse a photographer’s website, you want to look at sample albums (the same wedding from first page to last, not just highlights from a hodgepodge of events) and see how well the photographer has created images in each of these four categories. The formals (posed) photographs should have the subject lit with directional and flattering light. You should see a natural sparkle (catch-light) in the eyes and the background should not compete with the subject for attention.
Look for a variety of relaxed and natural expressions. If there are photojournalistic shots, see if they have impact and clarity, or are they merely snapshots. The illustrative photos (with dramatic posing) should express your ideas about romance. The subject of the photograph should be a meaningful part of the picture, not just a bride plopped down on a rock in front of a bridge. The creative photographs should be playful and alive, and complement the coverage.
By knowing what to look for, choosing the right photographer will be much easier but if you’re having problems and you just can’t make up your mind, you can always ask our experts on our St. Louis Weddings facebook page.
