What Are Wedding Photography Styles?
What Are Wedding Photography Styles?
A lot of thought and effort goes into planning the perfect wedding day – the East or North Yorkshire wedding venues, the outfits, the decorations, and the cake all have to be perfect and reflect a couple’s style and personality. Couples spend a lot of time making sure that all those little details tell the story of their love on the most important day of their lives, so why not carry on that vision by choosing a photography style that compliments your wedding theme perfectly?
Here are the most popular wedding photography styles that every couple should know about when planning for their big day.
Artistic/Staged – also known as editorial or illustrative photography style
This photography style is becoming increasingly popular, as it creates those kinds of stunning images that you can display on your mantle for years to come. Couples often opt for this style if they want to do a pre or post-wedding photo shoot or have a dedicated period on the day itself for staged photos. If you are thinking of choosing a photographer who has experience in artistic or staged photography, there are a couple of things you need to consider:
- This format, while visually stunning, requires time to be done properly. Many couples might not have a long enough opening within the wedding day to travel to a separate location to stage a wedding photo shoot, which is why some choose to have this session booked in on a separate day altogether. This gives your photographer time to plan the session and think about what angles, props, or poses to use to capture your vision perfectly. Having the extra time will also allow your wedding photographer to be as creative as possible without having to manoeuvre around all the other aspects of your wedding day that they need to capture.
- If you choose to have a staged shoot on your wedding day itself, it is recommended that you have a solid plan in place with your photographer to make sure they capture all the key shots you have in mind.
As a Hull wedding photographer, I really enjoy planning elaborate and detailed artistic photoshoots with my clients to work around you and your big day. As a photographer, it is always great to have plenty of time to create stunning wedding pictures that will take pride of place on your mantle.
Formal/Traditional
This is probably the most widely known wedding photography style, popularised by the stunning royal weddings we have seen over the years – think of the gorgeous formal family portraits of William and Kate or Harry and Meghan. All you need is a gorgeous backdrop and a radiant smile – your photographer will do the rest.
Formal photography works best when you agree with your photographer on a list of people and groups that you want to have a picture with on your wedding day. I prefer a mixture of styles to cover your entire wedding day, as this allows me to capture all those precious moments that you will look back on for years to come. However, I have different packages available to suit any budget, style, venue, or location, so do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Documentary
This is one of my preferred styles of wedding photography because it uses a mixture of techniques and styles put together to tell the story of your big day. It aims to capture candid moments like a spontaneous mother-daughter hug, the groomsmen laughing at a silly joke or a proud father of the bride’s smile as he is walking his precious daughter down the aisle.
The other reason why I love this style so much is because I can capture moments and little details that the bride and groom might have missed on the day itself. Weddings are stressful, and couples often find it difficult to take in all the details that make it so special, so choosing this photography style allows the photographer to focus on more than just portraits or staged group shots to create a picture-perfect snapshot of your big day.
Natural
This style is also known as nature photography, and, as its name suggests, it focuses on telling a couple’s love story in a natural setting. I love this because if your wedding is set in an idyllic location or the countryside, you can be sure that your wedding photos will stand out and be unique! I am a big lover of the glorious Yorkshire countryside. As a North Yorkshire wedding photographer, I love capturing a couple’s most special moments against a backdrop of rolling hills and lush greenery. I also think that the contrast between the bride and groom and the vibrant greens and browns present in nature really does make the couple appear more radiant and glowing.
This style is the ideal choice for nature lovers and for those looking to achieve a fairy-tale aesthetic and make the most of their beautiful wedding venue and its surroundings. I have photographed many weddings at East Yorkshire wedding venues, so I know plenty of great locations that will make your wedding photos stunning and unique. View a full list of wedding venues I have worked with before here and get in touch to discuss your vision for your big day.
One of the options I offer to my couples is my unique Twilight Photography which uses natural daylight combined with clever framing and lighting to create a romantic, almost fairy-tale like effect. I think Twilight shots are a very nice and unique addition to any wedding album.
In conclusion, regardless of the style of photography you choose, the most important thing to have in mind is that the pictures taken on your wedding day will tell your love story for years to come. It is essential to choose a photographer that can understand your vision and has experience working with the style that you want to use. For example, I would describe my style as contemporary and natural – I like to document the story of your wedding day through my photography whilst also getting creative. I use a mixture of the styles mentioned above to create the perfect wedding album that you and your family can treasure for a lifetime.
I am an award-winning East Yorkshire wedding photographer with a lot of experience working in the East and North Yorkshire areas and beyond. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions and we can discuss your vision over a cuppa in my studio.
