Styles of Wedding Photography:
Searching for your wedding photographer can be an overwhelming task; sometimes you know what you like and other times you don't--you may love the colors of some photographer's photos but you may hate the compositions (or you may not even know why you do or don't like the photos).
There are a lot of terms being thrown around when it comes to wedding photography. Given that each photographer interprets the meanings differently, it's always best to confirm with potential wedding photographers how they'd describe their style and what it MEANS.
This is meant to be a guide to help you with navigating those confusing wedding style terms...
TRUE TO COLOR: Exactly what it sounds like: the photographer's editing preserves the actual authentic colors of your day. The deep green of New England grass, the bright oranges of leaves in the fall of Boston, or the pastels you spent weeks picking out. The colors and skies aren't washed out. The result? Vivid, vibrant and accurate photos that represent your wedding day as it was.
Best for couples who: invest time and money into their florals and color palettes, accurate skin tones without weird green casts of color.
EDITORIAL: Think Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, or Men's GQ - fashion and magazine inspired posing that is artfully directed. The photographer will direct the couple- your pose, your chin placement, where you place your hands, where the light falls... The photographer is deliberate with the posing to match the scenery and vibes. Think dramatic lighting, confident and powerful poses, with intentional direction.
Best for couples who: want those epic couples' portraits, love fashion, want direction when it comes to posing.
CINEMATIC: Cinematic photography borrows from films--both in still and in motion. Compositions are usually shot horizontally giving that cinema feeling (as if you were watching the moments in a movie), with attention to mood, light, and narrative across the gallery.
Best for couples who: love movies, want their wedding gallery to feel like a cinematic movie vs a collection of moments.
DOCUMENTARY: No direction is provided for the couple; the photographer ONLY observes. There's no shot list, no dictations of moments like 'go hug your mother,' and no posing. The photographer will move through the day observing as if they were a guest themselves.
Best for couples who: want their wedding to look exactly as it was - not a styled shoot (a session where the couple is a model for a fake wedding vs a real couple); those who want candid, unposed moments, and care more about the feeling vs the framing of the photos.
FINE ART: The wedding day is a canvas to the photographer; emphasis on the purposeful composition, negative space, intentional lighting that is oftentimes soft and natural. Often shot on film (or processed it to look similar to it).
Best for couples who: want spectacular emphasis on their venue space (architecture, estates, coasts etc.), who appreciate art and want their photos to feel like gallery pieces in a museum.
LIGHT & AIRY: Oftentimes used in Newport, RI or coastal weddings where the photographer brightens the images, softens shadows, low contrast, and pushes your color palettes closer to pastels (hydrangeas anyone?!) The overall feeling will represent bright, romantic, and feminine.
Best for couples who: are getting married in outdoor settings, love soft imagery, bright skies that are usually absent of sky details like clouds)
DARK & MOODY: The opposite of light and airy. Dark and moody embraces the deep shadows, heavy contrasts, and rich saturation; the tones will push closer to an earthy vibe (think rustic, forest, burgundy, charcoal).
Best for couples who: want that sense of weight and drama, couples who are getting married in castles/estates, love drama and vintage feeling images.
While these are just a few common stylistic terms, many photographers blend a combination of a lot of these styles into their own unique ones. It's best to communicate with your wedding photographer on the kind of direction you may need/want, the general outcome of vibes you want conveyed through the image and the storytelling, and the kind of intervention (or lack thereof) the photographer will be providing.