This may be controversial, but I believe that the best way to choose your dream wedding photographer is not by price. Before asking for prices and packages, I think it’s more important to take a look at wedding photography styles and see what you like best. So in today’s blog post, I’ve gathered some super helpful input from the real experts; wedding photographers. The photographers below have all taken the time to describe their style, which you can see in action in the accompanying photos.
Documentary-style, classic, quirky, fine art, and everything in between. If you’ve ever considered the different wedding photography styles, this will open your eyes and help you make some informed decisions.
Next week we’re looking how to choose a wedding photographer and the week after, some brave photographers are going to share their packages and prices, so keep an eye out!
Keith Touhey Fine Art Wedding Photography | View Profile
I shoot a fine art style in pastels. The fine art approach is quite different to the regular “Fly on the wall” documentary style of photography that the wedding field is saturated in. It’s about creating a cohesive collection of artistic images. It is more than documentation. It’s more than candid imagery. It’s about integrating the personalities of the subjects with the setting to craft distinctive images that illustrate the unique appeal of each event.
Unified and of impeccable quality, standing out, and establishing a consistent customer experience across the board. As more and more photographers flood the field with new digital cameras and a couple of weekends of training, the fine art approach offers more artisan vision that discerning clients find appealing. In today’s marketplace, that is what the fine art approach is all about.
Simon Peare Photography | View Profile
My style is natural documentary.
Alex Zarodov Photography | View Profile
Our service is very relaxed and unobtrusive, with natural documentary approach and minimum posed photos, to capture the essence of your big day in the way it goes.
Gary Barrett Photography | View Profile
My style of photography is relaxed and natural. I request 10 to 20 minutes with the bridal party, after the ceremony, to create some epic portraits. For the rest of the day, I work discreetly in the background, capturing the moments that will make the memory of your wedding unforgettable. When looking through your beautiful album you will re-live your day, time and time again. You will have perfect photographs to keep the memory of your wedding day, to show the generations to come.
Lopez Photography | View Profile
My photography style is documentary. I capture the day as it is.
Sean Sharpe Photography | View Profile
Although my style often varies, I would describe most of my photography as a mix of natural and documentary style. It really depends on the couple with what they’re most comfortable with too!
Mark Donovan Wedding Photography | View Profile
My goal is to catch the moments that the bride and groom may miss. I work in a “fly on the wall approach” to document the day while also allowing time for the family and bridal party photos. My style is called “documentary”.
Andrea Peon Photography | View Profile
I have a natural, relaxed style with a documentary approach when it comes to your big day.
I’ve never been into extremely posed pictures as I believe capturing the true reactions and in-between moments is the best way to capture the soul of an event. As much as possible, I try to stay invisible, as I don’t want to coordinate your wedding (it’s just one day!). However, portraits are important for telling your story, so I try to integrate into the narrative during the day.
Couple Photography | View Profile
Our Photography Style is
#QUIRKY
#CREATIVE
#DOCUMENTARY
Victor Horgan Photography | View Profile
I have been photographing weddings for 25 years and have won Wedding Photographer of the Year and many other awards with the IPPVA. Our studio is based in Ballincollig, Cork and we are committed to providing you a professional service together with stunning photography that will stand the test of time. My style is a mixture of relaxed casual and also a bit of classical to ensure you have the best of both worlds.
Stefano Ferrier Photography | View Profile
I don’t really have a style and I think it is not a question of style when we talk about a wedding but rather a matter of memory and communication, mindset and ideas.
When I photograph I’m always focused on preserving the couple’s memories with my understanding, it is about the transmission of feeling the photographer has experienced.
Indeed I believe the main reason for photographing weddings is memory.
Wedding photography doesn’t exist, photography exists, time is the essence of all photography, the time of things and the time of people, the time of light and the time of emotions… a time that will never be the same again.
Tara Donoghue Photography | View Profile
Our style is creative, fun and natural.
Ebony & Pearl Photography | View Profile
We love natural & authentic photos, so our style is mostly candid but we’re happy to do the few family photos usually requested by our wedding couples. We prefer to document your day rather than choreograph it & in that way show the personalities of the characters on the day.
Bernadette Hayes Photography | View Profile
Documentary, relaxed and romantic. No pressure for the couple or their friends and family. Keeping it real is how I see my style and the way I work.
Timtim Media | View Profile
I would describe my photography style as a mix of documentary and fine art imagery. I try to stay out of the way, capturing all those candid moments throughout the day, while playing with light, shadows, angles and focal lengths to create dynamic images with the fine art touch, where later I can create some of my specialty black and white images during editing. Despite this, I’m always there to give a helping hand throughout the day.
Paul Duane Photography | View Profile
Paul’s photography style is very relaxed and discreet whilst still managing to capture beautiful award-winning creative images. He has on many occasions been described by brides as a photo Ninja because they have no idea how he actually got a certain shot.
Wojciech Koza Photography | View Profile
I would describe my style as natural and candid with a photojournalistic approach. l mainly focus on people and connections between them. I look for true emotions and always give a 110% to capture not only the main points of the day but also small, in-between moments. The ones that frequently go unnoticed but very often matter the most! I photograph everything as it happens and for 90% of the day, I just blend in the background to let my couples enjoy the day. I do some formal, family group photos too plus I give a little advice to my couples about how to pose during bride and groom session. For example the tips about where to put hands, small things that make it all easy but have a huge impact on final results!
Alan Roche Photography | View Profile
I am a photographer with a relaxed friendly approach specializing in stylish, modern, unobtrusive professional photography in popular venues and locations. I pride myself on working hard to get the best results for the couple on their wedding day. Most of my photography is non-posed, candid with a small mixture of posed photos. With a bit of planning, I can get the photos the couple requires as quickly as possible so they can get back to enjoying the day itself.
Ken Byrne Photography | View Profile
Our photography style has been described as timeless, classical and elegant.
We strive to keep everyone looking and feeling their very best, like some of the old classic movies. There is always a clear storyline, the style never ages and the ladies possess an elegance that is unmistakable. Allowing us to truly immortalise your story in time for future generations to come.
SandS Photography | View Profile
Our Style is photojournalism which is informed by art and cinematography. We always are looking for the moments which are telling the story, the moments which make you feel and wonder. We approach each day as unique and looking for the moments highlighting the atmosphere and the feel of the day.
David McAuley Photography | View Profile
I use this description of ‘my’ style when talking with potential clients as capturing a mix of candid and interactive images as appropriate throughout the day and ensuring the couple and guests feel relaxed and comfortable. At times that is quiet observation in the background and at times interacting directly giving gentle guidance and direction.
SkyMammy Wedding Photography | View Profile
Finding the right photographer is hard and with so many of us out there, it can be overwhelming trying to choose one. We all work differently and there is much more to us than just ‘pointing and shooting.’ Like in my photo selfie, it’s about knowing your place, staying behind the scenes, remaining in the shadows. Gone are the days when photographers took over the big day with everyone getting hijacked for those precious photos. As photographers, it’s our job to blend in, become seamless – so that both couple and guests can enjoy the day – without the constant stop-start. It’s not enough that photos should be tack sharp, are in focus and have great composition, they need to capture the magic and emotions of the day. It’s also our job to get the best out of everyone on the day, including the dog – yes, for some they are the most important guest:). We understand that weddings are a budget-sensitive time but photography is perhaps not the area to cut corners. Eaten dinner is easily forgotten but photos last forever.
Every photographer has a different way of working, this is our approach at SkyMammy Wedding Photography.
NO TWO BRIDES ARE THE SAME: The joy for any wedding photographer is finding uniqueness, drawing on personality, individuality – so believe me, no two wedding shoots are ever or should be the same. In this photo we worked with the bride to find out who she was. She didn’t want her dress to overshadow or cover the person beneath – that free spirited, down-to-earth woman and mother. So she happily kicked off her shoes and perched herself high on the stone ruins of an old abbey. Now she was home. Comfortable in her own skin. And that’s a very beautiful thing.
STEALING A RARE MOMENT: Sharing your wedding day is just as much about the guests as it is about your new spouse. In this shot, we seized an opportunity, an empty room in a castle to photograph the newly-weds in a slow dance. It’s a rarity for a bride and groom to steal any alone time on their big day but when it does happen, it’s precious.
WHEN IT’S TIME TO BE BLACK & WHITE: There are two camps when it comes to photography, those who prefer black & white, those who prefer colour. On wedding days there’s a tendency to veer towards colour – as colour is synonymous with celebration and vibrance. However, in the attached ‘couple walking down the aisle’ photo we opted to process the image in black and white. We are in a church, there’s a lot going on, lots of people, dressed in all colours of the rainbow coupled with a myriad of patterns and designs in the architecture and as such the newly-wedded couple can easily get lost in the composition. When you remove the distraction, in this case, colour – and change to black and white, the couple suddenly pop and come into their own, especially the bride – as she emerges all in white from the sea of monochrome (blacks and greys).
COLOUR ME TENDER: This is the same couple except we’ve captured them in colour. Yes, we’re still in a church but it’s a different angle, less noise/distraction of people in the background. Aided with a zoom lens and a crop, we can get up close and personal, using the church railing as a leading line that draws the eye to the couple. Because of the natural warm light falling on the grooms face and the tender moment being shared, colour was the way to go here.
CAPTURING THE REAL LOVE STORY: More and more couples are opting for documentary photos as well as – or instead of the usual posed shots. With doc shots you won’t get anything more candid, raw or poignant. In this photo we caught the groom-to-be in an early morn re-write of his speech. It’s a sobering shot, not least because of the pint glass of iced water – a world away from the pre-wedding groom’s bash the night before. It’s the calm before the beautiful ceremonious storm. More importantly, it’s a romantic shot, the one a bride doesn’t get to witness with her own eyes but will eventually experience via a photograph. For a wedding photographer, catching these unsuspecting shots is the real story behind every wedding.
BESTMAN MOMENTS: Another documentary photo, this time a heartwarming buddy shot between the groom and his bestman helping him get ready for his big day. Sometimes pictures tell more than even the best speeches.
Sophia Travers Photography | View Profile
I would describe my photography style as natural, and laid back with an artistic element to it. I have a background in fine art and jewellery and have worked with hundreds of engaged couples, and I know what a special time this is for each and every one. It’s my priority for my clients to get amazing pictures and enjoy their day too so I like to make them feel really comfortable, and I work unobtrusively so most of the time they don’t even notice I’m there! I work very intuitively and focus on what each couple wants, and I like to work with the theme and the location too to create really unique images.
