Every wedding photographer you look at probably has a different way of describing what they do.
Contemporary – Environmental – Lifestyle – Traditional – Photo-journalistic
What does it all truly mean? Unless you have experience in the photography industry, you probably are left wondering what is the best style for your tastes.
Many of the words used by today’s photographers may or may not accurately describe what they do. They simply choose it because it’s a buzzword, adding their own flare to what they feel it means. And while that works for a majority of the terms, photojournalism is probably one of the most misused words out there.
Photojournalism was originally coined as a way journalists told the story through photographs, using written copy only on an as needed basis. It was never posed or anticipated. Instead it was developed as things happen. The photographer would learn how to anticipate what was coming in order to be one step ahead and in position to capture the moment in the story-line.
When photojournalism crossed over to the wedding market, it was designed to take away the heavy posing appearance, and focus more on the unanticipated, or candid moments. Less emphasis was placed on the posed formal images, instead highlighting the day with the details that make it unique to the bride and groom.
If you are looking for a photo-journalistic style, don’t rely on words alone. Instead, look for a photographer that can showcase is photo-journalistic abilities through his work.
While one or two images from a “best” collection can be beautiful, they won’t show you his overall style. Look at a sample wedding, and see how he approaches the entire day. Are his images taken fresh at the beginning of the day as creative as they are at the end of the event? Can you see creativity throughout the day in every setting?
Because this is your one big day, don’t settle for an average photographer. Choose the one that fits your style and that will deliver the images you truly desire.