Often coupled with natural and traditional styles, documentary wedding photography is also known as Reportage or Photo-journalistic Wedding Photography.
It’s a much more informal approach which creates images similar to those editorial features you see in magazines, it can lead to great results, spontaneous moments or thoughtful reflections all adding to the complete story of your day.
For me, shooting this kind of work is fun. I basically need to sneak shots and only be seen after taking pictures as they unfold around me. Shots should convey the story of the special day and cover a spectrum of emotions.
As a documentary wedding photographer I normally use long lenses taking pictures candidly, mingling in with the other guests so I can’t be seen, sniper shots can be gems and give an almost filmatic look and so it should when its one of the biggest events in someone’s life you want to look like a superstar.
Along with this celebrity status you don’t necessary want to be told what to do by a photographer. I use documentary style often as it lends itself to showing expressions naturally.
I’ve found the best times to use this style are as the bride or groom get ready with friends and family, guests as they start to arrive is another good one, anything from unpacking the kids from cars to fixing button holes or wiping a baby’s nose they all make great photo opportunities.
More importantly they show a side to a wedding the couple may not see as they prepare for the ceremony. Documentary photography is about timing, usually the shots happen in a fraction of a second and shouldn’t look contrived.
It could be getting changed or the joys of doing some final ironing. Capturing the expression of that very first glimpse of each other at the ceremony or the joy of celebrating with your friends after.
Speeches are also prime spots to get fun images which paint a picture not just of the scene but of each personality too.
It’s better for the flow of an event if I’m shooting in the back ground rather than marching around being a nuisance and blocking views of the other guests.
The general chit chat time after the ceremony and just before dinner is when people really start to relax and I’m able to get great documentary style pictures. Speeches are also prime times to get fun images which paint a picture not just of the scene but of each personality.
It’s better for the flow of an event if I’m shooting in the back ground rather than marching around being a nuisance and blocking views of the other guests at this precious time. Documentary style pictures should take you back to a particular time and show the humankind around you in high emotion.
This is one of the few opportunities where all your family and friends are together in one place for one night. Unfortunately the bride and groom can’t see it all, good documentary wedding photography should show couples a lot of things they will have missed so its always a winner.
That’s why I combine documentary wedding photography into my normal everyday working practise. It’s a fantastic medium to use if your camera shy or just don’t like being told what to do, the beauty of documentary photography is you even don’t have to look at the camera.
Pictures will portray the real you as opposed to someones who’s been ordered to look at a camera, even if that means balling your eyes out in a totally emotional moment, chances are, it will make a great shot.
