Wedding photography used to be a thankless profession. One filled with long hours of shooting and backbreaking work. There was a time, not so long ago, that wedding photographers were not highly regarded in the photography industry.

Real photographers did not do weddings.

That was then.

This is now.

Wedding photography has evolved. It’s now hip, cool, respectable, and highly profitable (when done right).

This shift came about in the mid to late nineties.

Enter the first iterations of “wedding photojournalism”!

Wedding photojournalism broke through the barriers of carefully posed portraits with tacky traditional wedding photography introducing candid and intimate moments designed to document the wedding day’s events as they unfolded. This new style of wedding photography was introduced by “purist photojournalists”, usually from the newspaper, magazine, or editorial industry, and they worked unobtrusively in the background.

This style of photo-reportage wedding photography was becoming more and more sought after by brides and grooms alike who didn’t want their parents’ wedding photos.

No lights. No formal portraits. No studio setups. No posing.

Raw.

In the early 2000s we began to see a more balanced mix of images come into play. Brides were beginning to ask for a photo-reportage style that also incorporated certain shots including; posed bridal portraits, group shots, and bridal couples. The new breed of wedding photojournalists obliged.

Only this time, they brought their unique vision and style to the mix.

Suddenly we began to see hybrids of genres from many parts of the photography industry. We saw more fashion style shooting, beautiful still life’s, and creatively captured editorial shots.

This hybrid movement also brought about many new wedding photography industry buzzwords such as; lifestyle, editorial, documentary, fashion-forward, and fine art.

The role of the wedding photographer may be more important today than it ever has before. As more and more people are accustomed to having their lives documented in various forms throughout their lives, they begin to expect more and more from their wedding photographers.

What does this mean to today’s wedding photographers?

This means that, in order to compete, you have to find your style. You have to find that right mix of photography genre’s to incorporate into the wedding day documentation.

And in order to find that style you have to look, study, and learn how to shoot editorial, fashion, and fine art photography.

Can you incorporate a new spin to an old tradition?

Can you present portraiture in new and visually stunning ways?

Can you be the creative genius that today’s brides and grooms expect of you?

Photographs:

Film star quality bride by Stina Stockholm of Mer än tusen ord

love is not consolation. it is light. {friedrich nietzche} by {nikole b} of Nikole Bordato Photography

Barb & Don Bridal Party by DRG Photography of DRG Photography in Calgary

Paige & Trevor’s Wedding by Sheldon Parsons of Sheldon Parsons Photography