Choosing the right wedding photography style can be a daunting choice. After all, you’ll be looking at these pictures for years to come, so they have to be something you really love. But where can you start? No worries, if you go one step at a time and find the right photographer, it’s easier than you think. To get you started, here are our best tips!
How to choose the right photography style for your wedding
Wedding photography styles are as unique as the couple, so really, any style you choose is customizable. However, having a good idea of the type of wedding pictures you’d love to have will make you and your photographer’s job much easier.
Before choosing a wedding photographer, whether that is for your engagement, pre-wedding or actual wedding pics, it’s best if you have thought about your needs and wants for the big day. Here are a few details to consider:
- Your colour palette. If your wedding already has a colour palette, or you’ve chosen the floral must-haves, you can start defining what type of colour scheme your pictures will have. Although this isn’t a hard and fast rule, most couples enjoy having wedding pictures with a similar colour vibe to their wedding day. Of course this can change, particularly if you’re doing pre-wedding pictures with other outfits.
- Look at your Pinterest. This can also be your vision board for the wedding, or any assortment of things that ‘represent’ how you want your wedding to look like. Then compare that to the different wedding photography styles we’ve mentioned below.
- Natural vs posing. The choice between a moodier, portrait-inspired wedding photography session and candid shots will depend on your personal liking. Some styles fit better with candid pictures, and others really need to involve posing. You could always have a good mix of both, but you’d have to find a photographer that can offer the option.
Once you have thought about the points we mentioned above, compare your answers to these typical photography styles. Take into account the poses, the colours, the textures and the attitudes. Then choose one or two styles that reflect that vibe and start looking for a photographer!
Wedding photography styles
Although this isn’t an exhaustive list, it’s a good place to start! We hope that by looking at these samples, you and your partner will have a better idea of the wedding photography style that will suit you the best.
Moody / Intimate / Dramatic
This is one of our personal favourites. With moody wedding photography, it’s all about the drama! In most cases, we’ll create pictures that use a lot of soft light and shadows. It’s the perfect way to convey the raw intimacy and deep love between a couple. European venues are usually the best settings to achieve these looks.
Bright / Airy
For those couples looking for cheerful, feel-good wedding pictures, this might be the right choice. Bright wedding pictures tend to use lots of light, airy colours and be minimalistic.
Vogue / Editorial / Conceptual
Perfect for couples with a strong idea or those with a theme in mind. Artistic wedding pictures can be as abstract as you’d like, and in general tend to be very creative. This one is not for the faint of heart, but the end results can be absolutely stunning. We thoroughly enjoy working with this style where every detail screams ‘grandeur’. With editorial wedding pictures, it’s all about dramatic compositions, bold lines and beautiful outfits.
Earthy Tones
This style is perfect for couples looking for an organic wedding colour palette, or those that enjoy the bohemian look. The rich, natural shades of earth tone wedding pictures give your photographs a very intimate look, full of soft sunshine, natural textures and welcoming colours. To get you inspired, here are a few ideas.
Studio
Studio sessions result in intimate wedding photographs. Plus, at the studio, we can control every detail so lighting and props will look just right. The best thing about studio wedding pictures is that they are done before or after the wedding instead of the day of. This means you’ll have all the time in the world to use different dresses, change props and just enjoy the session instead of rushing to the ceremony.
Adventurous
If you and your partner love the outdoors, this could be a great fit. Outdoor wedding photographs are a beautiful way of enhancing your special outfits and showcasing the beauty of nature. And if we plan it just right, we could shoot right at the golden hour to give your photos that enthralling golden glow.
Photojournalism
This is exactly what it sounds like. We’ll follow you around, documentary-style, to witness every special moment of our day. We really love the natural, candid effect this gives wedding pictures. Of course, this technique can also be used in engagement and pre-wedding photo sessions.
Classic
Elegant, simple and beautiful. This is somewhat like the style of your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding pics. Classic wedding pictures tend to be simple and refined. This means poses are simple, editing is minimalist and your pictures will stay beautiful even decades from your special day. This is timeless elegance at its finest.
So what wedding photography style suits you better? No worries if you can’t make up your mind, it’s normal to want a mix of everything! at Jumi Story we appreciate almost every type of photography, so we enjoy working with ‘hybrid’ projects. It’s your wedding, so feel free to mix and match until you find a style that represents what makes your couple unique!
