Documentary Wedding Photography
What is it Documentary Wedding Photography?
What the hell does documentary or reportage wedding photography mean? Well, that's a slightly complicated question considering there are so many photographers out there that describe their style as documentary. I think the best I can do, is to simply explain what the term means to me & my work. So that's what I’m going to try and do for you in this blog post. Hopefully you’ll get a pretty good insight to my mindset & understand whether I might be the right documentary photographer for you or not.
My Approach
The approach to documentary wedding photography that I adopt, is very similar to the approach of a photojournalist. My assignment for the day is to truthfully document the wedding event from start to finish through candid & uncontrived images. My focus is on documenting human moments of connection, humour & emotion. No one image will take precedent over another, instead my aim is to combine a series of images together to tell the story of the event.
Narrative
Of course the main narrative of the day is the story of the wedding couple. The two lovebirds at the centre, are the reason that everyone else is there. However, there are so many subplots within the main narrative that go largely unnoticed during the day. From the best man, to the grannies, the flower girl, the uncle bob, the mad aunties, the parents, the friends from the other side of the globe and all the interactions between all of the above. There is so much to see at a wedding, but only if you're looking for it. The bride and groom at the centre cant possibly experience all of those interactions, & thats where I come in.
The Blend
It's all about the blend. It's true to say that pretty much every wedding photographer worth their salt will at least in some part capture “documentary” style photos, quite a lot actually. There is always a mix of styles in all wedding photographers work, because there isn't really a way to avoid it. So its the focus that matters most, and my focus is on candid & unposed images. I do at the same time capture formal images of the families, I will often bring the couple for their own mini couple session at some part of the day...but those elements usually only take up about an hour of an 11/12 hour day. The rest of the time I’m documenting, collecting moments, details, interactions & emotions as I move through the day. I don’t set up images during bridal prep, the ceremony, the reception, the meal or the dancing, all of that is captured naturally. Family portraits & the couple session are the only time that I step in to direct the action.
Details
I do capture details throughout the day also, but they are never a main focus, just part of the overall narrative. I like to set the scene in the morning by capturing the location & surroundings. Irish mothers are world class decorators & so I make sure to capture their efforts if I can. I wont be handling the wedding dress & hanging it from a tree...but I will take that photo if you arrange to have it there.
In Summary
I take the same approach at every wedding, but your wedding will not look like everyone else's, I don't shoot for blogs that want everything to be about the materialistic stuff or their own online engagement. I’m not shooting for your instagram or mine. I'm shooting for you, & that's not just you today, its you in 10, 20, 30 years time & beyond. That's what good documentary photographers do, they capture real moments artfully & truthfully that will stand the test of time. I love people watching & people watching at weddings...with a camera is basically what I do best.