What is wedding photojournalism?

How do you want to look after your wedding – in photos, that is? Do you want your wedding photographer to take posed, traditional pictures, or do you want the wedding photographer to capture the wedding “as it happens”?


If you said “yes” to the latter, you might want to consider hiring an expert in wedding photography that also specializes in wedding photojournalism.


What is wedding photojournalism?


If you’ve ever seen an old copy of “Life” magazine, you will see in an instant what photojournalism is. Simply, photojournalism tells a story through pictures. And that is precisely what wedding photojournalism does – it takes candid and spontaneous wedding photographs of the wedding event.


Consider yourself, the bride, the main story. In wedding photojournalism, the camera is mainly on you and your groom, following you around, snapping photographs as the wedding “story” unfolds.


Is wedding photojournalism popular?


Wedding photojournalism is extremely popular. All you need to do is look at several wedding magazines to see its appeal – wedding photos that really “show the moment.” Some people criticize it as a fad, but others strongly disagree.


Here at AmbiSuite we don’t think wedding photojournalism, done right, is a fad at all. It is a photographic style of ‘realism,’ which appeals to many people. As we all know, the camera never lies. The results can be really interesting, poignant, and sometimes extremely funny. Because of the ‘reality’ factor, you can be sure years from now the wedded couple will really be able to relive the moments.


Is wedding photojournalism for you?


How you want your wedding photos taken is a decision for you and your fiancé to make. There is nothing wrong with the traditional way of shooting posed shots. They tell their own story. Years from now the couple can look out their wedding photos and see how young, lovely, and in love they were. There is no wrong way for a professional wedding photographer to shoot the occasion.


It really is a matter of how you want your story told – it is a personal preference.


What are some of the benefits of choosing a wedding photojournalist?


There are several reasons why couples choose to hire a wedding photojournalist.


• There are some wedding couples that don’t want to be bothered posing for traditional photographs. They don’t even want to know the photographer is there as they see it as an intrusion and a bit of a nuisance. They want the wedding photographer to just take the pictures.


• Traditional photography is time-consuming. Many couples don’t want to take the time to pose, preferring instead to spend all their time having a good time at their wedding and reception.


• With this informal approach, some truly unexpected great wedding photos can emerge.


• This style can capture moments of spontaneous intimacy shared between the couple that are very touching.


Are there drawbacks to the wedding photojournalistic style?


There can be significant drawbacks to the wedding photojournalistic style however. A good wedding photographer will be the first to tell you that the pictures sometimes are not as well lit as traditional wedding photography. Because there is no time to “set up” the shot, some photos may not be in focus, some may be poorly framed, and some of the wedding photographs may be odd or awkwardly composed.


You can have the best of both worlds


There is no reason why you have to decide between a traditional and a photojournalistic wedding style. You can have the best of both worlds.


Using the traditional style, you can have gorgeous portrait photos, memorable family photos, and pictures of the traditional wedding events, such as the ceremony and cutting of the cake.


With the photojournalistic style, you can have the candid shots telling the story in its own way.


According to Matt, “There are pros and cons for both styles and a good wedding photographer should be able to accommodate both.”


Meet with several wedding photographers and look at their portfolios to see if they have examples of both styles. This will ensure that you will have your wedding story told the way you wish.