Reportage
Traditional photographs of the happiest day of your life will sit on the mantelpieces of family and friends for years to come. They show the bride and groom smiling, flanked by familiar faces in a whirl of confetti. They are, quite rightly, treasured mementos of a unique occasion. But more and more couples are turning to an alternative style to capture the story of their wedding day.
Known as reportage photography, this approach chronicles the entire event - from the bride's preparations to the celebratory send-off - as seen through the lens of an eye-witness photo journalist. The result is a stunning souvenir that encapsulates everything special about a couple's big day.
I've been a photojournalist for more than 20 years and I've found that a wedding day is one of the richest subjects for a newspaper or magazine feature.
To tell the story of a wedding, the photographer must be unobtrusive and ready to catch those special and unexpected moments. Coverage must start at the beginning of the day, capturing the mood of excitement and expectation, right through to the relaxed shots of the evening celebrations.
Some of the best shots are to be caught in the morning, as the bride, her relatives and attendants get ready for the ceremony. I always arrive early to give the bride time to get used to me being around.
During the ceremony, I work quietly from a distance, without flash, looking for the emotion in the faces around the room, not just those of bride and groom. Often, low lighting in churches can present technical problems - but years of newspaper work has prepared me for operating in all sorts of unfavourable conditions. At least it doesn't rain in church!
I love quietly documenting a wedding, but if the bride and groom also require traditional group pictures these needn't take long - 15 minutes will be plenty for all the basic group shots. Then it's back into reportage mode, catching candid shots of the happy couple mingling with guests.
It might be a good idea to tell your guests that you have employed a reportage photographer and they don't need to look at the camera. Just tell them to act natural and enjoy themselves. Most couples tell me their favourite photographs of the day are those in which they were completely unaware their photo was being taken. That's when I know I've done a good job.
Known as reportage photography, this approach chronicles the entire event - from the bride's preparations to the celebratory send-off - as seen through the lens of an eye-witness photo journalist. The result is a stunning souvenir that encapsulates everything special about a couple's big day.
I've been a photojournalist for more than 20 years and I've found that a wedding day is one of the richest subjects for a newspaper or magazine feature.
To tell the story of a wedding, the photographer must be unobtrusive and ready to catch those special and unexpected moments. Coverage must start at the beginning of the day, capturing the mood of excitement and expectation, right through to the relaxed shots of the evening celebrations.
Some of the best shots are to be caught in the morning, as the bride, her relatives and attendants get ready for the ceremony. I always arrive early to give the bride time to get used to me being around.
During the ceremony, I work quietly from a distance, without flash, looking for the emotion in the faces around the room, not just those of bride and groom. Often, low lighting in churches can present technical problems - but years of newspaper work has prepared me for operating in all sorts of unfavourable conditions. At least it doesn't rain in church!
I love quietly documenting a wedding, but if the bride and groom also require traditional group pictures these needn't take long - 15 minutes will be plenty for all the basic group shots. Then it's back into reportage mode, catching candid shots of the happy couple mingling with guests.
It might be a good idea to tell your guests that you have employed a reportage photographer and they don't need to look at the camera. Just tell them to act natural and enjoy themselves. Most couples tell me their favourite photographs of the day are those in which they were completely unaware their photo was being taken. That's when I know I've done a good job.
