Wedding photography – Styles and trends

June 11, 2011 by  
Filed under Wedding Photographers

Wedding Photography

Image via Wikipedia

According to many wedding industry sources, when couples are putting together their budget, they plan on spending the most on the reception and venue and second most on their photographer. This is how important photography is important to them, because for most people preserving the memories is a close second to creating them.

When you are evaluating a photographer for your big day, there are tons of things to consider. How much experience do they have? What does their portfolio look like? How much do they cost? Will they be able to capture what you’re looking for? Do they use photography studio software that enables them to stay better organized? And what styles of photography are they proficient in?

As far as this last question goes, here are a few of the current styles and trends in wedding photography so you can decide what suits you the best so you can prepare for your conversations with prospective photographers.

1. Photojournalism style – This style is completely candid and is more of a documentary way of shooting a wedding. Few (if any) photos are staged and everything is shot in the moment, where the photographer roams around the ceremony and reception and captures the event as it’s happening. This style is very in vogue and popular among couples.

2. Traditional posed photography – This is the style of photography that your parents probably used in which most photos are staged, with participants facing the camera and smiling or otherwise posing for the photos. This is akin to traditional portrait style and is sometimes used in combination with the photojournalism style.

3. Fashion-shoot style – For brides who can’t get enough of Vogue or Cosmo, this style is for you. It is a much more modern style of shooting, with different camera angles and closeups, fashion-forward poses, unique lighting and lots of finishing touches with photography studio software.

4. Vintage contemporary – Vintage clothing is back in style, and thus the demand for vintage contemporary photography, which is often staged with vintage or throwback props and attire. In addition, photos can be given an antique treatment with photography studio software.

5. Pre-wedding photo shoots – Because the big day can get so jam-packed with events, sometimes it’s a better idea to get some of the photography out of the way early. Because of this, some couples are choosing to have a photo session with their photographer a day or two before the wedding. This is an opportunity to get more causal photos of the couple as well as family members who have arrived for the wedding.

Hopefully this gives you a start on some of the current trends when you’re meeting with photographers.

Choosing a Wedding Photographer

For many individuals, having a record of their wedding that is permanent is important, and they will hire a professional wedding photographer who can get the job done. Many people may be curious as to the costs of having professional level pictures taken.  Here is how the money gets divvied up when paying off these individuals.

Candid photos are pictures that are taken at the wedding and the reception, and these pictures are usually put together in an album for both the bride and groom.  Many of these candid photos we put together in albums which can be sent to friends and family, and this will actually make up a majority of the costs associated with wedding photography.

When you’re looking at spending $250 are more on an album made by designers such as Art Leather, Leather Craftsmen, or a similar leather bound album, the costs can add up quickly.  The pictures and the styles are permanently attached and the albums themselves are made of leather and will last a lifetime.

Most people don’t realize why they should go out and buy such expensive leather albums, but the truth is that 10 years down the road, vinyl will eventually destroy or at least degrade the quality of most photographs.  If you’re serious about preserving your wedding memories it is a good idea to go for a very expensive model of wedding album which will preserve a photographic record of your wedding forever.

Digital options are also prevalent in the photography marketplace today, and you may want to choose these as the photographs can simply be printed directly onto the album itself.  This makes an excellent selection for wedding guests who you don’t want to spend $500 on.

The portraits themselves, such as those of a bridal portrait, also factor into wedding photography costs.  Bridal portraits are usually taken about four to six weeks before the wedding itself starts.  Some individuals decide that they also want to have an engagement portrait taken and a sitting fee and a developing charge will usually be assessed.

The session fee covers the photographers time for the session and the print charges are the costs it will take to edit, develop, and assemble the pictures.  So how much does an average wedding photographer cost?  Fees range widely depending on professionalism, but in a rural area, you are looking at around $600 and in New England fees may be upwards of a few thousand dollars. Shopping around is advised to find the best deal but remember that you will usually get what you pay for and if you want quality then you had better be ready to pay up.

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