What is Documentary Wedding Photography?

Why All The Different Names?

Maybe because as soon as people cotton on to how brilliant it is, it becomes overused? But also maybe because it comes itself from several different disciplines that have worked their way into wedding photography.

I used to prefer the term reportage wedding photographer – but I’m beginning to like photojournalism more. The emphasis on journalism reminds me I’m supposed to be telling a story. And watching and listening to that story.

And, also, I often forget how to pronounce reportage (despite being an award winning member of This is Reportage)

What is the history of Documentary / Reportage Photography?

Ever since the invention of the camera, photographers have been working to document something – but one of the earliest recognised documentarians was a photographer called Lewis Hine. Hine used photography to show the exploitation in American industry at the turn of the 20th century. The Farm Security Administration’s exploration of America between the wars produced many inspirational photographs (such as Dorethea Lange’s Migrant Mother).

In 1947, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, George Rodger and David ‘Chim’ Seymour founded the Magnum photographic agency, originally set up to document the realities of post-war life, with important members including Eve Arnold and Stuart Franklin – and these photos are still a huge influence on photographers working today.

As time went on inspirational photographers continued (and continue) to blur the lines between art and straight documentary storytelling – giving us a rich tapestry of styles and influences to draw on. Photographers such as Nan Goldin, Larry Fink and Sebastio Salgado bought fresh new styles to the genre.

Around the turn of the millenium this approach started making itself into the wedding world and has been taken on by many photographers as the best way to tell such personal stories.

What makes Good Documentary Wedding Photography?

I think that the priorities for a documentary wedding photographer is different to conventional wedding photographers. For us telling the story – capturing moments and giving context (a lot of the time in the same image) are more important than the image being aesthetically pleasing.

The first question I always ask is ‘how do I tell this story’… and the photos follow from there.  Which doesn’t mean we aren’t obsessed with georgous light, colour and composition. Just that they aren’t the number one priority. (And combining all three lets us express how it felt to be there on the day)

There are loads of brilliant examples of reportage at both the This Is Reportage and the Wedding Photojournalism Association websites

Is Documentary Wedding Photography A Popular Style?

Yes and no. People can see documentary wedding photography as pretentious and too messy. (My first photographic mentor told me that it just shouldn’t be allowed on the wedding day, and that I was to stop the bride as she came down the aisle to get a good shot.)

We certainly abstain from taking control – knowing that we’d get ‘perfect’ photos if we stopped and staged everything but preferring the rough and real to the fluffy perfect stuff.

You won’t as see much of it in magazines and blogs because it doesn’t suit their style.

A documentary wedding photographer usually has no interest in photographing your day as if it were a product catalog or fashion magazine. We’re all about capturing the mood – whether it’s the bride getting ready in the morning, or a crazy dance floor at the reception.

Why Choose a Documentary wedding photographer?

The couples I tend to work with are often very relaxed and informal and don’t want to take control of every aspect of their day. They often describe it as a ‘big party with friends’ and want to relax and enjoy their company in the brief time of the day (it really does fly by)

For these people, it’s absolutely perfect as it fits around their day and captures the relationships and real moments between those family and friends – rather than focusing on the couple all day.

I also find that if you don’t like being in the limelight or hate having your photo taken, a photojournalistic approach is a much more natural way of documenting your day. It’s certainly a great fit for those that are more introverted.

Why Do You Photograph Weddings In a documentary style?

I photograph everything in documentary style.

I turn up with a camera and document everything as authentically as possible and try to tell the story behind what’s being captured.. Which, to me, means without preconceptions and expectations of what it’s meant to look like.

It stops me making formulaic cookie cutter wedding photography & leads to wedding photography that’s creative, fresh and energetic.

It’s also very focused on family and stories and relationships rather than the details and ‘things’ on the day – which probably hints at where my interests lie and what makes me tick as a person.

Challenges of wedding photojournalism

Documentary wedding photography can be challenging. A documentary wedding  photographer will have to deal with unpredictable moments and lighting on a fast paced day with little to no control over their subjects. It’s very much like jazz improvisation and a good documentary wedding photographer will have put many hours into practicing and studying so they know they can deliver on the day.

A good documentary wedding photographer will also need to know how to blend in  and how to capture and sequence images to tell the story of your day.

Does Documentary Wedding photography have a particular Look?

I think just a few years ago Documentary Wedding Photography was associated with grainy black and white images & I think this was because of a couple of things.

Firstly – the early photographers used film, and the high ISO films needed for darker venues and churches were usually a lot more appealing than shooting on colour film.

As digital sensors started to replace film, the same often held true – a grainy black and white looked a lot more natural and classic than a colour photo with a lot of digital colour noise.

But since then reportage has come a long way and embraced colour photography a lot more – especially as more photographers have come along who are influenced by Street Photographers such as Alex Webb or Matt Stuart