How I Photograph a Wedding Day: Documentary Wedding Photographer

The most common question that I am asked about my wedding photography is: How do you describe your style? After almost 10 years of photographing weddings, this answer finally seems to come easily. I consider myself 70% a documentary wedding photographer and 30% an editorial photographer.

When I photograph a wedding, I photograph it as it unfolds naturally. On your wedding day, I am on the hunt for light. To be a documentary wedding photographer, you must constantly be observing light. Often at receptions, I find a patch of beautiful light or a great composition and wait until a moment unfolds.

On wedding days, it is almost impossible to be a fully documentary wedding photographer. I use a mix of candid, documentary, and editorial posing styles to capture each couple’s wedding day. There are so many moments on a wedding day that I don’t have to interrupt. However, there are also a handful of moments where you want me to interrupt. Though, I never want to make you feel like you’re at a photo shoot first and your wedding day second.

My candid, documentary approach allows me to capture the raw feeling and energy of the wedding. It helps keep you feeling comfortable and able to enjoy your wedding day. I focus on being a fly on the wall to capture spontaneous moments as they happen. I do this without directing or posing my subjects whenever possible. By using this approach, I can create a rich and authentic record of the wedding that my clients can look back on and remember fondly for years to come.

At the same time, I also believe in incorporating some posed, editorial shots into my wedding photography. This allows me to create beautiful, polished images that showcase the couple and their wedding guests in the best light (think getting ready photos, your portraits, and family photos). By posing my subjects and directing them in certain ways, I can create stunning and artistic shots that my clients and their loved ones will treasure.