Hi Guys! (and Gals)

Every wedding photographer has a style or wants to have a particular feel to their photos. There are different approaches to photographing a wedding. You have the "Traditional" Wedding photographers.... these guys do everything 100% posed. (Even the dance shots are posed) The couple is 100% looking at the camera smiling ffrom ear to ear at every given photo otherwise its a "no good shot". He tries to make the wedding look "fun" bu making the couple do "fun" things like jumping up in the air, swaying from left to right or the entorage doing the "wave" in altar.

"Photojournalist" Wedding photographers. There are real photojourns and there are "wannabe" photojourns. How do I differentiate the two? Well a "real" photojournalists photos have a heart or a soul to the image. The photograph gives you a story. Some "photojourn wedding photographers" just snap away at anything....anything that moves and clicks the shutter and calls himself a "photojournalist". I real photojournalist at least in my opinion is very aware of himself and his surroundings. Has a strong instinct and knows how and where to position himself for the best possible vantage point. He is unobtrusive and lets the situation motivate him but at the same time distances himself so as to be unaffected by the whole scenario. War or wedding, it's all the same in the eyes of a photojourn. He stands ready and armed with a telephoto on one arm and a wide angle on the other.


"Storyteller Wedding Photograper" (I just made this one up:D I have heard too many different names for this version) The Storyteller Wedding Photographer is a combination of the two. Traditional photographer at the same time a photojournalist. You make a concious effort into making sure that you photograph your bride looking like a beauty queen. Your groom looks like a GQ model and his mother in law looks 20 years younger. At the same time, you "steal" photos of the couple looking into each others eyes without them knowing that they are being photographed. You control the situation to a certain extent to make sure that a "better" photo will be achieved. You are very detailed and capture every beautiful detail that you can. (absoulutely no way would you photograph your bride smiling from ear to ear if she had a piece of spinach stuck on her tooth).

So do you know where you belong? It really is a personal choice. No right no wrong.. just a personal choice or style. Would love to hear your inputs:)

i've read somewhere that being a Wedding Photog is really-really hard! it crossed my mind before but that's just it. :) maybe shooting for a friend would be enough for me :)

Hi Pilar! Thanks for this thread, I can probably base this June 3rd's event on one of the sytles you mentioned since this is going to be my first wedding. :D

Dex

Pilar, do you use Continuous/Servo AF on your wedding shoot? :D

Dex

Hi.

When the subject is moving forward, like marching, I use the AF servo or AI. :)
My drive is always on continuos. ( I love taking multiple shots of certain scenarios)

Good luck on your first wedding Dexter! I can still remember my first paid wedding.. and it was my first outing with a dSLR since I was using film back then. i was fumbling with the controls and almost screwd up. hehehe. anyway, OT na ito.. going back to the topic.


I also mix the traditional and photojourn style... so I guess I'm a story teller. Though most of the time I want to shoot everything as it happens (yeah, i'm a wannabe photojourn hehehe..) I also try to make situations happen like I ask one of the flower girls to put on the bride's shoes and garter. When I see the bride in tears, I motion the groom to give her a warm hug. Things like that. I also try to be mindfull when doing portraits for the bride, groom and the couple, although my pocket of poses isn't that deep.

Hi Pilar! Thanks for this thread, I can probably base this June 3rd's event on one of the sytles you mentioned since this is going to be my first wedding. :D

Dex


Good Luck on your first wedding! I hope you dont forget to have some fun!:) I hope you have a backup photographer who is well seasoned in wedding photography.(just to give you some pointers along the way) Which Church is it going to be held at? Some Churches are very strict and if they dont like the way you move around the Church they will ban you. (for life:Scared: ) There are "rules" that need to be followed during the ceremony. Also if there is a coordinator I suggest you work with her to get the photos you want. Get a copy of the wedding program so you know in advanced what you will be expecting.
Would love to hear your story onhow things will turn out for you. Dont forget to post here :Grin:

thanks jaime and pilar :D

will do that! I'm not getting paid to do this which is a plus coz it lessens the tension -- i think :D

will update you guys!

I think I kinda fall into the storyteller part... I basically like to cover all the important aspects of the 'event' and try my best to arrange the photos from start to finish. :)

Good luck Dex... I am also going to be on my 1st official wedding shoot... read the tips above and will also follow them... kasi paid ito... :)

I think I kinda fall into the storyteller part... I basically like to cover all the important aspects of the 'event' and try my best to arrange the photos from start to finish. :)

Good luck Dex... I am also going to be on my 1st official wedding shoot... read the tips above and will also follow them... kasi paid ito... :)


Good luck Perry. Lookig forward to seeing some photos:Grin:

Good luck Dex... I am also going to be on my 1st official wedding shoot... read the tips above and will also follow them... kasi paid ito... :)

Hey Good Luck Perry! :D thanks!

Hello Guys,
Thanks Pilar for the enlightenment. Im think I belong to all three categories. bwahahahahah. Guilty as charged. Im still new to wedding photography, have not gone solo . always a VA or back up. Recently Back up n mas madalas. Cant wait to see ur gallery and hopefully work w u someday. :)

Pilar and Dex,

sure will post photos... thanks thanks :)

JonDexter, I think paid or not, you still have to do a very good job at it. You won't be able to ask the couple to redo the wedding if you miss the important parts or people.

I think the pure Traditional and true Photojourns are rare. I am guilty of being a wannabe photojourn when I started weddings because I did not want to miss a moment.

I switch modes depending on the situation - apparently this is the story teller style. I usually shoot for photo-video-AVP that is edited and shown during the reception. The storyteller style really has to be applied in this case. But for me it would be nice to be a true photojourn - this is my introvert side talking.

Its really difficult to have the eye of a photojourn, it takes years of experience. I too am guilty of being a wannabe photojourn, but that is what motivates me to do better with my work. But still storyteller style has always worked for me.

JonDexter, I think paid or not, you still have to do a very good job at it. You won't be able to ask the couple to redo the wedding if you miss the important parts or people.

I agree JR -- we are planning it as well as we could. :D will let you guys know how it goes after this Saturday. I'm in Manila now, luckily I was able to attend 2 weddings just this weekend, and was able to shoot a little. More 'experience' if i may say. :D thanks!

Dex

"Photojournalist" Wedding photographers. There are real photojourns and there are "wannabe" photojourns. How do I differentiate the two? Well a "real" photojournalists photos have a heart or a soul to the image. The photograph gives you a story. Some "photojourn wedding photographers" just snap away at anything....anything that moves and clicks the shutter and calls himself a "photojournalist".....



i pretty much want to be the "photojournalist" type one....kaya ako ngayon ay nag-fa-fall sa "wannabe", hehehe....i'm not a professional photographer, though, i just want to be that type if i pursued the wedding photographer career.... :)

Thanks for posting guys!
ok if you would like to know what my style is, I shoot "storyteller" style. Which is a combination of photojourn and traditional. The only time I pose the couple is for the Formal Portrait/ altar shots/ group shots. Sometimes during the preparation of the bride, I like to arrange things in the room (with permission of course:) ) just to make sure that it does not look cluttered in the pictures. I also like to position the bride where the light flatters her most and take candid shots from there. Ex, when she is about to put her veil, I ask her to move by the window light so the pictures will be more dramatic with avaliable light and a big opening ... instead of being backlit and having to use flash ( not unless you want a nice silhouette sp?) I never tell the couple what to do on the spot during the ceremony and/reception. Not unless they ask me to. The wedding day has so much drama that you just need to keep your eyes and ears open.

oh cool, wedding photography forum :D i think like most of you guys, i'd fall on the third category. simply just because most of the clients would like a mixture of both photojourn/traditional approach.

Hi Pilar,

You've picqued my curiosity talking about how you conver a wedding. Can you post some samples of your storytelling photojouranlist style? As they say a picture is worth... thanks!

oh, right pilar, could you like do a 'checklist' on how you want the 'story' to unfold? or if each wedding is a different story (i'm sure it is) how about the 'usual' stories? :D some pointers on where to start, highlights of the day and where to end. :D thanks!

Dex

hey dex, you still haven't posted your wedding shots.

i've been a hobbyist for half a year now, and not surprisingly i've attended 6 weddings already. I've always carried my camera bag with me and realized how difficult it is to shoot wedding pictures... how do you capture a moment? When do you intrude (as a guest with a relatively nice camera) etc...

was chatting with some other hobbyists and I found an interesting angle... why not take photos from the groom's point of view? Although it's a given that a wedding is probably the bride's show, there is also some drama that begs to be drawn out from the man's point of view.

how to do that... ewan. that's why i've been lurking here and reading your posts. hahaha.

But at the end of the day, i'm proud that the shots that i've taken, when printed, stand side-by-side with the couple's professionally taken shots.

but then again, i know the couple naman kasi in the first place.

so there. my style is story telling, but having the groom as the bida. :)

hmm.. i think im on the storyteller style... pag nalalag ang panyo ng bride click Click CLICK!!! pag may umiiyak na bata click click click its like i enjoy every photo i take which is i really do enjoy it. :) the only instruction i say other than in the groupshots is... enjoy the day and kindly make your altar kiss longer. ;) coz if i miss that i would never make them repeat that... i thing thats the best part of the wedding photos.

Hi. Normally, my back up is the one who photographs the grooms preparation. However, sometimes if the bride and groom are in the same hotel, I do drop by the grooms room just to say hi to his family and take a couple of photos. One time, I had the opportunity to photograph the groom and his groomsmen, best man and they were already partying before leaving for the church. They were having such a blast that all I had to do was take candid photos of them and they turned out great! You dont always see this since normally (at least here in the philippines) the groom is totally sober before getting married. As a wedding photographer, when you see something out of the "norm" you do get excited since it is something different.:Grin:


hey dex, you still haven't posted your wedding shots.

i've been a hobbyist for half a year now, and not surprisingly i've attended 6 weddings already. I've always carried my camera bag with me and realized how difficult it is to shoot wedding pictures... how do you capture a moment? When do you intrude (as a guest with a relatively nice camera) etc...

was chatting with some other hobbyists and I found an interesting angle... why not take photos from the groom's point of view? Although it's a given that a wedding is probably the bride's show, there is also some drama that begs to be drawn out from the man's point of view.

how to do that... ewan. that's why i've been lurking here and reading your posts. hahaha.

But at the end of the day, i'm proud that the shots that i've taken, when printed, stand side-by-side with the couple's professionally taken shots.

but then again, i know the couple naman kasi in the first place.

so there. my style is story telling, but having the groom as the bida. :)

Hi.
The Wedding stories that I have experienced more or less have the same story line but different characters. It is always the characters that shapes the story. I love working with couples that are so in love and are not "embarassed" to show the world. You can feel the love while you are photographing them. It makes my job as a photographer so much easier. It also gets me more excited to capture unnoticed gestures that they do but that I notice. I dont really go by a checklist but I do have a mental note of my must haves.

. Invitation, bouquet, rings , gown, barong/suit ,shoes (most important acccesories)
. Must have a beautiful portrait of the bride and groom (solo and together) tight shot and full length
. Must have a beautiful portrait of bride/groom with parents- family too if possible
. Photos with entourage - i also love photographing the flower girls and bearers
. church highlights...bride marching, groom waiting, handing over to groom, backshot of the church, bride and groom seated, looking at each other, priest shot, speakers, candid shots of parents/ sponsors, friends
. vows- him looking at her, her looking at him, the rings being placed on the finger, tears coming down the face, mom crying, people clapping.
. THE KISS.
.Ento photos again in altar
.informal shots outside church
.formal portrait bride and groom
.reception details, bride and groom entering, paparazzi of people, toast, cutting of the cake, boquet throw, garter toss
. my favorite THE FIRST DANCE
. Party scenes

So as you can see, the storyline is more or less the same, only location and characters change. (of course also the most challenging of all ...The quality of light)
However, since take alot of "photojourn" shots, there are so many details in between as well that you wont know will happen until it does. These shots are what makes the wedding album unpredictable.

So good luck and as soon as I have chance, I will post some photos here to show what I mean.:)










oh, right pilar, could you like do a 'checklist' on how you want the 'story' to unfold? or if each wedding is a different story (i'm sure it is) how about the 'usual' stories? :D some pointers on where to start, highlights of the day and where to end. :D thanks!

Dex

Our style is definitely the third one. We only direct the solo, couple and group portraits other than that we try to be unobtrusive as possible.

The following slideshow pretty much showcases our style.
http://show.fotogra.ph/paolo-tracy/

Tip: I'd recommend having an outdoor prenup pictorial session because it helps you bond with the couple and helps you gauge their chemistry together. It also lets them know what to expect from you on the day and it gets rid of the couple's camera fright. ;)

I am more on photojournalistic style.

Maybe I can call it artistic portrait documentary. Generally, wedding photography is a documentary job. Since it is mostly about the couple and their loved ones, a lot of portrait photography will happen. Additionally, I don't play by the rules in doing it, say, for portrait, it can be candid or pose or semi-prompted candid. The absence of rules or method can now be called artistic.

With so many labels, why don't we just call it plain wedding photography. It has its own discipline that is very different from other fields like landscape, product, fashion, etc.

What do you think?

Fire away.

Dino

There defenitely is a lot of labels now for wedding photography. This is due to the fact that Wedding photography has evolved into so many different approaches. Dennis Reggie was the first to make "wedding photojournalism" a style (made popular by the impromptu kiss that JFK Jr gave Carolyn Bessette ) there were others prior to him that were shooting pj style but Dennis Reggie made it a "fad".

Nowadays, clients are getting more informed as well. I have some clients that cant stand pure pj (photojourn) because they don't want to get caught unaware doing something unattractive and actually having it documented. Some of them don't find it cute to have photos of kids picking their noses, people looking bored at a wedding or people eating/drinking in an unflattering way. There was even this bride telling me that a friend of hers hired a "photojourn" and what happened was as the bride was about to march, she tripped on her dress and fell flat on her face:Shock: The "photojourn" snapped away and took at least 10 photos of her in every angle before even trying to help her up:Angry: in full front view of at least 200 people in the church. Man, if I was the bride, I would have slugged the photographer...:D (maybe his backup can take a photo of that:D ) I am not against pure pj as long as it is done with taste (at least in my opinion). My most memorable photos are captured pj style. Anyway, Bottom line is, we have a new breed of clients who know that there are different styles out there and they do ask what we have to offer.

I totally agree with Dino when he says that the discipline of a wedding photographer is totally different. You have to be perky and happy the whole day no matter what state of emotional status you are in. All your problems have to be left at home. (My phone is on silent mode the whole day)
In my opinion and correct me if I am wrong, the hardest photographer to be
1. War photographer or "real" photojournalists covering news.
2. Wedding photographers - due to the fact that you cant repeat what has happened and you MUST attentive at all times. You must be a product photographer, a portraitist, a photojourn, landscape photographer, a friend and a shrink. Your work day could be up to 12 hours straight
3. Underwater photographers if you are like Gutsy Tuason who swims with hammerheads, tiger sharks, and other sharks I dont even know exist!

Whew, that was long.




With so many labels, why don't we just call it plain wedding photography. It has its own discipline that is very different from other fields like landscape, product, fashion, etc.

What do you think?

Fire away.

Dino

wow! this is a treasure chest of wedding photography tips!

i'm still new really with only about 10 (plus or minus a few) weddings under my belt. as of now, i'm still strengthening my traditional style skills since i believe that the basics are very much important if one wishes to be good. at the same time, i always try to be attentive and shoot "moments" as they go by.

along the way, with further reasearch, practice and confidence, i hope to be be the third-type photographer that most of the pros here and everywhere are.

wish me luck. :)

wow! this is a treasure chest of wedding photography tips!

i'm still new really with only about 10 (plus or minus a few) weddings under my belt. as of now, i'm still strengthening my traditional style skills since i believe that the basics are very much important if one wishes to be good. at the same time, i always try to be attentive and shoot "moments" as they go by.

along the way, with further reasearch, practice and confidence, i hope to be be the third-type photographer that most of the pros here and everywhere are.

wish me luck. :)

Glad to hear that you are picking up some tips. Wishing you luck:)
If you need any constructive criticism on your photos, please feel free to post:)

I totally agree with Dino when he says that the discipline of a wedding photographer is totally different. You have to be perky and happy the whole day no matter what state of emotional status you are in. All your problems have to be left at home. (My phone is on silent mode the whole day)
In my opinion and correct me if I am wrong, the hardest photographer to be
1. War photographer or "real" photojournalists covering news. WAR photographers probably get shot more than soldiers
2. Wedding photographers - due to the fact that you cant repeat what has happened and you MUST attentive at all times. You must be a product photographer, a portraitist, a photojourn, landscape photographer, a friend and a shrink. Your work day could be up to 12 hours straight or 18 hrs for chinese weddings, 5-6 hrs a day 6 days in a row for malay wedding depending on where you are from
3. Underwater photographers if you are like Gutsy Tuason who swims with hammerheads, tiger sharks, and other sharks I dont even know exist!
Whew, that was long.

Yup.. agree with these too.

i'm somewhat more of a documenter, well, for now anyway... however, i'm currently getting my hands on anything that would upgrade my shooting style to that of a documenter.. and of a glamour photographer... ultimately i believe i shall reach that level. But it's difficult, since i understand that what i can do with the camera is also limited by the lenses and lights that i can afford at the moment. It's a very hard climb for now, especially since the market which i find myself in is smaller as compared to what metro manila photogs have, i'm thinking bec of the sheer size of metro manila and the density of its inhabitants.

however, i'm inching my way to getting known and appreciated here. One of these days, i believe i can command a better price and consequently am able to afford more equipment that i need to shoot better photos and allow myself to get into other genre / styles of shooting :)

if any of you have some surplus equipment, let me know about it.. the lesser cost would greatly help out a starting / struggling comrade :)

Style... mmmmmmm... How about this... I think of every key and candid moment in a wedding as an opportunity to take a portrait shot... Hope I make sense :)

hmm.. i think im on the storyteller style... pag nalalag ang panyo ng bride click Click CLICK!!! pag may umiiyak na bata click click click its like i enjoy every photo i take which is i really do enjoy it. :) the only instruction i say other than in the groupshots is... enjoy the day and kindly make your altar kiss longer. ;) coz if i miss that i would never make them repeat that... i thing thats the best part of the wedding photos.

i could relate so much to charles' style of shooting weddings, hehe... but now i have evolved a bit since my mentor, an old friend of ma'am pilar:), is passing on his style to me, which is a GREAT amount of traditional and a bit of the photojourn style... i admit there are times i'm happier shooting photojourn style more than the other ... but then again, i'm shooting as my boss' photog so i guess i have to do it his way and only do my way if it is my wedding shoot.:Grin:

-bry

But recently I noticed the trends are changing... "It's now a make your own style and hope it works kind a thing..." As everyone seems to be doing or the brave trying to deviate from the traditional slash photojourn slash portrait style--spontaneity still does play a role and definitely looks extremely well in layout and print. :)

good thing to have people like you Pilar...thanks for the story telling (kinda) but fair enuf good tips...Good luck dex in your wedding shoot! magbigay ka din sana ng konteng info next time!

Batchie

i shoot the dinolara style, documenting the wedding as thoroughly as possible so that every important moment and detail of the wedding can be seen by the couple when they view their pics.

i shoot alone though so my alert level has to always be switched on high.

:<)

i shoot the dinolara style, documenting the wedding as thoroughly as possible so that every important moment and detail of the wedding can be seen by the couple when they view their pics.

i shoot alone though so my alert level has to always be switched on high.

:<)
I'm sure you can pull this off Eddie without any problem. More power...:)