Photography and Videography Style Guide
Choosing the right style for your wedding photography and videography is an essential part of ensuring that your memories are captured exactly the way you envision them. In this Photography and Videography Style Guide, we’ll explain the various styles available and help you determine which one best fits your personality and the vibe you want for your wedding day.
1. Traditional Wedding Photography and Videography
- Photography: Traditional photography is characterized by posed portraits and formal shots. You’ll see a lot of classic, symmetrical compositions, with the focus on the couple, family, and bridal party. These photos are typically highly polished, with well-lit settings and a more formal approach.
- Videography: Traditional wedding videography captures the day in a straightforward manner, often with minimal editing. The video is typically linear, showing the ceremony, speeches, and major events of the day in their original order.
- Best for: Couples who want timeless, classic images and video that will stand the test of time.
2. Photojournalistic Wedding Photography and Videography
- Photography: Photojournalistic wedding photography focuses on candid, real-time moments. The photographer captures moments as they happen naturally, without much intervention. This style emphasizes emotion, expressions, and the story of the day.
- Videography: In photojournalistic videography, the videographer captures the real emotions and moments of your wedding day without interrupting or staging shots. It’s more about documentary-style storytelling than creating posed moments.
- Best for: Couples who want to relive the authentic, raw moments of their wedding day, preferring to capture the day as it happens.
3. Cinematic Wedding Photography and Videography
- Photography: Cinematic wedding photography is all about the dramatic. Think sweeping, artistic shots, dynamic angles, and a more editorial approach. These photos often look like scenes from a movie, with beautiful lighting and a focus on atmosphere and composition.
- Videography: Cinematic wedding videography elevates your wedding day into a movie-like experience. With artistic editing, breathtaking angles, and the use of music to enhance emotion, cinematic videography tells the story of your wedding in a visually striking way. Drone shots and slow-motion footage are often used to create a truly cinematic effect.
- Best for: Couples who want their wedding to feel like a movie, with a polished, professional, and dramatic film.
4. Fine Art Wedding Photography and Videography
- Photography: Fine art wedding photography takes a more creative and artistic approach. The photographer focuses on light, color, and composition to create a sense of beauty and mood. It often has a soft, dreamy quality, with a focus on aesthetics and artful shots.
- Videography: Fine art wedding videography takes a similar approach, with a focus on creating visually stunning footage. The video is often more artistic and less about documenting every moment, focusing instead on creating a beautiful film with elegant editing.
- Best for: Couples who want their wedding to feel like a work of art, with an emphasis on beauty and creative expression.
5. Editorial Wedding Photography and Videography
- Photography: Editorial wedding photography mimics the style of high-fashion magazines. The photos are often highly styled, with a lot of attention to detail in terms of clothing, hair, makeup, and settings. Poses are often more dramatic, and lighting is typically used in a way that creates mood and depth.
- Videography: Editorial wedding videography is similar to its photographic counterpart, with an emphasis on creating an aspirational and visually polished video. It focuses on capturing the beauty of the couple, the details of the day, and the grand moments in a cinematic style.
- Best for: Couples who love high-fashion style and want a wedding video that looks like something from the pages of a magazine.
6. Lifestyle Wedding Photography and Videography
- Photography: Lifestyle wedding photography captures the couple in their most natural state, often using candid shots or informal settings. These photos are often more casual and relaxed, reflecting the couple’s true personality.
- Videography: Lifestyle wedding videography emphasizes capturing the couple in real moments, usually focusing on the interactions between the couple and their guests. It has a more relaxed, documentary feel.
- Best for: Couples who prefer a laid-back, natural feel and want their photos and video to capture real moments and personalities.
Choosing the Right Style for Your Wedding
When selecting the right photography and videography style, think about the following:
- What kind of memories do you want to relive? Are you looking for a more candid, documentary-style experience or something more polished and cinematic?
- What’s your overall wedding aesthetic? Is your wedding more traditional, laid-back, or modern? The style of photography and videography should complement the overall feel of your wedding.
- What is your personal style? Do you prefer classic, timeless images, or do you lean toward something more creative and editorial?
By knowing which style resonates with you, you can communicate clearly with your photographer and videographer to ensure your wedding memories are captured exactly how you imagine.
