The Truth Behind Documentary Wedding Photography
What it means to be a true documentary style photographer - and why it should matter to every couple getting married
Estes Park, Colorado. 35mm film.
Last year, I second-shot a wedding where the lead shooter told the bride second by second where to step, how to step, how and when to turn, and how and when to tap her groom on the shoulder for their first look. This photographer then continued to remain uncomfortably close to the bride and groom throughout this intimate moment, so that the groom was so noticeably uncomfortable he could not properly take in the moment of his seeing his bride for the first time on his wedding day. It was so awkward I had to walk away for a bit.
I photographed another wedding where, after the initial and tearful moments of the first look were over, the bride and groom were wrapped in each others arms with tears streaming down their faces, taking in the moment. I watched from a distance as the videographer then physically stepped between them and immediately asked them to start doing poses for his shots. They were both caught off guard, and wiped the tears from their faces before blindly following his directions. I continued to watch from about fifty yards back in sad disgust.
In another instance, I was photographing a wedding where the groom and bride’s father were sharing a quiet, private, and laughing conversation off to the side during family portraits. I was snapping a couple shots of the sweet moment between formal photos, when the videographer approached them, interrupted them, and stuck a mic in their faces. They then asked the father for some advice for the couple that they could use as audio in their video. Both of their faces went blank, and there was a long awkward silence while those around them stared and the father of the bride wracked his brain for something good enough to say.
Unfortunately, these are just the tip of the iceberg of the uncomfortable moments I’ve witnessed because of wedding photographers and videographers who seemed to forget what it meant to be a part of someone’s wedding day. Other instances (because I know you’re curious) included situations like asking a sweaty couple in their heavy wedding garb to run in a field for a shot while it’s 100 degrees and sunny outside, or interrupting an emotional moment between a bride and her mom because the bride’s dress wasn’t laying quite right for the photo, or asking a couple to get out of the getaway car and go back to the center of their grand exit tunnel because they forgot to kiss in the middle. Every moment leaves me cringing and feeling bad for the couple, because while they’re too caught up in the blur of their day to notice, they’ll look back and realize how awkward and frustrating that was.
If you’re on social media and follow even one wedding photographer, you’ve probably seen the verbiage - there are a few very popular words circulating these days. Documentary, editorial, candid, cinematic, timeless, romantic, true-to-color, etc. These words have become the trendy standard for describing photography styles, and have also fallen into the hands of inexperienced or trend-focused photographers who will use these words, without true reason, to describe their work to reel in unknowledgeable clients. As a result, these words fall on the ears of couples looking for a wedding photographer who think: “Yes, I would like my wedding photos to be timeless, candid, cinematic, romantic, etc.,” (because who doesn’t want those things?) and without further deliberation they sign the contract and pay the deposit. Wedding day comes, and the couple realizes they booked a photographer who is so focused on getting the perfect shot for their own portfolio that they fail to read the room. The couples ends up feeling stiff and overly-posed (even for the so-called “candid” and “documentary” photos), intruded upon during intimate moments, and stolen away from the real-life and joyous moments of their day. They might love the photos they get back, but are they picture-perfect and orchestrated moments, staged with fake laughs and reenactments? Or are they real, natural, unfolding pieces of time that the photographer captured effortlessly from a quiet corner of the room?
So, why is documentary-style wedding photography such a big deal these days? And why do some self-proclaimed “documentary-style” wedding photographers seem so passionate and adamant about the way they work? If you’ve read this far, you can probably answer that for yourself.
To me, a documentary photographer isn’t just someone that makes your photos look candid. It’s not someone who knows how to pose your photos to look more natural either. It also does not mean we’re morally against posing and that we don’t know how to pose you for your stunning bridal portraits or your family formals.
It means that we’re going to let you live your day.
It means we’re a fly on the wall; a background character. It means we’re not worried about getting the instagram-perfect shot because we’re confident in our abilities to give you gorgeous art for your wedding photos, no matter our point of view. Being a documentary photographer to me is about observing, about stepping back, and recognizing that what is unfolding before me is much more beautiful and meaningful than anything I could put together. It’s not asking myself “How can I make this better?” or “How can I make this look good?”
It’s constantly asking myself “How can I do this justice?”
“It’s not asking myself “How can I make this better?” or “How can I make this look good?”
Instead, it’s constantly asking myself “How can I do this justice?””
This is something I’ve believed in since I was 19 and made my first version of my photography website. “Documentary” was not being regularly used yet, so I branded my style of photography as “real” because that was the rawest way I knew how to describe it. “Real” because I will not interrupt your day for something I could create instead, “real” because my favorite photos were always the ones nobody knew I was taking, “real” because I was obsessed with the rawest most simple depictions of reality in photographs, and “real” because nothing has ever been more beautiful to me than that. When I saw the word “documentary” being used by photographers online, I realized this was a more specific and descriptive word of what I was going for. To make it easier for people to find me, I added the word to the list.
Since, however, the waters have officially been muddied, and I often go back and forth between keeping or removing the word from my branding. (However, the word “real” will never be removed). The word “documentary” no longer holds true meaning in the industry because it has been used wrongly too many times by photographers who preach one thing but live the opposite. It breaks my heart that there are people in such a servant-hearted industry that are more concerned with their personal brand, their instagram feed, and their reputation than they are concerned with honoring the sacred day of two souls committing to each other for the rest of time. The only thing I can do to help (other than continuing to honor that first and foremost in my own business) is to educate whoever may come across my page about how to tell the difference between a true documentary-style photographer, and someone who does not understand the true meaning. While it might not be many people, at least I will have helped whoever does come across this page, and hopefully save them from some awkwardness and heartache on their wedding day.
It takes two simple questions to help decipher if someone is a true documentary photographer:
How do you work during a wedding day? (In other words, what is your philosophy behind how you approach shooting a wedding?
You could also add: “I noticed that you mentioned you shoot with a documentary style. What does that mean to you and how does it affect not only how the photos turn out, but the way you take the photos?” Someone who is passionate and knowledgeable and particular about how they capture moments without structuring or interrupting real moments will pick up on what you’re referring to and be able to address exactly what you’re inquiring about).
Can we see some full galleries from past weddings?
If you’re able to look through an entire gallery, you’ll be able to notice how the photographer prioritizes capturing real-life and unorchestrated moments. If there’s just a few random photos of some guests laughing, or the couple looks stiff in most of the portraits, or the getting-ready photos are your typical “mess with the tie and button the dress in front of a window” then this photographer might not be what you’re looking for. However, if the gallery feels like a story being told without words but images, like you can know what it was like to be there, and like the photos are from the perspective of a fly on the wall, this is a super great sign :) Pay attention to how that gallery makes you feel more than anything else, because it means that photographer will be capable of reminding you exactly how your wedding day felt in your own photo gallery as well.
A story being told without words, but images.
Pay attention to how that gallery makes you feel more than anything else, because it means that photographer will be capable of reminding you exactly how your wedding day felt in your own photo gallery as well.
Taking time to learn your wedding photographer’s shooting style (whether they identify as documentary, traditional, etc.) is extremely important, not just because it makes a difference in how your photos turn out, it more importantly influences your experience throughout the day. A documentary approach is the difference between stiff or natural photos, posed or real images, fabricated or real memories. But most importantly, it’s the difference between awkwardness or comfort, apprehension or living in the moment, trendy or completely and authentically you. It is just one day of your life, but you deserve to have it documented in a way leaves you to celebrate, soak in the joy, and live it to the fullest.
I’ve unfortunately watched too many what-should-have-been pure and beautiful moments on wedding days turned sour and uncomfortable, to not be passionate about the way a documentary wedding photographer should work.
But is this the only way a wedding photographer should work?
Of course not. And there are many couples out there who might not want this either. There are plenty of couples who want everything to be posed to a T because they want more control over the photos. They want to be told exactly where to stand while they get dressed, they want to stage getting-ready photos in a prettier room, they want to be reminded before the ceremony to kiss in the aisle on the way back down, and they want the first look to be more picture-perfect and close-up than an interrupted moment between the two of them. They might want more than half their day to be dedicated to taking staged photos, and I am in no way biased against couples who want their wedding day to be like this. I just want couples to be able to be knowledgable about their photographer’s shooting style so that they can have the happiest wedding photographer experience that could possibly suit them. Documentary style is just the style I personally love and identify with and have a passion for, and I felt that there should be some clarification on it in today’s industry.
My final clarification - documentary style does not mean you will be receiving back “imperfect” photos. You are not sacrificing quality, you’re just hiring someone that doesn’t need things to be staged to give you gorgeous photos. A true documentary photographer should have the skill to capture everything as it happens, beautifully. You’re hiring someone who will take photos of lovely moments between your guests and family that you did not even see. You’re hiring someone who will photograph those few moments when you’re walking away from the ceremony, and thought all eyes were off you, to capture your truest reactions to the first feelings of being married. You’re also hiring someone who still knows how to tell you where to put your hands for some portraits, and how to direct your family members for some group photos.
Most importantly, when you hire a documentary wedding photographer, you’re hiring someone who sees this life intricately and sees it as beautiful, who sees you and your love as beautiful, and who will create art for you out of real life - and to me, that is a truest and more beautiful form photography can take.
“Most importantly, when you hire a documentary wedding photographer, you’re hiring someone who sees this life and sees it as beautiful, who sees you and your love as beautiful, and who will create art for you out of real life - and to me, that is a truest and more beautiful form photography can take. ”
Thank you so much for reading. I greatly appreciate your interest in my work and am grateful you made it this far!
If you have thoughts to add, objections, or simply want to connect, feel free to reach out to me at atolerphoto1@gmail.com
