"WHAT IS YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE?"
When a couple hires me, I am given the honor of capturing their wedding vision, whether it’s a light and airy, rustic afternoon or a sleek and stylish black-tie evening. However, one of the questions that often arises during our initial phone conversation is, “WHAT IS YOUR STYLE?”
This question always catches me a little off-guard, because in my mind, my style is YOUR STYLE. Let me explain…
There was an article published last year on a popular wedding blog called “Which Wedding Photography Style is Perfect for You?” The article gave examples of photographs of five different styles: Fine Art, Journalistic, Traditional, Dark + Moody and Adventurous.
Of course, all of these images are beautiful. And upon first glance, they fit into their given categories. However, my question is, is this really the style of the photographer or is the photographer just capturing the style of the client?
For example, the Fine Art photo and the Traditional photo are both of bridesmaids. Aside from the fact that one is more zoomed in and cropped, these images aren’t that different. Is the Journalistic image called that because it’s a candid moment that was turned into black and white? Because in my mind, EVERY photographer would capture that moment of the groom picking up his mom, regardless of their “style.” Then there’s the Dark + Moody photo, which is really just a simple image of the couple that has been treated in Photoshop to look dark. Lastly, there’s the Adventurous photo which is the one that makes me giggle the most. Because let’s face it, do you have to be an “Adventurous Photographer” to capture a couple jumping into a lake? Wouldn’t every photographer take a photo if their clients decided to jump in a lake?
My belief is that YOU decide how you want your wedding to look and feel. My job is to READ you, to take time to look at the setting, the details you’ve chosen, the colors you love, the music you’ve selected, your dress and his cufflinks… and then, translate the images I make to align with you and your style and how you want your wedding day to feel. If you and your bridesmaids are carrying white flowers and wearing pale dresses, I am going to capture that look up close, far away and somewhere in between, in a light and soft way. If the groom picks up his mom on the dance floor, you bet I won’t miss that moment! And if you decide to jump in a lake, I can guarantee that my finger will be clicking away on that shutter as quickly as I can!
I am all yours on your wedding day. I am there to hold your vision in my hands and make photographs that encapsulate what YOU hold in YOUR heart.
