Wedding Photography

Wedding photography is a major commercial endeavor that supports the bulk of the efforts for many photography studios or independent photographers.  As one of the most important decisions you will make concerning the big day, planning your wedding photography should be considered with care.

Like the technology of photography itself, the practice of wedding photography has evolved and grown since the invention of the art form in 1826 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce.

There are two primary approaches to wedding photography that are recognized today - Photojournalistic and Traditional.  Photojournalistic wedding photography is modeled after editorial reporting styles and focuses more on candid and photos that are not posed, with little photographer interaction.  Traditional photography is usually posed and formal in nature. Most contemporary wedding photography aims for candid shots from a distance, usually catching original moments.

Wedding photography is similar to other services in that there are people operating at all levels of experience and expertise. Make sure your wedding photographer specializes in shooting weddings, as weddings are very specialized events. You should make sure that your wedding photographer brings a backup camera to the wedding. Well before your wedding day, make sure you have considered the must-have photography shots and their execution.

With the advent of the digital photography revolution, a large percentage of weddings are photographed digitally. Digital photography is less costly than film, and with technological advances in equipment, digital images are no longer a sacrifice in quality.  Today, many more weddings are photographed with digital SLR cameras as the digital convenience provides quick detection of lighting mistakes and allows creative approaches to be reviewed immediately. Advantages of digital wedding photography include faster post-production (no film to scan in digitally), ease for posting online, negatives in the form of a DVD, and more photos that can be taken on the day of the wedding. Digital wedding photographers have been known to take up to 3,000 bridal images on a single day.

In spite of diminishing film use, some photographers continue to shoot with film as they prefer the film aesthetic, while others are of the opinion that negative film captures more information than the latest digital technology, with less margin for exposure error. If you choose to have your pictures taken with film you can also have all of your photos on a CD to email digital photos to friends, to set up your own wedding web-site, or to view your photos on your computer or TV.

Both digital and film based formats are capable of producing stellar images in the hands of an experienced professional wedding photographer. There are numerous ways to categorize professional wedding photographers, and some wedding photographers may fit into more than one category.

What are the advantages of hiring a professional wedding photographer.  A professional has the right equipment for "professionally" photographing your wedding.  A professional will use a color laboratory that is in the business of meeting high professional standards of print quality.  Lastly, a professional is used to working with individuals, couples, and groups to make the formal photography go smoothly.