Wedding Photography Styles: 7 Styles to Choose From

Keep these crucial details in mind when searching for a potential photographer for your wedding day:

1. 1. Check availability. Make sure the wedding photographer you choose can shoot on your wedding day. Even if they seem perfect, if they can’t work on your desired date, keep looking.
2. 2. Get to know pricing packages. Many wedding photographers offer various pricing options for different tiered packages. They might charge additional fees for destination weddings (as a travel fee), a second photographer, engagement photos, or photos from the rehearsal dinner. Be aware of all possible costs that might add up fast.
3. 3. Learn how and when you’ll receive your photos. The photographer you choose should be able to deliver your photos how you want them (digitally or as prints) and when you need them. For example, your photographer may offer to edit the bulk of the photos down to a select group and allow you a first look during the editing process.
4. 4. Look at samples of the photographer’s style. You’ll want to see examples of the photographer’s photo style to ensure it matches what you envision for your big day. If they shoot serious, formal photos and you want whimsical, fun, improvisational images, keep searching for the correct working style match.

Whether you want formal posed shots or candid shots in natural light, you have several types of wedding photography styles from which to choose, including:

1. 1. Aerial: Aerial photography means the photographer shoots photos of your wedding day from above, using drones outfitted with digital cameras. Though you will most likely want traditional wedding photography as well, aerial photography can be a great addition, capturing unique, candid shots of your wedding ceremony and reception.
2. 2. Classic: Photographers who embrace a classic or traditional style of wedding photography shoot from eye level, creating wedding photos that appear posed and formal. Even if you choose an alternate type of photography for your special day, most photographers will include traditional family portrait–style group shots of the wedding party.
3. 3. Dark and moody: A dark and moody style of photography uses shadows and light for a striking, dramatic effect, creating a cinematic look to your wedding photos. Often photographers use this type of photography for outdoor weddings, then provide enhancements in the editing process to increase the feel of moodiness and to mute bright colors for a desaturated feel.
4. 4. Editorial: Editorial or fashion wedding photography mimics what a photographer would shoot for a glossy magazine layout. You can expect posed shots with intricate lighting in a controlled environment, much like a professional photoshoot.
5. 5. Fine art: Fine art wedding photographers use their vision of your big day to create artistic wedding photography with a point of view and a story to tell, by styling, directing, and composing each image for your photo album into a work of art. Fine art wedding photography varies greatly depending on the photographer, so be sure to ask for a look at samples from other weddings to get an idea of their artistic approach.
6. 6. Landscape: Landscape photography works well for destination weddings in gorgeous locales, such as a tropical beach or the mountains. Landscape wedding photographers incorporate the surrounding scenery into the wedding photographs, capturing the beauty of the wedding location along with you and your partner.
7. 7. Photojournalistic: Also known as reportage or documentary-style photography, photojournalistic wedding photography captures your wedding through candid photos, often in natural light, as the events unfold without trying to force or pose anyone for group photos. Often photojournalism-type photographs tell a story about the day without interrupting the pace of the events by stopping and starting or having particular time set aside for specific setups.

Have a wedding to plan? Learn how to take on the process strategically. Discover Mindy Weiss’s approach to setting a budget, choosing a theme, and sending invitations when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.