Did you know that there are different types of wedding photography?
Wedding photography is a photographic genre that encompasses many styles, from traditional portraits to more conceptual editorial portraits, from photojournalism to lifestyle.
As you can imagine, wedding photography follows different trends. In this article, I’ll tell you which are the most popular styles of this year.
Whether you’re a couple getting married or a photographer looking to specialize in weddings, you’ll find this a useful guide to get started.
10 Popular Wedding Photography Styles in 2024
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Before your engagement, you probably thought that wedding photography was a single genre.
However, as you start looking for your photographer, you’ll come to realize that there are many different wedding photography styles.
Finding the right style and photographer for you can be challenging.
First of all, know that photographers may offer more than one style. For example, they might capture the event with a journalistic style, but they include an editorial photo session just for the couple or lifestyle portraits with the wedding party.
So, don’t panic. The first thing to do is to know all the possibilities.
Below, I’ll give you a summary of the most popular wedding photography styles.
A good exercise is to create photo albums of the different styles on Pinterest or Instagram. Then, browse wedding photos and save the ones you like in the corresponding albums.
In the end, you’ll see that some albums have more photos than others. This will help you to realize your preferences.
Then, you can look for photographers in your area and your budget corresponding to those wedding photography styles.
Now it’s time to contact them. It’s useful to see their portfolio and ask to see entire wedding albums they’ve done.
Have a meeting with them so you can discuss your expectations and ask any questions you have. Then, you’ll be sure you’re getting the wedding photographer that’s more suited for you.
You might also want to take a look at Shotkit’s list of the top wedding photographers.
1. Reportage Wedding Photography
Credit: Hong Son
Reportage or photojournalistic style is one of the most popular styles of wedding photography.
This style is candid and unposed: the photographer is more of a fly on the wall, capturing the action without intervening.
Since this style lets things flow naturally, you’re more likely to capture authentic emotions on camera.
Wedding photographers who use this approach know when to be attentive so they don’t miss anything important. At the same time, they recognize the candid moments that help tell the story of this important day.
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Photojournalistic wedding photography is ideal for the bride and groom who don’t want the flow of the party to be interrupted. It’s also perfect for those who are camera-shy.
2. Classic Wedding Photography (Traditional)
Credit: Carsten Vollrath
Traditional wedding photography style refers to classic portraits of the couple, the families, and the wedding party.
The good thing about the traditional style is that it always ages well – you won’t be looking back at your wedding photos wondering what you were thinking.
Another plus about it is that you can be sure that everyone will be in the pictures. In a reportage style, some guests who are shy or low-key may not capture the attention of the photographer.
Instead, traditional photographers organize the guests in groups so no one will be missing.
If you think that going with classic family portraits can be boring, think again. The right photographer will find the right poses and ideas to capture your wedding day in a way that lets your personality shine.
3. Lifestyle Wedding Photography
Credit: X L
If you’re undecided between candid photography and posed photos, then lifestyle photography is for you.
For lifestyle pictures, the photographer does give you some guidance – so you’ll be perfectly aware that your photo is being taken.
However, unlike traditional wedding photography, they won’t pose you for classic images. The idea is to capture casual-looking photos that were actually planned and curated.
Many photographers prefer to use prompts or suggest activities instead of posing you. This way, you’ll look more relaxed, and the photos will be more authentic.
I’m sure you’ll absolutely love this wedding photography style in your photo album.
4. Fine Art Wedding Photography
Credit: Samet Korkmaz
Fine art style is very hard to define – it has to do with the concept behind the pictures, the preparation, the post-production, etc.
They’re more artistic photos than the average wedding pictures. In the end, what you’ll get is a visual masterpiece.
Each fine art wedding photographer will have their own unique style – which is why it’s very important that you see the work of the potential photographers and understand their ideas.
Fine art photography is usually quite expensive because you’re not just paying for the photographer’s time and work, but also for their creative view.
5. Editorial Wedding Photography
Credit: Misha Earle
Choosing editorial wedding photos is like having your own magazine photoshoot.
This style isn’t for everyone, as it involves a bigger production, posed photos, and a different type of photographer. However, this will surely create stunning images.
As with fine art photography, the unique style of the photographer is particularly important. In fact, you probably won’t be working with a wedding photographer but a portrait one that specializes in this photography style.
In this case, you may want to hire another photographer focused on event photography to capture the wedding day in more detail.
6. Vintage Wedding Photography
Credit: Tran Long
Even if it sounds contradictory, vintage-style wedding photography is very trendy right now. Expect to see plenty of couples embracing this in 2024.
Usually, people choose vintage as a wedding photography style because that’s an underlying theme on the wedding day.
So, they probably rented a classic car to arrive; the wedding dress has a vintage or boho style, and so on. All these things contribute to the retro feel of the wedding photos.
For a vintage wedding photo style, most photographers use a film camera or a Polaroid. This can get a bit expensive or limit the number of photos.
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So, if film photography is not for you, find a photographer who has a vintage editing style.
7. Aerial Wedding Photography Style
Credit: Ufuk Akyuz
Aerial photography will give you a bird’s eye view of the location and the event.
This unusual perspective usually complements other photography styles, as you’ll rarely have an entire photo album with aerial pictures.
Many wedding photographers today offer drone services as an add-on to their base packages.
If you’re getting married outside, this is one of the most popular wedding photography styles – and the trend is only growing as drone technology advances.
As well as outdoors, some indoor locations also work well – for example, if the venue has a majestic stairwell or simply to capture the ceremony exit.
8. Dramatic Wedding Photography
Credit: Yndira Dejesús (left) / Jonathan Borba (right)
A dramatic photography style is very impactful. It usually has very deep shadows and high contrast. It’s also about creating an atmosphere and communicating emotions.
Many photographers like to use black and white for this style of wedding photography. However, this isn’t a rule.
If it’s color photography, the colors will be intense and saturated. This is a great approach for outdoor weddings as you can do landscape photography with a very dramatic sky and pose the bride and groom in the foreground.
If you think that capturing the entire wedding ceremony with this style is too much, you can choose to have only the photo session in this particular style.
9. Dark and Moody Style
Credit: Jonathan Borba
The dark and moody wedding photography style has more to do with the aesthetic of the photos than with the approach to capturing the wedding.
It can be done with artificial or natural light, but it requires dark shadows – so it’s usually used indoors or at night.
The moody, dark atmosphere of this style of wedding photography is enhanced with photo filters or a specific type of editing. Usually, it’s done with warm brown tones.
The colors of dark and moody photos are vibrant and saturated. It works well with different styles like lifestyle or documentary wedding photography.
10. Light and Airy Style
Credit: Nguyen Van Minh Vuong
Light and airy is the wedding photography style that opposes the dark and moody.
Here, the photos are quite bright, and the colors are usually soft, or even pastel.
Generally speaking, it works better for daytime outdoor weddings. However, it’s also done indoors. Aside from the shoot itself, this look is enhanced with different editing styles.
Most couples that opt for this type of wedding photo enjoy its romantic vibe. It’s often used in outdoor locations during the golden hours. It may also be done indoors with window light or artificial lights as long as they’re soft.
This is complemented by soft colors in the decoration and outfits. This type of look works very well with traditional wedding photography styles but also with candid photos.
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