Which Wedding Photography Style Is Right for You? | Perth Wedding Photographer

If you have started looking for a Perth wedding photographer, you have probably discovered that there are a LOT of different photography styles out there.

Editorial. Documentary. Candid. Lifestyle. Traditional. Fine art. Natural. Storytelling.

And then there are the photographers who seem to have invented their own version of all of the above.

So how are you supposed to know what any of it actually means, and more importantly, what is going to be right for you?

The good news is that you probably do not need to choose one particular style and stick with it for your entire wedding day.

In reality, a great wedding photographer needs to be able to do a bit of everything.

Your wedding is going to move quickly, the light will change, the weather may do something completely unexpected and there will be moments happening all over the place. Your photographer needs to be able to recognise what is happening, know when to guide you and know when to simply stand back and let the moment happen.

And that is where I think experience really matters.

So, what are the different styles of wedding photography?

Editorial wedding photography

Editorial wedding photography is probably the most posed and carefully constructed style you will come across.

It is influenced by fashion and magazine photography and usually involves quite a lot of direction from the photographer. The photographer is thinking about every part of the image, including your posture, the position of your hands, the angle of your hips, the placement of your feet, your head position, your expression, the way your dress is sitting and how the light is falling across you.

When it is done well, it can be absolutely beautiful.

If you love the idea of looking like you have stepped out of a fashion magazine and you enjoy being photographed, this may be exactly what you are looking for.

The important thing is knowing that this style generally involves more time being directed and posed.

For couples who would rather spend more of their wedding day actually enjoying themselves, it may not be the right fit.

Documentary wedding photography

At the other end of the scale is documentary photography.

This is much more about observing than directing.

The photographer is watching what is happening and capturing moments as they naturally unfold. There is very little interference, which can create incredibly honest and emotional photographs.

It is the nervous excitement while you are getting ready, your dad seeing you for the first time, your mum wiping away a tear, your friends laughing during the speeches or your partner looking at you when they think you are not watching.

There is something incredibly special about photographs like these because nobody had to create the moment.

It simply happened.

The downside is that if a photographer takes a completely hands off approach, you may not get the same level of direction when it comes to your portraits or family photographs.

And there are some photographs you really do not want to leave to chance.

Traditional wedding photography

Traditional wedding photography is the part of your wedding gallery that makes sure you have the important people photographed together.

Your immediate family, grandparents, bridal party and the combinations that you know you will want to have years from now.

These photographs are often more posed and organised, and there is a very good reason for that.

Your family is not going to naturally arrange themselves into a beautiful photograph.

Someone will be missing, someone will be looking at the wrong camera and someone will almost certainly have wandered off just when you need them.

A good wedding photographer knows how to organise these photographs quickly and efficiently so you get the images you want without spending your entire afternoon doing family photos.

Lifestyle wedding photography

Lifestyle photography is a little more relaxed.

There is still direction, but the aim is to make the photographs feel natural rather than heavily posed.

Instead of creating a very specific pose, your photographer might encourage you to interact with each other, walk together, have a conversation or simply enjoy being together while they work around you.

This can create photographs that feel spontaneous while still benefiting from the photographer’s understanding of light, composition and positioning.

And for many couples, this is a really comfortable middle ground.

So which style is best?

Honestly, I do not think there is one answer.

The best wedding photography is usually a combination of styles.

Your wedding day needs different things at different times.

When you are getting ready, there may be beautiful documentary moments happening without any direction at all.

During your family photographs, you need someone who can take control and organise everyone.

During your couple portraits, you may want a little more guidance so you look relaxed, connected and comfortable rather than wondering what you are supposed to do with your hands.

And during your reception, you want your photographer watching for the moments that happen naturally, rather than constantly interrupting them.

That ability to move between approaches is incredibly important.

Your wedding should still feel like your wedding

This is probably the biggest thing I want couples to think about when choosing their Perth wedding photographer.

Do you want to spend a large part of your wedding day creating photographs?

Or do you want your photographs to document the wedding you are actually having?

There is a difference.

I love creating beautiful portraits of my couples. I want you to have photographs where you look amazing and where the light, composition and setting all come together.

But I also want you to remember laughing with your friends, hugging your mum, your dad’s reaction, the chaos with your bridal party, the stories your grandparents told you and the things that happened when nobody realised I was standing there with a camera.

I do not want your wedding photography to take over your wedding.

I want it to fit into it.

This is where my style comes in

My approach to wedding photography is a combination of natural moments, genuine emotion, beautiful portraits and gentle direction when it is needed.

I am not a completely hands off photographer who simply watches everything happen.

But I am also not going to spend your entire portrait session moving your hands, feet, hips and head into a very specific position for every photograph.

There is a happy middle ground.

I will give you enough direction to make you feel comfortable and make sure you look great, particularly if you are someone who tells me you are terrible in front of the camera.

And yes, most people say that.

Then I will step back and let you enjoy each other.

I want your portraits to feel like you are together, rather than like you are performing for a camera.

I want movement, connection and genuine expressions.

I want beautiful light and good composition.

But I also want the photographs to have life in them.

I am not interested in filling your gallery with fluff

One of my couples recently made me laugh when they told me about their search for a wedding photographer.

They had looked through countless websites and portfolios and said:

“Why are there so many pictures of bride/groom shoes on the internet?!”

I completely understood what they meant.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with photographing shoes, jewellery, invitations, flowers and all the beautiful details you have spent months choosing. I will to a degree. It will all be documented. I wont spend hours doing so.

For some couples, those details are really important and they absolutely want them documented.

But they are not the reason I photograph weddings.

People are.

The relationships.

The emotion.

The atmosphere.

The little moments.

The things that happen once the wedding day is actually underway.

That couple told me they wanted their wedding photographs to feel elegant and stylish, but not overly avant garde or minimalist.

They wanted them to feel real and present.

That is exactly the kind of wedding photography I love creating.

Experience means knowing when to step in

One of the things you gain after photographing hundreds of weddings is an ability to see problems before they become problems.

At one recent winter wedding, the signing table had been positioned in a spot where the light was not ideal and rain was starting to blow in.

It was not a dramatic situation, but it was not going to make the couple particularly comfortable either, especially when they were about to sit down and sign their marriage paperwork.

So I suggested moving the table.

It was a small decision, but it made sense.

The couple were protected from the rain, the paperwork was protected from getting wet and the signing could continue without turning into another thing for them to worry about.

That is part of my job too.

Wedding photography is not just about what happens in front of my camera.

It is about paying attention to what is happening around it.

I am watching the light, the weather, the people, the timeline and what is coming next.

Sometimes that means quietly moving something.

Sometimes it means giving you a little direction.

Sometimes it means getting completely out of the way.

Knowing which one to do comes with experience.

My couples’ experience matters just as much as the photographs

That same couple went on to say in their review that I was able to move between photographing meaningful moments in the background and stepping in to redirect people and furniture when needed.

They also mentioned how quickly I adapted to the heavy rain that came and went throughout their wedding day.

And that is probably one of the best descriptions of how I work.

I want you to have beautiful photographs, but I also want you to have a good time with me.

You should not feel like you have hired someone who is constantly telling you what to do.

You should feel like you have someone experienced beside you who knows when you need guidance and when you simply need to be left alone to enjoy your wedding.

Why 25 plus years of experience matters

I have been photographing weddings for more than 25 years.

That means I have seen a lot.

Beautiful weather and terrible weather.

Tiny intimate weddings and much larger celebrations.

Nervous couples and couples who are completely comfortable in front of a camera.

Family dynamics.

Last minute changes.

Late ceremonies.

Early ceremonies.

Venues changing plans.

Rain arriving at exactly the wrong time.

And plenty of couples who started the day telling me they were going to be awkward in photographs and ended up loving their portraits.

Experience does not mean that every wedding gets photographed the same way.

It means I know how to adapt.

I know when there is time to create something beautiful and when we need to move quickly.

I know when a moment needs direction and when directing it would ruin it.

I know how to work with different personalities and family groups.

I know how quickly Perth light can change.

And perhaps most importantly, I know that your wedding day is not about me getting the perfect photograph.

It is about you having a fantastic wedding and me making sure you have beautiful photographs to remember it.

Longevity in the wedding industry matters too

There are a lot of wedding photographers in Perth, and there are plenty of talented newer photographers too.

Being in the industry for a long time does not automatically make somebody better.

But there is something to be said for longevity.

To photograph weddings year after year, you have to continually adapt.

You have to keep learning.

You have to keep your business going.

You have to maintain relationships with couples and other wedding vendors.

You have to deal with changing technology, changing trends, changing expectations and every possible version of a wedding day.

And after 25 plus years, I am still here photographing weddings.

That means something to me.

I think it says a lot about the relationships I have built, the trust couples have placed in me and the fact that I still genuinely love what I do.

Choosing your Perth wedding photographer

When you are looking for a Perth wedding photographer, I think the best thing you can do is look beyond the labels.

Do not just decide that you want “documentary” or “editorial” photography because you have seen those words online.

Look at complete wedding galleries.

Look at how the photographer captures people.

Look at the family photographs.

Look at the reception.

Look at the photographs where nobody is looking at the camera.

Look at the couple portraits.

Look at the colour and how the photographs make you feel.

Most importantly, ask yourself whether you can imagine yourself in those photographs.

Because your wedding gallery should not simply be a collection of technically beautiful images.

It should feel like your wedding.

Your people.

Your personalities.

Your relationships.

Your laughter.

Your tears.

Your chaos.

Your beautiful moments.

And all the little things you did not even realise were happening.

My style is about remembering how it felt

This is really what it comes down to for me.

I want to give my couples beautiful photographs with natural colour that show their wedding as it actually was.

I want the photographs to be timeless without feeling boring.

Natural without being unflattering.

Romantic without being overly staged.

Beautiful without losing the reality of the day.

I want to photograph the big moments, but I also want to photograph everything happening around them.

Because years from now, you might not remember exactly what song was playing when your friends were dancing, or what your dad said during the speeches, or who made you laugh while you were getting ready.

But when you see the photograph, you will remember.

And that is why I love wedding photography.

Not because I get to take pretty pictures.

Because I get to give people their memories back.

If you are looking for a Perth wedding photographer who will give you beautiful, natural and timeless photographs while still letting you enjoy your wedding day, that is exactly what I am here to do.