Wedding Photography Styles: Classic to Contemporary Trends

Latest Wedding Photography Trends

April 19, 2023  |  Wedding Planning, Wedding Planning Tips
Latest Photography Trends

I used AI to write this article to make it unbiased.  Then I added my own commentary based on 25 years of wedding photography experience.

    1. Documentary Style: This style focuses on capturing candid moments and emotions, rather than posed shots. It's all about telling a story through images.  
      This has been our approach since 1999.  It's also been popular since the early 2000's but was called Photojournalism.  Candid photos may not be the one's you blow up on your wall; but they are the ones that will still make you cry 20 years later.

    2. Fine Art Photography: Fine art wedding photography involves a more artistic approach, with attention to detail and composition. The goal is to create stunning images that are more like works of art than traditional wedding photos.
      I don't feel Fine Art truly is used in wedding photography.  I think it's a fancy name to call less traditional, more creative photos.  This has also been a term used and a popular approach for at least 20 years.

    3. Minimalism: This trend is all about simplicity and elegance. The focus is on clean, uncluttered shots that highlight the beauty of the couple and their surroundings.
      I'm not quite sure what exactly this means!  I didn't know cluttered shots was ever a thing!  But I do think simplicity focused on quality technique is valuable.

    4. Dramatic Lighting: Using dramatic lighting can add depth and mood to wedding photos. This can be achieved through creative use of natural light or by incorporating artificial lighting techniques.
      This has been used by the top end photographers dating back to the film days.  It is being used more often than in the past, so I guess that qualifies as a latest trend!

    5. Unposed Poses: This is a new take on traditional posed shots. Instead of stiff, awkward poses, photographers are encouraging couples to interact naturally, capturing more genuine moments of love and affection.
      Awkward, stiff poses are the result of a bad photographer trying to force the same poses for every couple.  Every couple should be posed in a way they look their best.  However, generating more interaction is definately becoming a focus.  In our case, our second photographer is exclusively focused on capturing interaction between poses.  So this is also something we've been doing since 1999!

    6. Drone Photography: Using drones to capture aerial shots of the wedding venue and surrounding area has become increasingly popular. This adds a unique perspective to wedding photography and can create some breathtaking images.
      I have nothing against this but think it is more suited to video.

    7. Moody and dramatic edits: Darker, moody edits with deep shadows and rich colors are becoming increasingly popular.
      I am not a fan of anything that is done to the entire wedding or filters that hide the photo quality.  I am also a fan of accurately exposed photos.  I think they are more flattering to skin tones and lead to overall better quality.  Having said that, mixing in a few "Dark and Moody" or "Light and Airy" photos is perfectly fine.  But if that is the photographer's entire style, your wedding will go out of date when the trend does.

    8. Film-inspired styles: Many photographers are drawing inspiration from classic film photography, using techniques such as film grain and vintage color grading to add a nostalgic feel to their photos.
      This has been happening for a while.  What is a little newer is the return to actual film photography.

    9. Some things I've been seeing a lot that I absolutely hate is trying to mimic poor film photography.  Blurry photos and Direct Flash are becoming popular!!  Direct Flash is when you don't use off camera lights, underexpose the room and rely on your flash washing out the people's faces and causing harsh shadows and a dark background.  Both of these are things that were considered bad film photography.  I'm not sure what is nostalgic about it, but with very rare exceptions, you won't catch our photographers doing it!

It's important to keep in mind that trends come and go, and ultimately, it's up to the couple and the photographer to decide what style and approach best suits their preferences and vision for their special day.

Latest Photography Trends

I used AI to write this article to make it unbiased.  Then I added my own commentary based on 25 years of wedding photography experience.

    1. Documentary Style: This style focuses on capturing candid moments and emotions, rather than posed shots. It's all about telling a story through images.  
      This has been our approach since 1999.  It's also been popular since the early 2000's but was called Photojournalism.  Candid photos may not be the one's you blow up on your wall; but they are the ones that will still make you cry 20 years later.

    2. Fine Art Photography: Fine art wedding photography involves a more artistic approach, with attention to detail and composition. The goal is to create stunning images that are more like works of art than traditional wedding photos.
      I don't feel Fine Art truly is used in wedding photography.  I think it's a fancy name to call less traditional, more creative photos.  This has also been a term used and a popular approach for at least 20 years.

    3. Minimalism: This trend is all about simplicity and elegance. The focus is on clean, uncluttered shots that highlight the beauty of the couple and their surroundings.
      I'm not quite sure what exactly this means!  I didn't know cluttered shots was ever a thing!  But I do think simplicity focused on quality technique is valuable.

    4. Dramatic Lighting: Using dramatic lighting can add depth and mood to wedding photos. This can be achieved through creative use of natural light or by incorporating artificial lighting techniques.
      This has been used by the top end photographers dating back to the film days.  It is being used more often than in the past, so I guess that qualifies as a latest trend!

    5. Unposed Poses: This is a new take on traditional posed shots. Instead of stiff, awkward poses, photographers are encouraging couples to interact naturally, capturing more genuine moments of love and affection.
      Awkward, stiff poses are the result of a bad photographer trying to force the same poses for every couple.  Every couple should be posed in a way they look their best.  However, generating more interaction is definately becoming a focus.  In our case, our second photographer is exclusively focused on capturing interaction between poses.  So this is also something we've been doing since 1999!

    6. Drone Photography: Using drones to capture aerial shots of the wedding venue and surrounding area has become increasingly popular. This adds a unique perspective to wedding photography and can create some breathtaking images.
      I have nothing against this but think it is more suited to video.

    7. Moody and dramatic edits: Darker, moody edits with deep shadows and rich colors are becoming increasingly popular.
      I am not a fan of anything that is done to the entire wedding or filters that hide the photo quality.  I am also a fan of accurately exposed photos.  I think they are more flattering to skin tones and lead to overall better quality.  Having said that, mixing in a few "Dark and Moody" or "Light and Airy" photos is perfectly fine.  But if that is the photographer's entire style, your wedding will go out of date when the trend does.

    8. Film-inspired styles: Many photographers are drawing inspiration from classic film photography, using techniques such as film grain and vintage color grading to add a nostalgic feel to their photos.
      This has been happening for a while.  What is a little newer is the return to actual film photography.

    9. Some things I've been seeing a lot that I absolutely hate is trying to mimic poor film photography.  Blurry photos and Direct Flash are becoming popular!!  Direct Flash is when you don't use off camera lights, underexpose the room and rely on your flash washing out the people's faces and causing harsh shadows and a dark background.  Both of these are things that were considered bad film photography.  I'm not sure what is nostalgic about it, but with very rare exceptions, you won't catch our photographers doing it!

It's important to keep in mind that trends come and go, and ultimately, it's up to the couple and the photographer to decide what style and approach best suits their preferences and vision for their special day.