Is a Documentary Photographer a Good Fit for our Wedding?

I really resonate with a documentary approach to a wedding. For our wedding, we hired a documentary style photographer because I knew I didn’t want our wedding to be a photoshoot. For us, the day was about enjoying each other and our families, and the photographs just happened in the background. I wanted photographs that were a truthful representation of our day and our relationship. To not have to feel like we had to perform affection for the camera. S it made sense for our personalities and plans for the day. But, I also realize this is not a good fit for every couple.

And whether it’s a good fit depends entirely on the kind of day you want to have. Here’s a few questions to ask yourself in the wedding photographer search process:

• How much of your day do you want focused on getting your photographs taken?

• How much direction or help would you like with portraits (if you even want to have portraits)?

• How do you want to feel when you look at your photographs? Do you want to see candids of you and your cousins? Laughing with your grandmother?

• What do you hope to get out of your wedding more generally? Do you value time with friends and family? Showcasing your creativity? Being present? These priorities will influence what kinds of photographer values you may resonate with.

As you’re reflecting on your hopes for your day, here are a few indicators that a photographer that leans more documentary could be a good fit for you:

You want your photographs to feel like how your day felt

Both film (as a medium) and an approach that tends toward documentary lends itself to photographs that have a feeling to them. They may not be hyper crisp photographs of how everything looked, rather they can show you how the day felt. It’s photographs that have a bit of motion and imperfection, maybe a mid-laugh, or running kids, or a handshake. Photographs that are unexpected that really reflect the honesty of your day - that’s what I love about a wedding.

You don’t want to spend lots of time away from your party

Photographers that tend to lean documentary often still take portraits of the two of you and your family (if this is something you want). The level of direction varies from photographer to photographer, each of whom has their own approach to portraits. Some couples want a lot of guidance and posing help, and that’s completely fair. Others still want to look good, but don’t want to be overly posed or directed. The later often where documentary photographers fall. There’s less emphasis on formal photographs that involve spending hours away from your guests.

But, it’s important to focus less on the terminology (documentary, editorial, etc.) and just talk to your potential photographer about how they approach portraits. For me, I like to carve two 10 minute windows of time for portraits. Maybe we’ll go for a little walk to get away from the crowd, find some nice lighting, and just focus on connection. Perhaps before or right after the ceremony, and later at sunset when dinner is finishing up and you need to recharge your social battery. We’ll make sure you have images of the two of you that you and your parents will want, but in a way that feels true to you.

You’re planning an intimate or non-traditional wedding

If you want candid photographs at your wedding, there needs to be time for those moments to happen. Time for ease & time to catch up with guests in a way that doesn’t feel like a checklist. A documentary approach tends to work best when there is space for real life to happen. Simplified timelines focused on intimate gatherings. A day built around an experience, rather than a performance.

You’re comfortable with a little imperfection and mess

Because documentary photography is focused less on posing, and more on letting things naturally unfold, there is an unexpectedness to what can result. And often this comes down to curating the final gallery. Do you want to see the photographs that are maybe a little bit messy but are an honest reflection of your wedding? Wind catching your hair, someone snort laughing, guests getting really into the dancing. If you like this imperfection of real life - the blur, emotion - documentary photography may be a good fit.

You value presence

Couples often tell me during a client call that they ultimately want to be present at their wedding. In their everyday lives, they may be the type to worry about the time and the plans. But on their wedding, they want to let go of control and really enjoy the day that they planned. This is a dream as your photographer.

If you want documentary photography, you likely also want a day without a rigid timeline or a shot list. Documentary photography is all about observing what is happening, we’re not working from a shot list or checklist or flatlays or scenes. For me, I’m more interested in the real human connection that happens at a wedding and the stories that come through. I’m not the type to have you redo putting on the wedding dress or recreate real-life moments that already happened. That pulls you out of your actual wedding day.

Remember, you’re hiring someone not just for their photographs, but for their personality & values

It’s important to clarify that there’s always a spectrum when it comes to photography styles and approaches. Every photographer is different - and thats what makes this industry so cool (but also kinda overwhelming for couples deep in the wedding vendor search). Rather than focusing just on terms (e.g., documentary, candid, editorial, cinematic, etc.), it’s important to really get to know how your potential photographer approaches the day. Do they do any directing or help with portraits? How do they handle family photographs? What are their values when it comes to how photography fits into a wedding? Ultimately, you want to like your wedding photographers photos, but you will be spending a lot of time with that person on your day. You want to actually like them as a person - for their personality, values, energy. Someone who will be in your corner, who you can 100% trust.

If my approach resonates with what you want our of your wedding, I would love to hear what you have planned.