Wedding Photojournalism - Current Photography Trend

To truly understand the art of Wedding Photojournalism, it is important to have a good idea of what Photojournalism really is.

Photojournalism is a process in which the photographer collects edits and publishes images that tell a story. There are a number of distinctive characteristics which set this style apart from others. First, the pictures are laid out in a chronological timeline; secondly they are an objective representation of what really transpired capturing the heartbeat of the story and finally the photos come together to provide a narrative that tells the viewers what actually transpired. Rather than asking the subjects to pose for photographs, a photojournalist is always ready to spring into action. This creates a more vivid representation of the story where subjects are seen in a more natural light providing for a much more lively result.

Photojournalism's Brief History

Photojournalism became popular in the middle of the twentieth century, when publications such as Life, Sports Illustrated and The Daily Graphic began using this style on their pages. Photojournalism became more and more progressive as photographic technology improved and became more mobile. No longer do photojournalists need to log around rolls of film and uncomfortable lighting equipment; digital cameras provide all this and much more. This new technology enabled the photographer to do what they do best: capture the stories of their subjects and tell them in photographs.

Wedding photojournalism is very much like its older sibling. Perfected by Dennis Reggie, who is considered by many as the father of wedding photojournalism, the style has taken the industry by storm. This new and exciting way of capturing changed the rules of wedding photography dramatically: no longer do couples go through boring checklists of poses at their weddings; gone are the days of the wedding ceremony having to come to an abrupt stop, just because it is time to pose for photos. Wedding photojournalists records every shot as they happen without directed posing, or extra lighting setup. By constantly watching the wedding and taking natural photos of what is transpiring, wedding photojournlists are able to put the natural emotion and the feel of the wedding event into every shot.

Wedding Photojournalism's Strength

While flipping through a typical photojouranlistic wedding album, the newly weds will never feel like they are seening similiar photos from their friends' albums. Their day is captured as it unfolds. The story of their wedding is laid out before their eyes in an artistic and documentary fashion.Wedding photojournalism provides all the great benefits while being less time consuming, and accomplishes capturing without disturbing the flow of the wedding.

Wedding Photojournalism gained much popularity due to the increasing pictorial exposures in today's popular bride's magazines such as Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Modern Bride, and Town & Country. This trend enables brides to go through photographs and have a rough idea of the images they are most interested in.

Wedding Photojournalism's Weakness

While wedding photojournalism certainly has more variety than Traditional wedding photography, there are certain weaknesses to this approach. One of the major drawback is lack of control. In addition, wedding couples may want a specific lighting or a series of poses they want photographed. The quality of photojournalistic photos are commonly lower due to the absence of professional environment setup and lighting preparation.

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