What is documentary style wedding photography?
Documentary style wedding photography honors your experience by taking a candid, photojournalistic approach to capturing your moments as they naturally unfold, free from the hassle of being constantly posed.
By remaining unobtrusive and observant, we look for the extraordinary in the ordinary and capture the intimacy and energy of your wedding day with minimal interference so you can stay IN the moment.
Documentary style wedding photography prioritizes real and unscripted moments, so you can fully immerse yourself in the magic of your experience and trust that you will have incredible photos to tell the tale.
What makes documentary style wedding photography different?
We're always looking for candid moments.
Our skills lie in our ability to read the situation, anticipate what’s about to happen, and position ourselves to capture the spontaneity of a moment before it unfolds. Not every photographer has the keen eye or instinct needed to capture these truly meaningful moments without interruption in the way a documentary style wedding photographer can.
Building these skills takes practice and experience, knowing that our greatest asset — beyond our cameras — is our trained eye and understanding of what makes a compelling image. It’s about recognizing storytelling moments, crafting artful layers, and aligning every detail within a frame to create perfection, all of which happens in a matter of seconds.
We use storytelling to show the meaning behind the moments
Our approach is all about creating a cohesive, visual narrative that captures the essence of your day through all of your most meaningful moments, without interrupting its flow. Most wedding photographers say that they capture “moments of your day,” but documentary style wedding photographers excel at capturing the feeling behind those moments. Sometimes photographers emphasize capturing the moments of your day, only for you to realize that they actually end up curating or recreating them.
We focus not only on the big events but also the subtle ones. Heartfelt moments like wiping away tears as you speak heart-to-heart with your partner during your vows and playful moments like catching your nephew with his finger in the cake before you had a chance to cut it. And let’s not forget about moments like grandma doing a split on the dance floor and wowing everyone, even her own daughter!
Documentary style wedding images tell a one-of-a-kind story that reflects the true essence of your experience.
Enough with fake smiles, we’re looking for the REAL emotion
These moments aren’t staged or curated; they happen organically, and the photographer is there to capture them exactly as they are. This helps convey the emotional depth of your day in a way that feels authentic and unpolished, in the way you truly experienced them.
When you’re having fun and enjoying yourselves, that’s when the energy and emotion really shines through in your photos—and that’s what documentary style wedding photographers love to capture most.
We don't make your wedding feel like an all-day photoshoot
In true documentary style fashion, we know how to blend into the background, seamlessly integrating with the environment. Certainly, there’s a brief adjustment period where you might feel hyper-aware that your photographer is lingering in your space, but as the day picks up we’re hardly noticed. We try to observe and document the wedding day as organically as possible.
For us, it’s crucial that your wedding day doesn’t feel like an all-day, curated photoshoot. In fact, it would work against our documentary style if photography felt intrusive in any way. Our goal is for you to be completely present, so you can immerse yourself in the experience and meet the moments you’ve been waiting for.
That’s why our top priority is that you get to fully enjoy yourselves, no matter what. You work too hard planning and creating this day to miss out on the experience.
With minimal interference, your photographer is better positioned to capture candid and spontaneous moments that would be lost in a more directed setting. That said, we don’t leave you high and dry if you need us! If we do need to interject ourselves to help with portraits or locations, we’re always available to help direct and guide you and your guests as needed.
Do documentary style wedding photographers take portraits?
Yes, even documentary style wedding photographers coordinate posed couples’ portraits and group portraits.
While our primary focus is on capturing candid, natural moments throughout the day, we understand that most couples still want formal portraits with each other, family and wedding party members.
Your wedding day is a rare moment in time where all of your people come together in the same place, so of course you want portraits with them!
While documentary style emphasizes spontaneity and candidness, posed portraits are still an important part of wedding day coverage.
traditional VS documentary style wedding photography
In traditional wedding photography, there is a heavy emphasis on control to create perfectly composed, shots even interrupting moments to curate them. Poses are carefully arranged, and the photographer gives direct guidance on positioning and expressions to achieve a certain look.
Documentary style wedding photography, on the other hand, prioritizes capturing authentic, unscripted moments in a way that’s much more organic. The photographer blends into the background, observing and anticipating real emotions and interactions as they naturally unfold. Rather than directing or staging scenes, this approach tells a story through candid images that showcase genuine laughter, tears, and intimate moments. While most of the day is shot in a raw and spontaneous manner, there’s still room for relaxed portraits, although these tend to feel more natural and laid back compared to the traditional style.
benefits of documentary style wedding photography
In traditional wedding photography, there is a heavy emphasis on control to create perfectly composed, shots even interrupting moments to curate them. Poses are carefully arranged, and the photographer gives direct guidance on positioning and expressions to achieve a certain look.
Documentary style wedding photography, on the other hand, prioritizes capturing authentic, unscripted moments in a way that’s much more organic. The photographer blends into the background, observing and anticipating real emotions and interactions as they naturally unfold. Rather than directing or staging scenes, this approach tells a story through candid images that showcase genuine laughter, tears, and intimate moments. While most of the day is shot in a raw and spontaneous manner, there’s still room for relaxed portraits, although these tend to feel more natural and laid back compared to the traditional style.
What makes documentary style wedding photography a good fit for an engaged couple?
Documentary style wedding photography is ideal for couples who prefer a laid-back experience, without the pressure of constant posing or direction.
This style is also perfect for those who want to remember their wedding as it truly happened, capturing the raw emotion, tears, and intimate interactions between them and their guests. If you want your wedding album to feel like a natural story with genuine emotion, rather than a series of formal, stiffly-posed images, documentary style photography may be the best choice for you.
Without the pressure to stop for staged shots, couples have more time to enjoy what they have worked so hard to create while trusting the photographer to do their job and document their day.
Let’s be honest, you’ve worked way too hard for way too long to pull together this celebration of a lifetime. Can you imagine if your whole day felt like an exhausting photoshoot?! You should get to enjoy it and let your photographer do what they do best!
What makes “documentary style” photography different from documentary photography?
In short, documentary style wedding photography can include posed elements like portraits, while documentary photography sticks strictly to capturing candid, undirected moments.
Documentary style wedding photography is flexible enough to accommodate requests for certain shots or moments that require direction. There’s still an emphasis on capturing genuine moments, but the photographer interacts and guides people as needed.
True documentary wedding photography takes a purist approach, where the photographer captures the entire day without any interference or posing. They document the wedding as a photojournalist would, focusing solely on the natural flow of events without staging or directing any moments.
What should I expect from a documentary wedding photographer on the wedding day?
You can expect them to blend in seamlessly, allowing events to unfold organically while they document authentic interactions. Their primary goal is to tell the complete story of your day—from preparation to celebration—through spontaneous and meaningful images. While there is generally still scheduled time for newlywed or group portraits, these are typically relaxed situations, ensuring the overall focus remains on the genuine experience of the day.
How many photos does a documentary style wedding photographer take?
The number of photos a documentary style wedding photographer takes can vary based on several factors, including the length of the wedding, the photographer’s shooting style, and the level of activity throughout the day. On average, a documentary style photographer may take anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 photos during a full-day wedding, depending on how much coverage is requested. If you have two photographers, this number can double.
From there, the photographer will typically curate and deliver 500 to 900 edited images. These final photos will tell the complete story of the day, capturing both key moments and smaller, intimate details. The exact number will depend on the specific photographer and the unique flow of your wedding.
What should I do to prepare for documentary style wedding photos?
To prepare for documentary style wedding photos, the most important thing you can do is focus on enjoying your day and being fully present in the moment. Here are a few tips to help ensure you get the best results from your photographer.
Communicate your priorities
Share any specific moments or details you want captured with your photographer ahead of time. While they will focus on documenting the day naturally, knowing what’s important to you helps them be more attuned to key moments.
Trust your photographer
Documentary style photographers thrive when they can move around freely and capture moments as they happen. Trusting their process allows them to focus on creating authentic images without needing much direction from you.
Keep your schedule flexible
A documentary photographer captures spontaneous moments, so having a flexible timeline allows them to catch more organic moments. Leave room for unplanned interactions to unfold naturally.
Embrace the experience
Since this style focuses on genuine emotions, interactions, and atmosphere, simply enjoying your wedding day, engaging with guests, and being in the moment will result in the best photos. Forget about the camera and let things happen as they would naturally.
Plan for key posed shots
If you want formal photos (which most couples do), schedule time for them, but keep in mind that your photographer will still aim to keep these sessions relaxed and easy going.
Don't forget:
By staying relaxed, trusting your photographer, and being present throughout the day, you’ll help create the perfect conditions for authentic documentary style wedding photos!
