What is Documentary Wedding Photography?

There are so many styles of photography out there: traditional, vintage, fine art, editorial, cinematic, moody, alternative, the list goes on. The photojournalistic, documentary-style of wedding photography has been gaining popularity in recent years – and for really good reasons!! These images display true emotion, they are authentic and timeless, they strike a deeper chord. They make you smile or tear up, and make you relive the memory as if you’re there again.

So what is documentary photography? To me, it is the practice of capturing frames of time from a place of pure observance, allowing moments to naturally unfold without interference. It is the practice of arriving to a wedding prepared yes, but also without expectation. It is being acutely aware of what’s unfolding before me and leaving space to be pleasantly surprised. More about my core values as a documentary photographer here.

You cannot stage emotion. There is no word or cue you could ever use to capture that shot of someone bursting with laughter at a joke, or mom’s tears when putting the boutonnieres on her son. The moments captured from this mindset are un-staged, raw, and real. This style of photography allows couples to truly enjoy their day. You and your guests can relax and be yourselves. Instead of remembering being photographed, you’ll remember your wedding day as it truly happened.

That said, as a documentary photographer I believe that posed shots DO have their place at a wedding. Family formals and bride and groom portraits require more direction, and are some of the most important images of your wedding.

Let’s chat bride and groom portraits for a sec.  There is a way to capture even this with a fly-on-the-wall, photojournalistic approach!! Make the focus of these intimate 20 or so minutes all about connecting with your partner, rather than having your photo taken. Connect with each other. To keep everything feeling natural, free, and intimate, I love giving couples an activity to do. Let’s take a walk and get some fresh air, or have a drink on the patio. I’ll capture you from afar so that you can have your space and enjoy being together.

I hope you are feeling inspired, learned something new, and are more curious about documentary photography for your wedding. If this resonates, let’s connect! You can reach out to me at mary@wrennphotography.com or fill out my contact form.

Cheers!