Capturing Moments | My Style & Approach

I love love.  It's one of the main reasons I became a wedding photographer.  I see the spark between two people and cannot wait to document it, whether it be at their engagement session or on their wedding day.  When people ask me to describe my photographic style, I tell them it's a mix between photojournalism and fine art, allowing me to capture genuine, organic moments that unfold naturally.  I spend about 85% of the day shooting photojournalistically, and about 15% of the day shooting posed portraits (usually with the wedding couple and formal portrait sessions) and carefully staged details.  These parts of the day are lightly posed and are designed to allow for genuine emotion and interaction between the wedding couple, family and friends.

What is Wedding Photojournalism?

Photojournalism is the job or activity of using photographs to tell a story.  As a photographer, I am a visual storyteller.  With my wedding photojournalistic style and approach, I capture moments and details of your day to tell your complete wedding and love story.  I document everything from all of the little details (I'm totally obsessed with wedding details (rings, flowers, invitations, decor, etc.), but that's a post for another day!) to the biggest and tiniest of moments on your wedding day.  I capture all of the emotions that come with a wedding day, not only from you, but from your loved ones as well.  I look for the tears of joy from your mom when she sees you in your wedding dress, your laughter during toasts and speeches, and the soft kisses shared between you and your new husband or wife.  These are all fleeting moments in time, but can be forever remembered in your wedding photographs.

Family formal and bridal party formal photographs make up about 10% of the day that is posed.  Since formal photographs usually seem to be everyone's least favorite part of the day, I organize the formal sessions to go smooth and swiftly, as not only to use our time together wisely, but also to make it as painless as possible for everyone involved.  The last 5% of the posed photography takes place during the portraits of the wedding couple.  I use the term posed lightly, as the "poses" are designed to allow for natural movement, emotion and smiles.  During this time, I may ask, "George, what is going to make Christina the best wife?" or "Nicole, what are you looking forward to most about marriage?".  The answers often result in genuine laughter, making for beautiful smiles from you, the newlyweds.  I may even step back and use a longer lens, allowing you two to soak up the fact that you're finally married!

Incorporating my love for photojournalism and fine art photography into my clients' wedding days has allowed me to create a blended style that, I believe, includes the best of both worlds!  By combining my passion for capturing love and life candidly with my attention to detail, your love story will be preserved in photographs for you and future generations to look back on.  

If you liked this post, be sure to read about The Shaina Lee Bride!