The earliest wedding photographs were
always shot in a controlled environment. The newly weds would attend
a session at the photographers studio. Often, they did not even wear
their wedding gowns, but instead were their best clothes. The photographer
would coach and position the couple to achieve the most complementary
and favorable poses and create the best images where lighting, dress,
shadow and mood was accentually all created by the work of the studio.
As technology advanced, the game changed. With better equipment it was
possible to achieve the above results during the wedding. The photographer
could now set up their equipment in the field and take part in the wedding.
Although the images are shot on location, traditional wedding photography
dictates a large degree of the involvement of the photographer in the
wedding. He/she still positions the subjects, be it the newly weds or
the guests. The photographer picks the spots where the pictures will
be taken, thus being able to control the environment and manipulate the
lighting, poses and mood of the photographs.
Traditional Wedding Photography's
Strength
The results are often astonishing. The pictures look
flawless, and the subjects are shown in the best possible light. The
quality of the photographs is top notch, and while the time it takes
to set up often interferes with the wedding the results are worth it
for some. After all, even the best photojournalist can not boast being
able to position every part of their photo in a favorable light. From
hand gestures, to facial expressions, being able to tell your subjects
what you are looking for yields results.
Traditional Wedding Photography's Weakness
Unfortunately
the traditional photography approach often becomes a hassle and halts
the flow of the wedding; further the mood of the event is often lost
in the pictures that do not really tell the story of the day. Many Traditional
photographers counter this problem by mixing in some photojournalistic
techniques to achiever a symphony of both styles. |