Getting the Most From Your Documentary Wedding Photography
Documentary Wedding Photography Advice & Tips!
Over the last 20 years the interest in documentary wedding photography has been steadily growing in popularity. Regardless of the rise in popularity, this type of wedding photography still only makes up about 30% of the wedding photography market.
Unlike traditional wedding photographers, we work with you from start to finish to ensure that the heart and soul of your Big Day is captured in an informal and unobtrusive way. Documentary wedding photography celebrates all aspects of this important event so that you end up with the most natural and authentic photos – not staged and directed interpretations of how your day “should” have been.
As many of our clients want documentary wedding photography but have never worked with a documentary wedding photographer before, we thought we would give you a few helpful pointers so you can get the most out of your wedding photography!
Get To Know Us
It’s super important that we are able to blend in with your friends and family on your wedding day. Being part of your environment means that your guests relax and act naturally, whilst we’re busy taking awesome photos throughout the day. Most of our clients feel more comfortable when they get to know us on a personal level. We like to keep it real and to be ourselves, so that everyone feels completely relaxed around us.
Please feel free to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (ZombieChessClub) to get to know us a little bit better.
Warning: You may be subjected to a lot of photos of cats, food and running, as well as shameless photos of our son. If you’re brave enough to follow me on Snapchat (ZombieChessClub) you can look forward to many lip-synced serenades to bad 80’s music!
Lead The Way
If you want great natural and unposed shots of your guests you’ll have to be prepared to lead by example. Once your guests see you behaving naturally for the camera they will happily follow suit. Documentary wedding photography captures real moments as they happen so if you’d love to have photos of your guests being fabulously wild and silly lead the way, and they’ll follow!
Be Upfront And Honest
Let your friends and family know the score. Most of your guests will never have worked with a documentary wedding photographer before, so they will naturally assume we work in a traditional fashion. When your guests see the camera they are likely to stop whatever they’re doing, in order to smile and pose in a staged way. Once your guests know that they have your permission to chill and be real, they’ll be perfectly happy to cooperate.
We suggest sending an email to the wedding party key players (bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, siblings) to let them know that you want informal and natural photos. Tell them they don’t need to avoid us, or the camera, or do anything special because we are there (such as turn and smile). Everyone should just treat us as though we are there without any cameras present.
Trust In Us
We are there to capture your wedding in a genuine, authentic and fun way. Just as you go to the hairdresser’s, and you close your eyes and let her work her magic, you should just relax and let us work ours. Put your trust in us to capture all the laughs, smiles and bunny ear photo bombs as they naturally happen. In return we will reward your faith with an excellent visual story of your special day.
If you spend the day directing us, or worrying about what we are doing, this stress and concern will become part of that story, and will show on your face and in your body language. Relax and enjoy the experience, and let us take care of everything else.
Check out our portfolio for some cool and amazing ideas for your special day.
Do you have any questions about working with us or would you like to chat about getting some fun, exciting photos of your awesome wedding? Well just get in touch and we will have a chat!
(Snapchat Me by using my Snapcode!)
