Wedding planning tips - 7 Reasons You Should Choose A Documentary Wedding Photographer

This week I have the honour to feature Tom Beynon guest blog about hiring a documentary wedding photography.

Enjoy!

 

 

Have you thought about choosing a Documentary wedding photographer?

 

When planning a wedding there seems to be a never-ending list of choices to make: the right venue, the right dress, the right suits, the right flowers, the list goes on.

 

And high up on every couple’s to-do list is finding the right photographer for you.

 

Apart from your rings, the photographs are the only part of the day you get to keep forever.

Long after the flowers have died and the cake has been eaten you’ll still be looking at your wedding photographs.

 

The right pictures will allow you to relive your day over and over and keep the day alive for both of you.

 

A disappointing set of images will mean a big anti-climax to the whole wedding experience when your photos are delivered and they don’t match your expectations.

 

Knowing where to start with photographers can be difficult. There’s so much choice available and there are many different styles of coverage on offer.

 

It can feel a bit overwhelming.

 

The best place to start is to think about what you want to experience when you will look at your wedding photos after the day has been and gone.

 

Do you want to feel like you're back in the day again, reliving the moments you see in the images in your mind?

 

 

 

 

Only by picking a documentary wedding photographer that captures these moments without interference, can you truly remember a moment as it was and really feels like you’re there again.

 

If you want to relive the moment  when your dad sees you in your dress for the first time, you don’t want to think about a photographer directing the scene and taking away the authenticity of that moment.

 

 

Posed images can’t offer the same feeling of being there.

When you'll look back at them you will always remember the interaction with the photographer.

 

Images of people looking at the camera, or doing things they’ve been told to do, doesn’t show their personality or show you a real moment to remember.

 

Here’s 7 reasons why I think you should book a documentary wedding photographer .

 

 

 

 

1. You can enjoy the wedding day you have imagined you will have

When you think of your wedding day you’ve probably pictured a day relaxing with your closest family and friends.

 

A glass of champagne in hand, laughing, smiling with maybe some happy tears as you and your partner celebrate the start of your new married life.

 

You’ve probably not imagined a photographer asking everyone for pictures and taking you away from your drinks reception to do a photoshoot.

 

Weddings should not be about having photos taken, it should be about relaxing and enjoying the day you have pictured so many times in your head.

 

A documentary photographer will capture it all for you as it happens, so you can relive the day again and again.

 

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2. Real memories from real moments

 

Photographs are powerful things.

 

They can be time machines which transport you back to a previous time and place to relive all the emotions that live there like it’s the first time again.

 

They can only do this if the memory of that moment doesn’t involve you thinking about the photographer telling where to stand or where to look when it's going on.

 

 

 

 

3. You get to see moments you didn’t even know happened

 

There’s always so much going on on any wedding day, you won’t see it all.

 

One of the advantages of documentary coverage is the focus of the images isn’t just on the couple, but the whole wedding.

 

One thing I hear a lot of couples who book me is they want to see pictures of their family and friends, as much as they do of themselves.

 

They want to see their guests really enjoying the day.

 

 

4. It’s perfect if you’re camera shy or self-conscious

 

I hate having my pictures taken, so I know just how people feel if they bulk at the thought of hiring someone to take pictures of them all day.

 

A documentary photographer never takes images of people who are ‘camera aware’ meaning you get to see the real them as you know them.

 

No awkward smiling for the camera or self conscious faces of people knowing they’re being photographed.

 

A documentary photographer will blend in, I am often mistaken for a guest, meaning everyone relaxes and then you see people’s natural expressions and their personality comes alive.

 

 

 

 

5. A documentary wedding photographer captures the raw emotions

 

Emotions can’t be staged.

 

To capture emotions you need to observe people and wait patiently for the moment. This is where documentary photography is more than just ‘candid’.

 

It’s the art of true story-telling.

 

 

 

 

 

6. Your wedding pictures are unique.

 

Your wedding day will be unique. Your pictures should reflect that.

 

All weddings follow the same basic timeline while everyone wears similar wedding attire.

 

This means one set of wedding photos can all look the same from another if the photographer just focuses on the big moments but misses all the in between bits.

 

That’s where the true story of your day happens.

 

It’s the small interactions and blink-of-an-eye moments that are so easily missed that really show you what happened.

I’ve never shot the same wedding twice, every set is as unique as each couple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. You can still have family group shots and pictures of the two of you

 

Documentary coverage doesn’t have to mean no group shots.

 

I understand why couples might want to have a few family group shots as it’s not often whole families can get together when they’re all looking their best and it’s a great record of who was there.

 

Some documentary wedding photographers are 100% unposed, but most do offer group photos and a couples shoot so you have some images together.

 

5-6 group shots usually covers everything you need and can be done in 10-15 minutes so you can spend more time with your guests.

 

Documentary wedding photographer’s couples shoots are always very informal and natural.

 

No cheesy smiles or looking at the camera or any awkward posing fussing over how you stand or where you put your hands.

 

Personally, I just ask my couples to take a walk in the grounds of their venue for 10 minutes. Usually after the meal and before the evening party, around sunset.

 

It also means you get some time away from the hustle and bustle of the day and can take a breath and soak it all in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you like the sound of documentary coverage of your wedding day, please visit my website https://www.tombeynonphotography.com/ and take a look at more of my work.

I’d love to hear from you and chat about your wedding plans.

 

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