The last few years saw the evolution of wedding photography in aspects too numerous to name. But here’s the short version. The number of pixels in a picture increased. The bride and groom pictures were no longer staged. Photographs were no longer detached from what really happened. A change endured, and we all accepted it.
One might say that wedding photography followed suit and developed into quite an exciting field. But what caused these developments and what could possibly cause one in the future?
Evolution of Wedding Photographers
“People want art photos. They want something better than their parent’s wedding pictures.”
Said by USA-based wedding photographer, Josef Isayo an excellently rated wedding photographer and photojournalist. How did a photojournalist get into wedding photography? It’s a matter of treating wedding photography as if it were a design project.
Looking back, this shift probably began with the general public in the 1950’s with this picture of Charlie Chaplin fumbling with his wedding ring at his fourth wedding. We can’t show you that picture however we can show you another picture of the couple being candid.
“Chaplin -His Life and Art-” by David Robinson, 1985.
Pictures had captured raw emotions. The cake cutting wasn’t staged and neither were the bridesmaids around the bride. It was like looking behind-the-scenes of a wedding and it sure caught everyone’s attention.
Photojournalists began experimenting and went beyond shooting for newspapers. Wedding couples began hiring them to document their special day. Soon, weddings became akin to documentaries because wedding pictures now felt real.
From Candid Wedding Photography by Sumit Muley
Even grandpa’s emotions while the groom slid the finger on the bride’s finger were vivid and so too were the groomsmen in their dashing suits and the bridesmaids in their pretty dresses. Wedding photographers now captured everything and it stayed because it captured our hearts.
Evolution of Technology
If it were not for the invention of the camera, we never would have gotten to the advanced imaging capabilities we have now. However, there’s a dramatic shift that’s taken place in the last 50 years.
Wedding photography has moved with the times as well. For a sense of scale, you probably have a camera in your phone now that is better in output quality than what a big budget film director had to work with back then.
For eager and willing couples, the sky is literally the limit. Cameras can take to the sky for amazing drone photography of their ceremonies. We’ve come a long way but how far are we until drone photography eventually is the only way we capture wedding photography? How long until what’s captured is as dynamic as the bride and groom? Only time and trends will tell.
Evolution of the Bride and the Groom
Like stated above, couples are no more into the stilted, artificial pictures that barely show their overwhelming emotions on this significant day. While photographers are busy clicking the rarest of moments, the guests don’t shy away from being creative either. They come up with new ideas for their pictures and wedding photographers are more than happy to comply with their plans.
From Wedding #sp_Wa04 by Shukla Photography
People are seen being goofier, the wedding couple not shying away from showing away their love for each other and guests not shying away from photobombing.
It was photojournalism that redefined the style of wedding photography, technology then paved the pathway and people made the most of it. Wedding photography has come a long way from a laboured wedding couple carefully posing on the couch to one walking down the aisle, holding the bride’s dress. Now available in 4K and Full HD.
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This article was written by Sienna Thibault. If you want to contact her for feedback, send her an email.
