Documentary Style Wedding Photography

The term “documentary-style” has become an increasingly popular buzzword in the photography world. I think it perfectly describes a lot of photographers’ style and vision for their work. But the popularity and incredibly common use of the phrase can make it difficult to know what it truly means.

For me, documentary-style means exactly that: documenting the events and emotions of your day as they unfold, exactly as they are. Documentary-style photography has an especially unique place in my heart because, before wedding photography, my love of this craft began with street photography. As a street photographer, you can only shoot what is already there. The goal is to enter a space and capture it exactly as it is, searching for those beautiful and inspirational hidden details, all while going as unnoticed as possible. There is no curating or posing or setting the image up, you simply capture what you see. Some of the most beautiful and inspiring images I have captured have been during street photography. There is something so raw and authentic about simply capturing the scene that is happening before your eyes.

And I have carried that exact same passion into my journey as a wedding photographer. I think the true beauty of your wedding day doesn’t have to be found in a perfectly laid-out photo of you and your family. It can be found in the intimate glance you and your spouse exchange right before walking into your reception. It can be found in the tear in your grandfather’s eye as he watches you during your first dance, recalling the day he experienced that exact same moment with your grandmother. It can be found in the smile your flower girl flashes as she sees you for the first time in your wedding dress, not knowing that anyone is watching her.

Life’s most beautiful and inspiring moments are often not planned, and as your photographer, I want to ensure that not a single moment goes by unnoticed or undocumented.