When you think about wedding photography, themes like traditional, contemporary, and modern probably come to mind. Photographer Central Pro Evan Chung discusses five unique photography styles you probably haven’t thought of for your upcoming nuptials. Find out why natural light, high fashion, photojournalistic, whimsical and vintage styled photography will make for gorgeous and unique wedding photos. 

The world is smitten with wedding photography. We post, like, tag, retweet, and pin our favorite wedding photos but never stop to consider the style behind certain wedding photography ideas until it’s our turn to say “I do.” So, before you start that Pinterest board with all of your favorite wedding photo poses, take a moment to explore the many styles of wedding photography out there. This may come in handy since some photographers will use the same words, but in reference to different styles of photography, while others will have similar styles and use totally different words to describe it. Don’t worry though, I’m here to translate. Here is a breakdown of a few different styles you may want to consider for your wedding pictures. 

When Googling wedding photo ideas, keep in mind that some of the best wedding photos that come up in your search use natural light. A wedding picture produced using natural light is created using only light from the sun. This can include artistic solar flares, backlighting, window light, etc. No studio lights are used, and it can be characterized as casual and intimate.

• PROs of using natural light: A great wedding photo using natural light can usually be defined by its warm or cool tones based on the time of day and shooting location. The hour before sunset (the golden hour) can offer the perfect warm light for any of your wedding picture ideas. Beach wedding photos in particular can really capitalize on the twilight colors, ocean water, and the setting sun, and without studio lights there’s usually less wait time because there’s less to set up.
• CONs of using natural light: Midday sun can be super harsh and contrasty. If there’s no shade, then the dark shadows and bright spots can be a nightmare. Also, if you are having an evening or indoor wedding, low or nonexistent lighting can leave you with blurry and grainy photos. 

This is the opposite of using natural light, but it’s just as awesome. In fact, most real wedding photos that make it into high end magazines and blogs are using a high fashion style. High fashion styled wedding photography is characterized by the use of studio lights and fashion-esque poses and expressions. Using the studio lights creates a glamour look typically found in commercial and fashion photography. This bold and dramatic style is perfect for a high end wedding photography blog that wants to tag all of the brands and labels that the couple is wearing.  

• PROs of using high fashion style: The controlled lighting of professional high fashion wedding photography lets you go anywhere, regardless of the setting and environmental lighting conditions . You can find the perfect pose and expression and create a magazine-worthy wedding photo.

• CONs of using high fashion style: Since setting up lights takes time, a shoot is often limited to one or two locations, resulting in less variety compared to using other photography styles that are a bit more mobile. 

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Traditionally a black and white film medium, photojournalism has its roots in news reporting and tells a story using images—hence its name. With very little active posing, each event can be entirely unique. There are no restrictions on how to take wedding photos using photojournalistic style, so anything goes as long as you are telling the story of the day. Personally, I’m often drawn to the active and grainy aesthetics of this style. 

• PROs of using photojournalistic style: This style captures those amazing moments that would otherwise go unnoticed. Without having to direct people as much, this also affords the photographer more time be creative with his or her composition.
• CONs of using photojournalistic style: A photographer cannot be everywhere at once, and when we wait for that picture-perfect moment that may never come, we often get stuck with the real photos of people blinking and talking with wild gestures—but hey, at least it’s the real deal. Right?

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This style is typically used in portrait and engagement sessions, but it can also be used to capture some of the most unique wedding photos that are out there. The whimsical photography style embraces embellishment and silliness, and in some cases even stretches reality. Whimsical style would typically include pictures of wedding parties being playful, wearing funny hats, colorful buntings, and chalkboard signs. 

• PROs of using the whimsical style: This style can come alive with good planning for props and poses, but the real magic can happen in Photoshop where otherworldly or dreamy editing can enhance the photo’s beauty.
• CONs of using the whimsical style: There are very few candid moments, and there is generally lots of setup involved. This is a unique style that can really only be used if it is fully embraced. To quote Yoda, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Done right, this style can be magical, but when done wrong, it can be gimmicky. 

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This is one of those terms that gets used fairly often but remains hard to define. However, it’s generally agreed that this refers to an older style of photography, in terms of editing technique, poses, or visual camera effects.

• PROs of using a vintage style: This style can use editing techniques to make the images resemble film photographs. Think Instagram filters. Vintage style can also be fused with current trends, creating a retro spin on modern wedding photos.
• CONs of using a vintage style: When you aim for retro, you can miss and just look outdated. Without using modern aesthetics or techniques, you can wind up with photos commonly found in old wedding photo books. It’s a fine line with potentially hilarious outcome—hello #AwkwardFamilyPhotos. 

Regardless of your photography style preferences, Photographer Central lets you find a photographer who shoots in all of these styles and more. If you’d like some tips on how to choose a wedding photographer, check out this post on choosing a wedding photographer.