What Exactly is Photojournalistic Photography

There has been so much buzz surrounding Photojournalistic wedding photography. If you are newly engaged, you are probably asking yourself, “What does it exactly mean for me and why are people telling me I want it?”

Check out my video and continue along this blog for more info.

Photojournalism in its essence is simply to “photograph from a distance”.  As a trained photojournalist, I can tell you one of the main things my Editor told me was “You must not interact with the subject in a way that will change the situation or impact the image.” Photojournalism is to capture the real and the rawness of a situation or of a people.

While I was in training at Naples Daily News, I got called to photograph a major accident on a very busy road. There were people out of their cars on the phone with loved ones or emergency services. There were people on the side of the road crying. The lighting was high noon, and pretty awful. Most of the subjects I needed to photograph were practically silhouetted and everything was in chaos. But I had to shoot. I couldn’t tell the person crying on the side of the road after an accident to turn their head towards the sun and I had to shoot around the situation. I had to work my camera settings on the spot and work to ensure I captured everything as it was happening and ensured I missed nothing.

Talk about pressure!

A lot of those pressures can sound very similar to weddings. Weddings at times can be very unpredictable. We can predict when the first kiss is coming and the first dance. But what you can’t predict is when to capture those candid, raw, emotional moments.

Mom’s crying across the room watching her daughter and husband dancing. Mom’s laughing with their daughter. A groom crying when he sees his bride for the first time. A belly bouncing laugh when the best man delivers his speech. These are all moments that need no interaction from the photographer at all; only experience. 

However, it is super important to note that when a photographer implies they use a photojournalistic technique, they may almost never pose you. The photojournalist’s job is to tell the story of your day with little to no interaction or orchestration at all. 

Surrounding the buzz is a lot of misconception of what to really expect from a photographer who purely shoots in a photojournalistic manner. Below I’ve used the example of a bride getting ready to show the differences.

Pure Photojournalistic Example: Allowing the bride to put on the dress wherever she likes and letting the moments unfold naturally.

Editorial: Directing the bride into a position in front of a window for better lighting on her skin, and allowing the moments to unfold naturally, reminding her to smile or breathe. 

Using an editorial approach allows my couples to blossom naturally in front of my camera, but not without thoughtful interaction and direction. 

Photojournalism has it’s place, and some people will still opt to have a photojournalistic feel to their images, but more often than not you will find wedding photographers using an approach similar to editorial photography. There are so many styles out there and I would encourage you to find one that speaks to you most.

Does my editorial approach to weddings sound like something that interests you? Contact me here. I can’t wait to be a part of your story!