Exploring the Top 10 Wedding and Portrait Photography Styles
When it comes to capturing life's moments, choosing the right photography style for you is super important! From timeless classics to modern trends, the world of wedding and portrait photography offers plenty of styles to suit everyone’s taste. But you may be wondering, what style do I even like? What styles are there and what do they mean? Hopefully this guide can help you answer that.
I’ve put together a list with descriptions of the top 10 most common photo styles, based on my research and experience!
1. Traditional/Classic:
The traditional style focuses on posed images that highlight significant wedding moments, such as the ceremony and cake cutting. Each photo is calculated and presented in a way that is easy to digest.
2. Light and Airy:
Embracing bright, soft, and romantic aesthetics, the light and airy style is characterized by subdued colors and blown-out skies. Often associated with the "SoCal style," these photos exude a powerful lighting ambience.
3. Photojournalistic/Documentary:
Documenting the wedding day as it unfolds, photojournalistic style captures candid, unposed moments with minimal interference from the photographer. Each image tells a unique story, offering a glimpse into the emotions and interactions of the day.
4. Fine Art:
With a focus on artistic expression, fine art photography showcases carefully curated images that resemble editorial spreads. Attention to detail in lighting, composition, and post-processing differentiates this style.
5. Lifestyle:
Blending candid moments with lightly directed shots, lifestyle photography captures authentic emotions in a relaxed setting. These images often reflect the couple's personality and the atmosphere of their everyday lives.
6. Flash:
Using direct flash to create high-contrast images reminiscent of paparazzi shots, the flash photography style adds a dynamic edge to wedding photos. Sharp lighting and bold shadows enhance the drama of each image.
7. Dark and Moody:
For those seeking a more dramatic vibe, dark and moody photography utilizes deeper shadows, higher contrast, and richer colors to evoke emotion and atmosphere. This style lends a cinematic quality to wedding portraits.
8. Blurred:
Intentionally incorporating blur and movement, the blurred photography style infuses energy and emotion into images. This technique adds a sense of dynamism and spontaneity to wedding photos.
9. Vintage/Film:
Emulating the look and feel of classic film photography, the vintage style exudes nostalgia with its muted colors and soft, grainy textures. Each image takes a modern day back to a romantic bygone era.
10. Aerial:
Incorporating drone or aerial photography, the aerial style offers unique perspectives of the wedding day. From sweeping landscapes to bird's-eye views of the ceremony, these images add depth and grandeur to the photo collection.
Wedding and portrait photography is as diverse as the couples it serves. Whether you prefer classic elegance, modern romance, or bold creativity, there's a photography style to suit every taste and vision. By exploring styles, couples can find inspiration and guidance in creating the perfect visual narrative for their special day.
Lindsey Marie Photography is an Alabama Wedding & Portrait Photographer based in Jasper, Alabama. Available for travel & booking throughout 2025.
