The following trends are paving new paths in matrimonial snapshots, adding creative twists to an age-old tradition.
Pre-Wedding / Engagement Photo
Engagement photos have been around for decades, but they're edgier and more personal now. Many photographers include a prenuptial session as part of their wedding packages. These photos–often shot in a natural or urban landscape–are used for newspaper announcements, save-the-date cards, wedding programs and occasionally incorporated into a presentation shown at the reception.
Marc Andrew, owner and principal photographer at Twin Cities-based Studio 306, sees engagement sessions as collaborative efforts. He tried to bring out the couple's vision and the aesthetics they're drawn to–whether that means climbing a fire escape or exploring a multi-level antique salvage yard. "We try to make fun narratives of the session," he says.
Engagement photo shoots also allow the couple to become better acquainted with the photographer, and vise versa. "They get to know me, they get to know my style and my personality," notes Troy Kivel of Bellagala in St. Paul.
Day After Wedding Photos
Some couples request Andrew for another photo session to be shot in the days or weeks after the wedding, often in full regalia. The bride and groom don't always want to see each other before the wedding, he explains, but the day after the wedding, there's less stress and fewer time constraints. And the couple isn't so nervous about keeping themselves and their clothes looking perfect.
During day-after photo shoots, couples often want to do something more adventurous than they could during the hustle and bustle of the big day. The dissonance of wearing a wedding gown and tuxedo in a dank alleyway, for example, is very appealing to some, while others relish the idea of a "trash the dress" shoot.
Photo Booths
It could be an old-fashioned coin-operated arcade booth, an elegant black-curtained cubicle, or a freestanding backdrop with studio lighting and a professional photographer or remote controlled camera. Whatever the form, wedding photo booths are one of the hottest trends in photography–so much that photographer Troy Backwell, owner of Camelot Weddings and Party Booths, predicts that within a few year most weddings will have one.
Photos can be printed on-site, captured digitally, posted online and incorporated into the finished album.
Don't expect photo booths to replace wedding photographers, however–if anything, booths complement them. Photographer Adrienne Page finds that having a booth at a wedding helps her focus on photographing what makes the event special–the mood, the atmosphere, the details–rather than worrying about lining up table shots or making sure she's gotten a picture of every single guest.
Candid Camera
Documentary wedding photography has been a hot trend, notes Erin Delmore, owner of Hoffman's Photography in Northfield, though it's starting to cool a bit. Brides are looking for a stylistic mix of the candid approach of photojournalism and staged photographs.
Rather than having photographers just shoot what they see, brides also want some of the shots to be directed, like the beautifully captured moments seen in fashion magazines, notes Minneapolis-based photographer Scott Streble. Not strictly candid, these are what Andrew calls "subject-aware photos."
Formal portraits of a centered couple surrounded by various relatives or members of the wedding party have grown less popular. Brides do want portraits–often more to please their parents than for themselves–but Kivel finds that these tends to be looser and more fun than those of previous generations. They're more stylized, and sometimes, like engagement photos, edgier, Streble says; but they're prettier and less gritty than they might have been five years ago.
Virtual Keepsakes
Thanks to the Internet, wedding photos, including engagement and photo booth shots, can be shared with family and friends too far away to participate in the event. Photographers can post images online, generally in password-protected galleries on their Web sites. Many, like Studio 306's Andrew, will put up a few "teaser" images almost immediately, with the bulk to follow within a couple of weeks.
On some wedding photography sites, guests can also order prints or download high-resolution images to print at home, though this isn't standard; many photographers like to maintain control over printing. "They hired me for my look and my expertise," explains Page. "Giving them a high-resolution file gives up quality control, and I want to keep that." This helps your photographic memories stay just as perfect as the big day.