One of the questions I get asked frequently, especially concerning Wedding Photography, is "what is your style"? I have been thinking about that recently and it seems to me that we have lost a little bit of the true meaning of style in photography. Most people ask this question because they hear so many photographers saying they have a photo-journalistic style or a fine art style or a romantic style. This is an important thing to know about your photographer before you hire them to create images during one of the biggest days of your life. However, I am not sure that many people really understand what is meant by these terms.

While, I do like to capture spontaneous images of my clients on their wedding day, I do not consider myself a photo-journalist. I am there to capture the beauty and romance of the event. I want to create a group of images that tells a story and that our couples will cherish for a lifetime. I am not there to cover the event as a news article. And while I am likely to capture several fine art images and still life photos during the course of the day, I am not there to create a showcase of images to be hung in a gallery or on a magazine cover.

To me, wedding photography is about capturing the beauty, excitement, romance, and fun of the event in a manner that reminds the client of all of these emotions when they look at these images many years after the event. Photography is about capturing light, not about special effects. Portraiture is about real people in real life, and it is not artificial. Great photography is not only about capturing the moment, but capturing capturing that moment in the best light, from the best angle with the best composition.

My "style" is finding the best blend of romance and reality to fit the desires of the client. At the end of the day, they are what really matters anyway.