All of us are trying to cope in a world that is still recovering from the pandemic. For those who found love during this time, trying to make it official was one of the many challenges during the past few years. But now, weddings are gradually appearing again in the limelight, creating new and unique photography and photo editing trends in 2021.
Let's go through some of the styles, tips and trends for wedding photography this year, everything from which you need to know if you're the photographer, the lucky couple or even the planner.
Wedding Photography Styles
Event photo editing can be incredibly time-consuming, so you need to determine what style of photography you will adopt before the event to make things easier. Discuss it with the couple and show them some samples to ensure they like your chosen style before you help them perfectly capture their special day. Here are some suggested wedding photography styles that you can consider:
Portraits: Portrait photography aims towards capturing the personality of the subject, which may be an individual or a group of people, by using adequate lighting, backdrops, and poses. It may be artistic or clinical, and this versatility is why portraiture style was once the classic choice of wedding photography, although it might seem a little outdated now. Still, it is good to get a few portraits of the bride and groom, even if you keep the wedding photography poses modern unless requested otherwise.
Photojournalism: Photojournalism is all about taking candid, spontaneous images that show people in action. Some might consider it chaotic, but this style of photography captures reactions, emotions, and moods while playing with perspectives. Many brides and grooms love the storytelling aspect of this style and choose to have their moments captured like this. You can appreciate the authenticity of the candid images of the couple and the guests during the event.
Documentary photography: A documentary photography style is similar to photojournalism, but it provides a rather straightforward perspective of the event. Along with spontaneous images, the photographer takes wide-angle shots to document every aspect of the wedding that makes it memorable, taking care not to miss a single moment.
Artistic Photography: Many of the brides and grooms like the serene aesthetic offered by artistic photography. Since this style angles more towards a dramatic result achieved by manipulating lights and shadows, couples get a chance to express their love in this beautiful photographic style. It will be up to the photographer to leverage the light and shadow in the surroundings to achieve spectacular shots.
Tips and Trends for Wedding Photography
Masked Photos: It's instinctive for photographers to want to perfectly capture even the tiniest detail, whether it’s the veil, the bridesmaids' dresses, the groom's bow tie. While photographing couples and guests wearing masks was a necessity in 2020, it will remain so and keep trending in 2021.
Instead of trying to get rid of it during shots and until we know for sure that everyone is safe from infection, couples and guests may still want to wear masks, and most likely, they'll be wearing a mask that matches their attire, which will be a detail worth capturing.
Adding Props: Props are always fun, no matter what year it is. Whether it's the bridesmaids holding frames or the groomsmen with umbrellas, props allow you to be creative with your photos. Sometimes they even add natural lighting to your photographs, like with sparklers and sky lanterns.
Most couples and bridal parties make use of props such as photo booths to add an element of fun. It can lead to some pretty amazing candid images when guests explore different props. This is a trend that will continue in 2021 but remember, props evolve every year.
First-Look Photos: First-look moments are always capture-worthy. The first glimpse that the couple gets of each other is of incredible significance, so be sure to capture that- it never gets old.
This intimate moment typically makes for an opportunity to capture a photo fueled with emotions, and it gives the couple some time together before the ceremony to compose themselves. Because of their importance, some even hire a photo editing agency to speed up delivery. This is one of the timeless trends that will continue in 2021.
Bridal Party: In the last few years, couples faced many additional challenges while planning their wedding during the pandemic. This meant a limited guest list and virtual or long-distance relationships and friendships.
The size of the bridal parties also shrunk, but since bridal parties are responsible for helping the bride and groom to get ready, it provides the perfect opportunity for some pre-wedding goofiness. It allows the bride and groom to find moments of joy, comfort and silliness on their big day, so bridal parties will be back in 2021.
Family Pictures: Family photos are more of a tradition than a trend for events like weddings. Many families have been forced to live apart in the last year, and in addition to reduced wedding guest lists, some families couldn't join in celebrations either.
This year is expected to be a safer time for get-togethers, which means we might see family groups gathering again at weddings, which give couples the chance to celebrate their special day with them. Photographers will be asked to capture more family photos at weddings because people want to cherish the time spent with their families.
Virtual Guests: Virtual weddings were one of the biggest new wedding trends in 2020 since long distances and COVID restrictions kept people apart. It keeps wedding photographers more focused on the couple and their small group of guests in attendance.
However, it also meant photographers had to get really creative to capture the not physically present guests at the venue. In all likelihood, guests will continue attending weddings virtually, so thinking up creative techniques to capture them may turn out to be one of the challenges and another photography trend that emerges in 2021.
Stop Motion: Stop motion is an animation technique that clubs multiple shots to a single video with background music of your choice. It is similar to time-lapse in that you're taking a series of individual images at a certain interval. But instead of shooting something that's moving by itself, you're moving the subject itself and animating it.
While creating this, the ones in charge of the video should be skilled enough to execute it, so choose them wisely.
Same-Day Edits: A lot of time and effort is spent to make everything perfect, so the couple deserves to get photographed from every angle possible. You can ask your photographer and even videographer even if they offer same-day photo editing services, since many couples wish to display some sweet moments of their wedding during the reception or in other ceremonies it is an important occasion, and it can be quite an emotional one as well.
Pre-wedding Photoshoot: Pre-wedding shoots are one of the latest trends. Choose your spot, dress up and click some amazing pictures with your loved one before your wedding. Some even hire a professional photographer to capture their engagement to document that special moment. It allows couples to spend time together to cherish the moments before the big day.
Destination Wedding: Destination weddings are a dream for every couple. Flying to a beautiful location to fulfil a fairy tale wedding has quickly become all the rage. Instead of relying on a well-decorated venue and wedding photo editing skills, you get to capture the essence and richness of exquisite locations while hosting your special day in a beautiful spot.
Drone Photography: This is perfect for those who dream of a dramatic rustic wedding. Drone photography helps you capture all the special moments without missing a single one. Some certain pros and cons come along with flying a drone during a wedding, but they produce fantastic results, which is why they're among the top trends this year.
Smoke Bombs: One of the more exciting and innovative ideas in wedding photography is smoke bombs. These special props can enhance photographs by providing a smoke effect of the color of your choice. They can produce cool candid photos with some preparation since smoke bombs can last for about a minute.
Proper preparation before the big day is necessary for the event's success and capturing some unforgettable moments. Ensure you get a copy of the wedding itinerary, so you know exactly how to capture the photos you want without disrupting the event itself or losing time. Whether you are a happy couple or a photographer under a tight schedule, you can get your photos edited faster while ensuring the best quality with Clipxie, a photo editing agency in India.
