Many photographers will claim they are a natural, candid documentary style wedding photographer. For a certain part of the day, it’s true. We all are. The ceremony for example, even if we wanted to direct and re-postion a couple we can’t do this. The speeches, again this is not possible to stage the scene.

So yes, some of the day for any wedding photographer they can class themselves as a candid wedding photographer. But for me, a documentary style wedding photographer shoots in a photojournalism, natural candid approach all day. No setting up any scenes or asking people to recreate a moment. Not asking a couple to look the other way whilst smiling and trying to make it look ‘natural’.

I approach weddings with the target of wanting to tell a story. The need to take powerful images as I am your witness to help show you exactly what happened throughout the day (after a few drinks, you may need this). You can’t be everywhere so a wedding photographer that follows a documentary style will help capture moments you may miss.

Those emotional moments when your Mum has a little cry. Or your Dad busting out some moves on the dance floor. You need to trust someone who will capture the whole day for you and present a selection of story telling photos. This is when a documentary style wedding photographer can help create your dream wedding.

Being aware of as many possible moments on your wedding day is hard work, but I would not change my approach. For example, I could make my life a lot easier and ask your makeup artist to move to a better position. Secondly, I could ask you both to look romantically the other way whilst saying ‘cheese’ (yuk). So, I choose to let the day flow and capture real, honest moments to show your personality along with your loved ones. I absolutely love the look and intimacy of being in close with guests for instance.

Nothing else compares to the look you capture and the look of feeling like you were there. So I stay close, listening to the next joke OR catching an emotional embrace. This is all achieved in an unobtrusive way and a lot of the time you will not know I am there (the fact I wear a waistcoat and tie to blend in with your guests, certainly helps with this).

The first thing I look for is good light and of course, a nice background. After this, I just ask my couples to go for a walk in the scene set while I capture creative, natural moments. Of course, we could say this not really a documentary style as the scene was set.

But, I do not pose you. I only instruct you to be where the good light is then after this, I just want you both to enjoy some time together. The fun, loving moments can be captured naturally as I have a chat with you both about your day.