|
Hiring a
Photojournalist vs. 'Photojournalistic Style'
©2007 Travis
Bell Photographers
The following is
from recent question and answer sessions that Travis participated in
with future and recently married bride and grooms.
It seems like
nearly every photographer is offering photojournalistic style. What's
the difference between hiring a true photojournalist and a wedding
photographer with a photojournalistic style?
It's my humble
belief that a true photojournalist is a documentary photographer with
experience in working for newspapers and magazines or currently works
or freelances for those publications.
A photojournalist
follows the ethics that he/she learned while shooting for
publications. For example, when on assignment, newspaper and magazine
photographers are taught not to interfere with a moment. Their job is
telling the true story of what they see in front of them. They use
those same ethics when approaching a wedding.
Can you give us
an example?
Sure, let's say
it's a few moments before you're going to go down the aisle with your
father. A wedding photographer with a photojournalistic style might
ask the flower girl to walk over to you and say something. He shoots
the picture, turns it black&white in Photoshop and calls that
photojournalism style.
A photojournalist
doesn't believe in interfering. By all means, he/she would want to be
there and capture that moment with the flower girl if it naturally
happened, but they wouldn't initiate it.
So, you don't
make any formal shots?
Sure I do. I'll
normally spend twenty, twenty-five minutes photographing the couple,
wedding party and family members. That's the only time of the day I
ask anyone to look into the camera.
How would you
describe your approach to our wedding?
My goal is to give
you wide, medium and telephoto images that tell the story of your day
with an emphasis on the couple's moments followed by family and
friends reacting and participating.
Along the way,
there should be images that show the choices that you made as well.
The flowers, dresses, and favors. You're going to put a lot of time
into deciding what you want and the book should reflect that.
Does shooting NCAA
and pro sports
enhance your
wedding photography?
Absolutely. Some
of the best wedding photojournalists I know also shoot college and
pro sports. Think about it. If my job at the wedding is to capture
the moments as they truly happen and not ask anyone to stage a moment
or repeat what they just did, timing is everything.
Another good point
would be that when shooting sports, for every action there's
reaction. If a college football player scores a touchdown, his
teammates, coaches and fans are going to react and it's my job to
capture the emotional reaction. You can apply the same thought to a
wedding. If a bride is dancing with her groom for the first time at
the reception, I'll bet there's a family member or friend who's
teary-eyed or smiling and it's my job to look for those moments.
|