Search

OUR ETHOS & APPROACH

Reportage Wedding Photographers &
Videographers: The Ethos Behind Our Approach

A short summary of the guiding principles behind our approach as reportage wedding photographers and videographers

As reportage wedding photographers and videographers our ethos differs somewhat from that of traditional wedding photographers. We believe not in repeating tried and tested shots from other weddings but embracing spontaneity and creating something truly unique to our couples. We believe that natural reportage moments are more powerful than anything we could contrive or create.

We believe that truly timeless photographs come from personal connection – the connections between people, between stories and between the lens and the subject.

Here is a brief summary of our ethos as reportage wedding photographers and videographers.

Watch this short video to see and hear a little more about our reportage photography ethos

OUR REPORTAGE PHOTOGRAPHY ETHOS

Golden light illuminates a moment of jubilation on the dancefloor, captured by reportage wedding photographers Dom & Liam Shaw of York Place Studios

Perfect, Imperfect Moments.

You could plan a wedding for a hundred years and never predict what the perfect moment would turn out to be. The moments that truly matter are rarely ‘perfect’. They don’t happen on a mountain top surrounded by rainbows, they don’t occur on schedule and they rarely go in any way to plan. The moments that matter are the real moments, the spontaneous moments, the moments of people just being people and revealing something of themselves, of your true relationship to one another. To us nothing could be more perfect than that and as reportage wedding photographers and videographers  we don’t bring preconceptions to your wedding – we take exactly what is there in front of us and use it to create stories that are so much more powerful than anything you could ever pretend to do.

Golden light illuminates a moment of jubilation on the dancefloor, captured by reportage wedding photographers Dom & Liam Shaw of York Place Studios
Reportage wedding photographers focus not just on the obvious moments of a ceremony but on the fun, quirky, offbeat moments such as the bride's face half covered by a handkerchief as emotion overcomes her in this example captured at Northbrook Park, UK

The greatest memories are never forced or faked, they’re forged in the briefest of moments and from the most unexpected of places.

We love portraits and always recommend a few group shots but it is the pure moments, not the contrived that live longest in the memory and it is those on which we as reportage wedding photographers focus. We want to capture your day thoroughly yet discreetly, awaiting the spontaneous and relishing the unpredictable. This is what reportage wedding photography is all about – true emotion cannot be created, only felt.

Confetti line captured by Reportage wedding photographers York Place Studios

Weddings photographs are not just pretty pictures, they are lasting memories of overwhelming emotions.

We know how hard you worked to make your venue look incredible and we’ll cover every last inch, but lasting memories are forged between people, not between details and centrepieces. As reportage wedding photographers the stories between you and those you love will always be our primary focus and the stories that we truly love to tell.

Confetti line captured by Reportage wedding photographers York Place Studios
Cool documentary wedding photography dance-floor scene

Memories can't be scheduled

You never know when someone is going to make you belly laugh, you never know when you are going to cry with happiness or be overpowered with emotion. The story of your wedding doesn’t stop between big traditions and that’s why we never switch off. We’ll be there all day, constantly looking to find interesting moments and create dynamic reportage style imagery, even during the in-between moments.

Reportage Wedding Photographers capture groom preparations, focussing on additional characters in the background rather than simply a bow-tie being tied in the foreground

It's all about you... and everyone else

Your wedding day is perhaps the only time you’ll have everyone you know and love in the same room at the same time. Whilst the bride and groom are the central characters in our story a wedding has a fantastic supporting cast and each member deserves their time in the spotlight. The greatest stories are made from a rich tapestry of subplots and character interactions and that’s why everyone at your wedding is important to your wedding tale.

Reportage Wedding Photographers capture groom preparations, focussing on additional characters in the background rather than simply a bow-tie being tied in the foreground

Wherever there is light, one can photograph

- Alfred Stieglitz

Bridal prep story told in shadow in the background whilst the back of the bride's dress is illuminated in the foreground. Captured by Street style documentary wedding photographers York Place Studios

Capturing the light and atmosphere, flash-free.

Lighting is important. Lighting changes the way we see things, it can make a moment romantic, exciting, soft or brash, it can completely change the mood of everything it touches, including a photograph. We choose to embrace it, to capture the true atmosphere of how it felt to be there. As reportage wedding photographers and videographers we believe that flashy lights are for the DJ’s – we don’t want you blinded by flashes going off, we want you to just forget we’re there, dance hard, live free and be in the moment.

Multi-coloured bride and groom reportage wedding photography dancefloor capture. Bride and groom held up on the shoulders of the crowd

Your wedding is completely unique.

Our style is consistent but we never paint by numbers. We never settle for the safe shot, the tried and tested, the ordinary, we want to create images that excite us every bit as much as they excite you.

Multi-coloured bride and groom reportage wedding photography dancefloor capture. Bride and groom held up on the shoulders of the crowd
Reportage wedding photographers capture the humour of a wedding as the bride bounces on a wedding castle and a boy in dinosaur costume bounces in the background

There are no rules.

We have never captured a wedding like yours before and we never will again. We want to capture your style, your personalities, your day no one else’s.

Bride reads emotional letter as she prepares for her wedding day. Captured by photojournalist wedding photographers York Place Studios

It is our emotions that help us take great pictures, if you can’t feel then you can’t see.

No compromise, just great imagery.

Bride reads emotional letter as she prepares for her wedding day. Captured by photojournalist wedding photographers York Place Studios

If you’d like to find out more about just what documentary / photojournalist / reportage wedding photographers are all about then you can check out our article on the subject here.

Or if you’d like to find out more details about our own version of what being reportage wedding photographers (aka documentary wedding photographers) means then make sure you take a look at our documentary wedding photography approach page.

CLICK HERE TO ENQUIRE ABOUT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEOGRAPHY FOR YOUR WEDDING

Use the form to tell us a little about your wedding and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!

CLICK HERE TO ENQUIRE ABOUT WEDDING PHOTO OR VIDEO

Use the form to tell us a little about your wedding and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!