Wedding photojournalism, the most common artistic approach offered to brides by a growing number of photographers, captures the real life emotions of a most precious day.
This form is widely popular because of its personal coverage style, which transcends the traditional couple and family portraits. In simple terms, brides like it because their album doesn't look like everyone else's. However, pure photojournalism leaves much to chance. It is not the only approach to capturing the distinction. There may be an even better way.
Consider a new approach to wedding photography - art direction and artistic enhancement. Art direction and artistic enhancement require more creativity and more skill than covering a wedding like a sporting event. Clients love it because it sets their album apart from all others. The album contains several images that are artistic pieces, true fine art images. The same approach could be used as well for the bridal portraits. Wedding coverage consisting of fine art images coupled with wedding photojournalism techniques will set an image collection apart from all others, once again advancing the standard in wedding coverage.
What is art direction? Art direction is not another phrase for "posed", but does rely on some interaction between the photographer and the subject. Generally coverage style can remain photojournalistic (unobtrusive) during various events of the day, like formal dancing, cake cutting, the ceremony, and even candid reception events. However, there are situations that may warrant a little input or adjustment to craft and image, rather than just simple snapshots of unfolding emotions. The photographer who practices art direction will take great care to instruct subjects at a level that is comfortable for them. For instance:
* Arrange the subject(s) if possible for the best or most artistic light. Works well during the bride dressing. * Remove unwanted items from the area or move the subject to a more suitable area if possible. * Give small creative gestures to the bride, groom, and others during various key parts of the day. The bride and groom can offer their own input here prior to the wedding day. During the interview process, the photographer can ask them to submit sample images from various sites or magazines that show the emotions they want portrayed in their wedding images. This can be an effective factor in achieving individualized images for their collection.
What is artistic enhancement? Artistic enhancement is not a means of doctoring an unexciting image. An image should be well planned for lighting and concept, but capturing a great image on film is only the first step. The creation process of true fine art images starts at coverage and extends beyond film development. A good photographer captures a desirable image on film while a true fine art photographer will take that image one step further using after process techniques such as:
* Hand coloring treatment * Artistic darkroom enhancement and toning * Creative enhancement with Photoshop Polaroid transfer * Platinum Printing: The ultimate gallery representation
Another facet of artistic enhancement is to employ the use of creative films and filters. If you dust off the traditional wedding albums of years past, you may see the occasional image enhanced with a diffusion or star filter. Diffusion filters for color and black and white images can render romantic effects; color filters can enhance color or create artistic effects, and creative films are available that can render some spectacular wedding images. These creative films and filters have been kept in reserve for commercial and fine art work, but are under utilized by most wedding photographers but would certainly blend well with traditional films for weddings. A wedding event can only be captured once. Don't wedding and bridal images deserve to be true fine art images?
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