Understanding Wedding Photography: Traditional, Candid, and Photojournalism

Understanding the Differences: Traditional Photography, Candid Photography, and Photojournalism in Indian Weddings

In Indian weddings, photography styles are often misunderstood. Many clients find it challenging to differentiate between traditional photography, candid photography, and wedding photojournalism. Yet, each style has its unique approach and significance. At Cele-Brat, we ensure our clients understand these differences, allowing them to make informed decisions and cherish their memories in a way that resonates with them. Let’s delve into the distinct characteristics of these three styles and how we combine them to offer the best experience.

Traditional Wedding Photography: Classic, Timeless, and Posed

Traditional photography has been around for decades. If you’ve ever flipped through your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding albums, chances are, you’ve seen the work of traditional photography. These are the carefully arranged and posed group shots, couple portraits, and family photographs that have become a wedding staple.

The essence of traditional photography lies in its formality. It focuses on capturing the main moments of the wedding, like the bride and groom’s exchange of vows, the rituals, and posed pictures with family members. These are essential photographs that serve as a record of who was present at the wedding and offer a timeless quality.

However, in recent times, traditional photography has been unfairly downgraded. Many associate it with photographers who use basic equipment, flat lighting, and a lack of creativity. These photographers are often perceived as unskilled or less passionate about their work. But this is a misconception. When done correctly, traditional photography is a skillful art that requires technical precision and an eye for detail, especially in group compositions and ceremonial shots.

At Cele-Brat, we ensure our traditional photographers bring professionalism and creativity to every shot. Our team uses high-end equipment, and even in posed setups, we look for ways to add depth, emotion, and artistic flair.

Candid Wedding Photography: Capturing Moments as They Unfold

Candid photography, a relatively newer trend in wedding photography, has gained immense popularity. Unlike traditional photography, candid images are not posed. The beauty of candid photography is that it captures people in their natural state, often unaware that the camera is on them. Whether it’s the bride laughing with her friends or a tearful hug between family members, these moments are real and unscripted.

Candid photography brings out the emotions, joy, and authenticity of the celebration. It’s about catching people in the moment—whether they’re lost in a dance, having a deep conversation, or simply enjoying themselves. These pictures remind couples of the little details of their wedding day that might otherwise be forgotten.

Unfortunately, many photographers today label themselves as “candid photographers” but miss the essence of it. Instead of seeking natural moments, they focus on shooting with long lenses to create blurry backgrounds or spend time posing the couple in creative but staged ways. This misrepresents candid photography’s true purpose, which is to document authentic moments as they happen. At Cele-Brat, our candid photographers understand this distinction and are constantly on the lookout for heartfelt, spontaneous moments that tell the real story of your wedding.

Wedding Photojournalism: A Story in Every Frame

Wedding photojournalism takes candid photography a step further by weaving together a narrative of the entire wedding day. Rather than just focusing on a few key moments, photojournalism captures everything—from the big highlights to the smallest details that contribute to the overall story. The goal is to present the wedding as it unfolded, in a chronological series of images that take the couple back to every moment of their special day.

This style captures not just the couple and immediate family but also the guests, the décor, the behind-the-scenes moments, and even the tiniest details like the rings, outfits, and accessories. A skilled photojournalist will blend candid moments with essential traditional shots, ensuring that nothing is missed.

However, in India, photojournalism is often misunderstood or underappreciated. Many clients, especially the older generation, may not fully grasp the value of candid or documentary-style images. They might see them as “random” and unimportant, preferring posed photographs that can be displayed in albums. This lack of understanding can lead to crucial candid moments being overlooked at many weddings.

Cele-Brat’s Approach for Wedding Photography: Combining Styles for a Complete Story

At Cele-Brat, we believe every wedding deserves a mix of traditional, candid, and photojournalistic photography to tell a complete story. Our team of photographers is skilled in both posed and candid photography, ensuring that we capture every important moment while also looking out for those spontaneous, emotional interactions that make each wedding unique.

We take the time to educate our clients, making sure they understand what each style offers. For example, our traditional photographers focus on the classic, posed shots with creativity and attention to detail, while our candid photographers are always hunting for those natural, unscripted moments that bring joy to our clients when they look back on their wedding day.

We also take pride in documenting the finer details—whether it’s the décor, the outfits, or even the smallest accessories. Our approach to photojournalism ensures that nothing is missed, and all the images are weaved together to tell the complete story of your wedding.

Quality, Creativity, and the Right Tools - Essentials in Wedding Photography

At Cele-Brat, we use high-end equipment to capture images in 14-bit uncompressed RAW format instead of jpeg which is an 8-bit compressed file, giving us the flexibility to edit and enhance the photographs to their full potential. Our team carries enough lights and modifiers to create creative but natural-looking images, avoiding cheesy or over-the-top effects. We invest time and effort into post-processing, ensuring that each selected image is developed and edited for the best results.

This process is time-consuming and requires a lot of effort, but the final product always delights our clients. Our priority is to deliver a collection of images that capture the essence of their wedding day and tell a meaningful, cohesive story.

Conclusion

The difference between traditional, candid, and photojournalistic wedding photography can be subtle, but each style plays a critical role in documenting a wedding. At Cele-Brat, we combine these styles to create a beautiful, well-rounded collection of memories that our clients can cherish forever. Whether it’s the posed, classic group shots, the heartfelt candid moments, or the story woven together through photojournalism, we are dedicated to delivering quality, creativity, and satisfaction.

Ultimately, our goal is simple: to capture the essence of your wedding day most authentically and artistically possible.