Philippine Wedding Photojournalism

Wedding photojournalism is a current trend in the Philippine wedding photography market. More and more engaged couples are moving away from the posed photography of yesterday and into a more documentary style. Many feel that wedding photojournalism better covers today's creative ceremonies.

In the timeless (traditional) style of wedding photography, Filipino wedding photographers play a very active role. He or she orchestrates virtually the entire wedding according to a preplanned shot list. Every photo is carefully posed; from group photos all the way to the wedding reception ceremonies. The focus of the timeless style, as opposed to wedding photojournalism, is on creating perfectly posed portraits for the wedding album. Photo time normally takes place between the ceremony and the reception and can take up to two hours. This is a long time to leave guests standing around waiting for something to happen.

There are a few major advantages to timeless wedding photography. Since the shot list is preplanned, couples can be sure that no event or family member is left out. The posed photos also look beautiful in a wedding album, creating a classic memento of the big day.

Denis Reggie, a former sports photographer, is considered by many to be the father or wedding photojournalism. He coined the phrase “wedding photojournalism” in 1980. Reggie defines the wedding photojournalism genre as one “that recognizes coverage in real time by a photographer respectful of the natural occurrences and flow of the wedding day without assuming a leadership position in arranging, staging, or prompting subjects.” His image of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Caroline Bissett Kennedy leaving the church after their marriage on Cumberland Island is one of the most recognizable in the wedding photojournalism genre.

Here in the Philippines, wedding photojournalism was introduced by photographers who came from the media industry in early 2000. These pioneers were photojounalist for newspapers in the country who introduced this style of ‘wedding reportage’ to the Philippine wedding photography industry. Since its introduction, it has become a standard in wedding photography coverage practiced by many Filipino wedding photographers today.

Photojournalistic wedding photography takes the opposite approach to the timeless style. Rather than posed photographs, the emphasis is on candid photography. The wedding photographer takes a much more passive role, capturing the day as it unfolds naturally rather than directing the show. Many engaged couples feel that wedding photojournalism captures the big day in a more realistic way. They also prefer the low-key approach of the photojournalistic style, feeling that the wedding photographer should document what actually happens rather than faking events for the photographic effect.

Many Philippine wedding photography studios nowadays offer both wedding photojournalism and traditional timeless photography to their clients. Filipino wedding photographers understand the needs of their clients. The couple’s parents still prefer covering wedding in the traditional manner. At the same time, couples want to see those unique moments that transpired during their special day. This approach pleases everyone, since no one is left out of the wedding album, every single moment is preserved through their wedding photos, and the bride and groom get to enjoy more time with their guests.


Visit Kasal.com for more information on Philippine Wedding Photography and Filipino Wedding Photographers: http://www.kasal.com/html/rr/feat/philippine-wedding-photographers.html