Documentary vs. Editorial


Documentary style wedding photography is a hot topic and popular buzz word for many 2025 & 2026 couples. When searching for a photographer that can position themselves to truly capture the emotions of a day it is just as important to consider if this style of photography is best suited for your day specifically.


I would describe documentary style as "fly on the wall" and a 100% documentary style day would include absolutely no posing or interfering with anything in the shot. Editorial photography is highly posed, curated, and directed. A lot of celebrity wedding portraits are good examples of this. I have found that most couples want something in between.


If I could choose one wedding to show you what I mean by "perfectly suited" it would be Katie & Tanner's intimate Idaho wedding from July 2022. Even three years later I think about this wedding on a regular basis. There are some posed shots but they are limited to the professional family photos and bridal portraits, but even in those moments I choose to got the "prompt over pose" route. One reason that I think this style worked for them is because they came from a family full of photographers. They all understood and respected my job, but they also all had a very clear understanding of what types of moments made for heartfelt photos. Not only that, but they allowed their emotions to come to the surface in every interaction that they had with their guests. They also chose not to sweat the small stuff and lived in the moment the entire day. All of these factors are what I believe attributed to the beauty of the final gallery.

 

 

My approach to a mixed shooting style


Everyones wedding is different and that's why I look at shooting styles on a sliding scale from fully editorial to fully documentary. Each day calls for something different and your best images will be captured once we figure out where you sit on that scale. I would say that 90% of the weddings I shoot are a 30/70 mix of editorial and documentary styles, meaning that I pose and prompt where needed (mostly for family photos and bride and groom portraits) but the rest of the day is spent as a fly on the wall. If you're not sure, reach out and we can figure out what will work best for your day together!

 

 

Creating heartfelt moments


Katie & Tanner's public ceremony was tearful, heartfelt, and mostly untraditional. While Katie's dad walked her down the aisle and the couple chose nieces and nephews to be ring bearers and flower girls, the structure of the ceremony was unique. Once they met at the a-frame arch, the "officiant" explained that the couple had been married earlier that morning in the LDS temple sealing ceremony. Then the couple chose to work all of the speeches into the ceremony and they called up each person to speak while the couple sat on a little couch to the left of the altar. At the end of the ceremony they exchanged tearful vows and matching gold rings. They made their way back down the aisle to the song "Hey, Mrs. Robinson" which was fitting since the bride chose to take the grooms last name.


This day was the perfect example of two families that create the perfect environment for documentary style photography to thrive. They all interacted with each other in meaningful ways and showed up for this couple as a true community. My favorite moments from this day were the smallest ones, a little boy climbing a tree, the couple reacting to a funny story being shared, and the father of the bride taking a photo of his daughter while she admired her new husband were among my favorite snippets. It was their willingness to wear their hearts on their sleeves that allowed for these moments to unfold.

 

 

Is Documentary Style Photography

the best fit for your day?


Documentary style wedding photography is not for everyone. Here are 5 questions you can ask yourself that will help you decide if fully documentary style photography is right for you:


  1. Do my wedding guests know each other well enough to have heartfelt interactions with one another?


2. Am I planning to create moments that will evoke heartfelt emotions? (i.e. personal vows, emotional speeches, hyped-up dance party, etc.)


3. Am I willing to let the timeline breathe? This would allow your photographer to capture more in-between moments vs. someone who wishes to have a tighter wedding day schedule.


4. Are we and our close family and friends the type of people who are willing to show our emotions publicly? Do we feel comfortable in front of the camera? It's much less likely that emotion will be captured if everyone is bottling it up.


5. Will my wedding include personal touches that make the day feel like "us"?