Tuesday, March 4, 2008

The Love of Journalistic Art

   Picture a joyous bride, confident with excitement; a sincere groom, nervously buttoning his shirt; laughing bridesmaids and groomsmen waiting patiently; a tearful mother and proud father. These are the images of love—the moments just waiting to be photographed. 



True love is not just a fairy tale.
    A journalistic approach to wedding photography makes that real experience the most important part of the image. It tells the whole story, creating visually compelling portraits that truthfully convey the love and emotion of the wedding day. These images have lasting meaning because they are inherently intimate. 
     Documenting a wedding is a very specific craft.



Professional wedding photojournalists understand their subject and have the skill and experience to deftly record important moments as well as gently capture the subtleties of the day. Each photographer has a personal and specific style.  
     A journalistic photographer will also take formal portraits of the bride and groom in a relaxed atmosphere. The poses are natural, the compositions creative. The photographer will encourage the couple to laugh, embrace, and enjoy these moments together because this is often the most time the couple has alone together during the entire wedding day
    So much of a couple's style and sensibility are expressed through their wedding. The location, the colors, the clothing, and the ceremony all reflect the couple's personality. The details make up the whole, and in the details a photographer can find inspiration. 
     The candid image can often be elusive. Luckily weddings offer a bounty of emotion, a living tapestry of color and excitement. An experienced image-maker carefully observes the array of light and shadow in order to distill meaningful images that will stand the test of time. The wonderful thing about journalistic photography is that, even though each picture freezes a moment, that same picture remains timeless. 
     While formal portraits are an elegant way to record the important people in your life, candid images express the unplanned; the brilliant action that exemplifies one's mother or the quirky, endearing half-smile of a sibling. Photographs of these moments spark feelings of connection, of family, and weddings are most of all an affirmation of life and relationships. Journalistic photography takes it all in and presents living images—images that reflect the subject's sincere experience and may reveal more than you might expect if you take a moment to look. 
     Photographs take on deeper meaning as time goes by. They grow and change while truthfully remaining the same. Each portrait, each expression, each moment—they look different in the future and gain value in the passing of time. The beauty of romance is an ageless tale that will be told and retold in every generation. But journalistic portraits are not simply about beauty, they are also about substance. They are portraits of expressions, of character. They reveal complexity; they are courageous with simple virtue and lasting impression. They are most of all, yours. 
     For many couples, the wedding day flies by like a dream. So much is happening in so many places. Sometimes the photographs are the only way to experience many parts of the day. The bride and groom can see each other before the ceremony, see their wedding from their families' points of view and enjoy the many moments experienced by their friends. These perspectives add dimension to the wedding day.
     Of the memories that remain with the couple from their wedding day, the images that tell the story. Photography is for love.

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