The glossary and jargon in Wedding Phtoography can be confusing, and rightly so. Its probably not your area of expertise. You might have just started exploring all this for your wedding and these various terms like candid, traditional, conventional, modern etc have been tossed at you. This is why I thought I’ll pen down my understanding of this subject and clarify in detail for you. This way you can use it as a reference or a lens and plan for your wedding, or also use the same lens to look at the work of various photographers that you may be screening. So here’s a detailed comparison for Traditional, Candid, and Editorial wedding photography styles.
Wedding Photography Styles
1. Traditional Wedding Photography
Traditional wedding photography or conventional wedding photography is passe’ to say the very least. It belongs to an era we all left long ago. This is the most classic and formal style. This is a form of sanitised documentation of the wedding. In a short summary you could say ‘This is what a wedding looked like.”
Key Features:
- Formal, non-creative, and straight forward documentation. Hence the name ‘Traditional’.
- Focus is on the money shots e.g. moments like rituals, family photos, venue / food layout etc.
- To be fair, the skill level required for this kind of photography is pretty basic and it therefore is the most cost effective of all formats. For Rs 10,000. or so you can have a traditional photographer for an event.
Which Wedding events is it best Suited For:
- I would say use this for Receptions where you have a formal meet & greet on a stage.
- Use this for small wedding events at home which are simpler pujas like the Home puja, havan or Main gate puja, or similar rituals which require simple documentation.
- You ‘could’ employ a traditional photographer for your wedding day to capture all your rituals, if you doubt that your Candid photographer may not be shooting in great detail. This is NOT the case at Salt & Pepper luckily. We shoot weddings in great details and don’t miss out even the tiniest of details.
2. Candid Wedding Photography
Candid photography captures moments as they happen, the focus is on authenticity, on natural emotions and expressions. This style thrives on spontaneity, on how things actually unfold. In simpler words you could say, “This is what a wedding Felt like.” At Salt & Pepper, this is our favourite format of photography that we practice at all weddings. Since the focus is the capture the authentic moments, this style lends to time-less photographs.
Key Features:
- Unscripted format of photography which you could also call wedding photojournalism .
- The story if important, of the couple, and of the family. So focus is on key characters of the story, and how they play their part in the events.
- A lot of this kind of photography depends on the art of anticipation. It requires years of experience and a trained eye of a seasoned photographer to anticipate and capture fleeting moments.
- A big plus of this style of shooting is the unobtrusiveness of the photographers. They would not be visible at most times but will be shooting from the shadows.
- This is more expensive indeed. Because you are paying for experience, for a trained eye. You are paying for someone who is deft at capturing moments in a blink as they unfold. A good candid photographer could be from Rs 30-40,000/- per day to a few lakhs depending on the brand.
- Many events at your wedding may need more than 1 Candid photographer, depending on the gathering size.
Best Suited For:
- Couples who care for authenticity, and want to relive the wedding memories in the truest sense.
- Ideal for Wedding and intimate events like Mehendi, Haldi and Sangeet.
- Not the most suited for Stage-Reception. Since the interactions are likely to be formal and repetitive.
3. Editorial Wedding Photography
Heavily inspired by fashion magazines and instagram, the Editorial style photography focuses primarily on the aesthetic of the pictures. It emphasizes on artistic direction w.r.t what is the current favoured aesthetic globally. You could equate it to portraiture, but Editorial is a higher end version of it. In simpler ways you could say “The Wedding was ‘made’ to look like this“. Imagine backdrops, Imagine a designer finding a couch or props to set up shots. Throwing petals / smoke / mirrors in the frames. Or whatever makes it look pretty. BUT, there is a but, a big one for me. Whose aesthetic is it? Is it yours? or your director’s? Are you going to live with someone else’s aesthetic forever? What if your style is happy and vibrant and the director is Vogue-ish cold fashion look inspired? Think about it.
Key Features:
- Compositions are key. Focus is on frames, not moments.
- This required time, so ideal for a couple or bridal portrait session or on a separate day.
- Some editorial photographers also like to get involved in ‘staging’ key moments in the wedding to accentuate a key moment by heightening its aesthetic appeal.
- An important thing to consider here is that since its Editorial and therefore given a style which is probably current, this therefore imparts a time stamp on photos of this style generation.
Best Suited For:
- Brides and couples who are keen on latest fashion and style trends.
- And those for who the visual enhancements matter a lot.
Comparison Table: Traditional vs. Candid vs. Editorial
| Aspect | Traditional | Candid | Editorial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Style | Formal, posed | Natural, unscripted | Artistic, dramatic |
| Focus | Rituals and group shots | Emotions and real moments | Glamour and aesthetics |
| Preparation Required | High (pre-planned shot list) | Minimal | High (requires styling & props) |
| Suitability | Families valuing tradition | Laid-back couples | Style-conscious couples |
| Cost | Moderate | Moderate to High | High |
| Examples | Ceremony group photos | Laughs during vows | Styled shoot with dramatic lighting |
What’s right for you?
1. Verbalise your preferences
- Check Pinterest boards. Scan the gram, see what you vibe with, what you are comfortable with.
- If you care only about genuine moments and authenticity.
- Or if the visual aesthetic and stylised shoots float your boat. (for you both)
- All couples are different and so are all weddings. This is your day. This should be your call.
2. Consult with your photography team
- Discuss your vision and check their portfolios to ensure their style aligns with your expectations. Or at least tell them what matters to you. This way you will be more in sync about the shoot.
3. There can be 2 right answers 🙂
- You can always blend these styles to provide comprehensive coverage. Use traditional style for a simpler event, candid for all others and editorial for wedding day perhaps. Do your planning as per the time you can allocate, and if it requires any special preparation. And do remember that it is easy to shift gears down, than up. So for a Candid photographer it’s easy to take a few group photos or wedding detail photos while focussing on authentic moments. But the converse can’t be said for a traditional photographer.
Conclusion
Choosing between Traditional, Candid, and Editorial wedding photography depends on your personality, vision, your personal bandwidth and budget. Each style has its unique charm and plus points, and understanding the differences helps you make an informed decision. Whether you value timeless portraits, unscripted memories, or Vogue-ish looks, there’s a perfect style for every couple. But whatever it is, I would really request you to make the choice, rather than someone else (photographer) choosing for you and you having to live with it, forever.
Call me and we can talk more about it:
Salt & Pepper
Phone: +91 98802 55388
