Why do all wedding images look the same? They don’t have to, says Catherine Westwood, editor of one of Britain’s leading bridal magazines, who argues that its time to ditch Victorian ceremony and embrace the laid-back style that modern brides demand. She also offers some tips on how to promote your work through wedding magazines.

In the course of the working day, I see a lot of wedding photography, and most of it falls into one of two categories – the traditionalists and the visionaries. Some of the work I see is by wedding photographers who send in unsolicited discs, showing us just how well their images meet the demands of contemporary brides and grooms who want traditional shots. But while these undoubtedly have their place, you will never see them in the pages of a glossy bridal magazine.

We only want to see the fresh, the new and the agenda setting. That’s all we care about – what’s next, how we can be at the forefront of it, and how we can lay claim to it. We are here to endlessly inspire our demanding readership, and in turn demand the highest standards from our contributors. Some of the work I see is simply outstanding, innovative and incredibly inspiring, and this is what I want to talk about here. There are no rights and wrongs, because all photography is subjective, but I can tell you where I think wedding photography is heading, rather than where it has been since the Victorians posed po-faced to celebrate their nuptials.

And here lies the root of the problem. Ever since the turn of the 20th Century, through two world wars and constant technological revolution, “trends” in wedding photography have stood still – as unaffected by time as the pyramids. The formal poses seen in today’s pictures, complete with the descending order of family hierarchy emanating outwards from the happy couple at the centre, reveal just how little has changed in more than 100 years. For too long weddings have been mired in etiquette, tradition and formality.

TIME FOR CHANGE

Thankfully, with a little help from bridal magazines, some visionary photographers and confident brides, this is all beginning to change. It started with the vogue for “reportage” photography, which gained in popularity around 10 years ago, and which offered the long overdue option of movement in wedding pictures. Brides and grooms were freed from their formal shackles and encouraged to embrace relatives and run through their venue grounds and beaches. It was seen as revolutionary at the time. But as with all trends, it quickly became exaggerated, with some brides and photographers taking it to extremes and creating unflattering, over-contrived images that soon fell out of fashion again. What was needed was a replacement trend that had more scope for longevity, and it eventually emerged from the US.

The cult blog Style Me Pretty was a viral sensation in the UK, spread by brides-to-be who discovered there was a way of making your wedding look distinctive without compromise, and that there were photographers out there (at least in the US) who knew how to capture it. These modern women were used to expressing their individuality through fashion, their home, and even their choice of partner, and wanted their wedding day to be an extension of themselves.

These women did not want a standard white dress and diaphanous veil, mums in pastels and their groom in a cravat (and they didn’t want to obey him in their vows either). These thoroughly modern, soon-to-be Mrs had a clear vision of their big day, which still incorporated some classic constituents – like wearing white or ivory, cutting a cake of some description and even having a first dance together – but which was on their terms, rather than dictated by tradition.

GET WITH THE ZEITGEIST

This sea change in attitude is now affecting wedding photography. You either go with the (new) flow or you dig your heels in and stick with what you know. As a magazine editor, my remit is to inspire my readers, and today’s consumer is more selective and demanding than ever. Over the past five years I have seen brides-to-be become discontented with basic wedding shots, and start to crave more and more originality. They have become voyeuristic over wedding photography, now dubbed by some bridal bloggers as “wedding porn”, poring over magazines, websites and even Twitter in a bid to get their “fix” of ideas.

They want to see details, details, details. From the clip in the bride’s hair to the paper flags on the straws to the handmade favours and the innovative containers for the floral arrangements, no detail is too small, no font too quirky and no colour too off-beat. Originality is actively celebrated. Perhaps the best news in these image-obsessed times is that no bride has to be classically pretty anymore – no more teased blonde ringlets, veils and permatan. Grooms don’t need to fall in to the hunky category. In fact, the geek is now chic, and glasses are cool, skinny legs accentuated in slim suits and longer hair ideal.

A new breed of photographers completely understands this prescriptive client. They understand this zeitgeist for the original, character-defining wedding photograph, and that their brides want to make a strong statement. This does not include a Photoshopped red bouquet on a black-and-white picture, a fish-eye lens landscape or a pseudo Reservoir Dogs shot of the male members of the wedding party. What this new generation of photographers offers is flexibility and a willingness to adapt to the brief. They also bring their own stylish ideas to the party, rather than trotting out a bog-standard shot list, and some even turn away brides and wedding commissions if they feel the couple is not “on brand” with their style of photography. In other words, the happy couple-to-be needs to fit with the photographer too, because it’s no longer just a business decision, but an aesthetic one beneficial to both parties.

Modern wedding images are now created by a mutual communication process between bride and photographer, with an exchange of ideas usually based on themes, the reception location and even the weather. Impromptu backdrops are strung between trees at the venue, props like bicycles and umbrellas are hired to create lifestyle images, and vintage colour washes added to create mood.

AND RELAX…

In my opinion, the very best weddings and wedding photographs often have one phrase in common – they are laid back. This is the very antithesis of old-school wedding photography with starched shirts, family line-ups and a peppering of formality throughout the day.
But you should only attempt this style if you feel you have the propensity for it. You either have it or you don’t, because this skill can’t be learnt. If you and your clients are happy with the classic shot list, then carry on doing what works for you. There will always be plenty of work – your bride is not about to become extinct and traditional wedding photography will always have a place. But remember that while the classic church wedding and all its associated traditions and formalities declines, the popularity of licensed venues continues to rise, as does the numbers of brides wanting something different. Over the last couple of years, British wedding photographers have had to evolve and really bring something special to be featured in the bridal magazines and wedding blogs. In my experience, the competition has never been so fierce, and the demand to be featured and praised in print or pixels has never been so high.

To me, having an underlying signature to your work is key. This could be so subtle that it’s subliminal to your prospective clients and media alike, or it could be as obvious as colour washes, distinctive angles or an unusual depth-of-field. But never be afraid to approach us [editors on wedding magazines]. Wherever your photography takes you, we in the media are always looking for the Next Big Thing, be it a trend or an individual photographer, and down this route lies free publicity, critical acclaim and of course – brides-to-be queuing at your door.

HOW TO GET YOUR WORK IN BRIDAL MAGAZINES

1     The client is paying your fee, so their wishes are priority, but remember shots of all those details if you want to make it into a bridal magazine.
2     We love a great composition, so be creative and be adventurous.
3     Don’t forget the classic bride-and-groom shot: these are always central to any feature we publish.
4     Never ask the groom to hold the bouquet.
5     Be wary of too many shots of the wedding breakfast: it never looks great in pictures. Stick to pictures of the wedding cake and maybe some cocktails, but leave food photography to the experts.

We hope you enjoyed this article from the British Journal of Photography for iPad, Issue One. For more information on how to get this free app, which includes all the photos from this article plus hundreds more, click here.