Photographer Matt Bowen reveals the top wedding photography trends to consider when you’re thinking about your own big day shots.
“There was a time when many photographers would shy away from wedding photography, mainly because they perceived it as a lot of extra stress and it didn’t allow them to express their creativity. This was probably because for a long time wedding photography was about a middle-aged man with a big camera on a tripod taking endless photographs of family groups. But then something changed, whether it was a forward thinking couple that wanted something different or a photographer with a smart idea, a new breed of wedding photography was born and it has spawned a whole host of styles since.
Engagement shoots
These are a great way of getting to know a photographer and also getting used to being in front of the camera and taking direction. In my case, I’ll take the couple to one of their favourite locations, a place that is special to them, and get some pictures of them interacting with each other. Couples often use these pictures for their ‘save the date’ cards or as part of their wedding day. Some photographers offer engagement shoots as part of their wedding photography packages, others will charge extra for them, I actually offer them for free as a ‘try before you buy,’ option with no obligation to book wedding photography with me. Choosing a wedding photographer can be a tricky decision if you’ve not had a recommendation so having a no risk option like this can really help. If you get the option to have an engagement shoot, whether it’s free or you pay for it, I definitely recommend it.
Vintage weddings
Vintage weddings are perhaps one of the biggest stylistic explosions of recent years, following the trend for vintage styling in clothes and home décor. A number of photographers have built excellent brands concentrating on taking vintage style wedding photographs. However, if you’re not having a vintage styled wedding then there’s not much point having a vintage photographer.
Modern wedding photography
By this I mean wedding photography with vibrant colours, heads cut off pictures, photographs of feet, the sort of pictures your Mum probably isn’t going to really get and unless she’s a super cool Mum, she’s unlikely to put them up on the wall. If you’re into this style though I believe they can be very striking and create a real talking point.
Trash the dress/Rock the frock
Don’t know what to do with your wedding dress after the big day? Why not have a photo shoot after the wedding where you ‘Trash’ your dress, either in the sea, rolling around in a field or stood in a derelict building. Alternatively, you could have a ‘Rock the frock’ shoot. This is similar to ‘Trash the dress’ in that you get to wear your wedding dress again for a photo shoot, but this is more of a fashion shoot with the bride in a stunning or uber-cool location.
Black and white
Ok, so black and white isn’t exactly a new trend, obviously there was a time when you could only have black and white images, but recently I was asked to do a wedding with just black and white images. I was more than happy to do this, as I love monochrome. The pictures always look classy, have a great feel to them and are timeless. An all black and white wedding might not be to everyone’s taste, but it certainly provides some stunning images.”
Matt Bowen is a wedding photographer based in Cheshire who takes photographs at weddings all over the UK. He’s inspired by cinematic trends, both colour and black and white and he believes that weddings are all about love, laughter and happiness which comes across in his wedding photography. If you’re interested in a free, no obligation engagement shoot with Matt Bowen then visit his website today!
What do you think about the latest photography trends? Let us know in the comments! x
