What is Documentary Style Wedding Photography? A Chicago Film Photographer’s Take
Hi I’m Claire,
A travel wedding film photographer based in Chicago, IL specializing in documentary style photography with gentle direction. Your comfort is my top priority, along with creating photos you’ll wanna look back at for years to come. Check out my work here and reach out if you’re looking for a fun, chill film photographer.
Keep reading to learn about documentary style film photography.
Where to Begin with Wedding Photography
Are you in the middle of wedding planning and feeling confused by all the photography terms you’re seeing? Documentary, editorial, cinematic, etc. It gets confusing fast. I’m a documentary style film photographer based in Chicago, and I’m gonna break it all down for you so you know:
1. What documentary style wedding photography is
2. Why you’d want film photography at your wedding
3. How to find an unobtrusive, documentary style film photographer you’ll love (could be me, let’s see!)
What is Documentary Style Wedding Photography?
Documentary wedding photography is a style of photography that emphasizes an unobtrusive, natural approach to capturing a wedding day. Think unplanned moments, varied facial expressions, and movement at the forefront. It’s less about posing and more about experiencing. There’s room for planned pictures with family and friends, but they’re more “of-the-moment” than strict poses.
Documentary style ≠ haphazard and sloppy
Many documentary style photographers have backgrounds in photojournalism or film & TV (like myself), so they are well-trained in composition and lighting.
A documentary style approach works wonderfully for weddings because it:
1. Moves with the pace of the day
2. Allows for the couple and guests to experience the day rather than just model for it
And don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to do portraits on a wedding day, but I never want it to detract from your experience! You should live your day in a way that feels true to you.
It’s also common for people getting married to say “I feel awkward in front of the camera” or “I hate taking pictures.” To that I say, hire a documentary style photographer! And then tell them that. They should be able to put you at ease and work with you so you don’t feel like the paparazzi are following you all day.
Documentary style photography also shines in its ability to tell a story. Think about your favorite movie. Were the people staring at the camera the entire time, unblinking? No?! Of course not! They’re living, being human. And that’s exactly what you’ll be doing at your wedding. A documentary style photographer is there to capture this moment in your story.
When I ask people what they’re most excited for at their wedding, the most common answer is “To see all our favorite people in the same room and spend time with them altogether,” not “to have a million photos taken of me while I miss out on time with my people.” Focusing on story and experience first allows you to stay as present as possible. The day is going to fly by no matter what, so you should have as many opportunities as you can to be with the people you care the most about.
So if you’re nervous about the camera, love movies and TV, or just want someone who will stay out of your face as much as possible, hire a documentary photographer.
Why Choose Film for Your Wedding
Before we can say whether you’ll want film photography at your wedding, we have to talk about what film is. This one can trip people up too, because it’s like, “What are we talking about? Photography or movies or what?” And to that I say “Yes.”
But in this case, we’re talking still images. Film photography utilizes physical film (whether it’s 35mm, medium format, instant film like Polaroid, or even large format) to create an image. For the sake of this explanation, we’ll talk about 35mm color negative film. Rather than digitally capturing an image in the way we’re used to nowadays, film cameras filter light through the lens onto the physical film. The film then stores the image until the roll is developed in the lab. Once the roll of film is developed, the photos can be seen on the film strip itself. In order to see the photos in color on the computer, you scan the film negatives into a computer and convert them into color positive images. That’s modern film photography.
Due to the chemistry and physical elements of film, you will notice more grain, texture, and differences in light when you train yourself to differentiate between digital and film photos.
35mm film rolls
35mm film negative strip
As you can tell, film is a tedious medium. It takes patience to learn and work with, and it’s not just a trend of blurry, grainy, unreliable, and underexposed photos. Before 2003/2004, most photos were taken on film! Most of photography history is film! Okay hopping off my soap box and getting back to answering your questions.
So why should you choose film photography for your wedding? I’ll give you three.
You value and admire analog media and you’re mad at the AI-ification of our world
Do you love listening to vinyl records and CDs and old movies and going to art galleries and baking bread from scratch? If you gravitate towards physical media and activities, you might appreciate film photography! It’s not any better or worse than digital photography, but it does require extra steps and a learning curve to get it right. It’s a form that preserves physical media, and in a world that’s increasingly digitized and AI-ed, it’s special to know that something real still exists.
2. You don’t like to follow the crowd, you prefer the creative route
Film photography isn’t the norm. So for people who appreciate art and creativity and going against the grain, it’s perfect. Many gravitate towards film imagery because of its ethereal, nostalgic look. So if you see photos and notice the colors and grain feel like they were created by magic, you’ll appreciate having a film photographer for your wedding!
3. You want to focus on the present moment
It can be nerve-wracking to take photos. Have you ever had a friend take a picture and then you looked at it and said, “Let’s take one more” because you felt it didn’t “look right.” But then you see that photo in 5 years and you’re like…”That was a great picture, what was I on?” Relying more heavily on documentary style photography and film fixes that for you! A documentary photographer won’t make you pose for two hours straight. And you can’t look back at a film photo right away. You have to live in the moment. It can be scary, but is it scarier than missing your wedding?
And if you’re liking the sound of documentary style and film, you can see more of my work here.
How I Capture Your Wedding Day as a Documentary Style Photographer
Now that we have our definitions down, let’s talk about my approach to a wedding day. When it comes to weddings, I want you to feel as comfortable as possible. I know there’s already a mix of emotions coming up, and I want you to be able to experience the ups and downs of the day without feeling like I’m hounding you for photos. Before your wedding day, I’ll sit down and chat with you about how you feel in front of the camera. I’ll make sure you know that we can always take a break from photos.
When it comes time for the actual wedding, I will stick to the sidelines for the most part, observing and capturing the moments I see. That doesn’t mean I’ll be unreachable, but I’ll try to blend in to the crowd so as to make you feel less surveilled. When it comes time for the ceremony and dancing and the moments you want to see of you and your partner, I’l be there.
At the end of the day, if you feel like your day has flown by but you’ve had a great time without feeling you were constantly smiling for the camera, then I’ll consider my job well done.
Is Documentary Style Film Photography Right for Your Wedding?
If you feel drawn to:
Creative, non-traditional photography
Storytelling as opposed to strict posing
Personality over conformity
Creating a wedding that feels like it’s for you rather than the wedding industry
Inclusive, comfort-focused photography
Movie-like photos
Laughs, movement, and fun photo composition
Light leaks, double exposures, and imperfect photos that make you feel something
And you feel left out of the traditional wedding industry (i.e., you’re lgbtq+, bipoc, neurodivergent, or you don’t see yourself represented in wedding media), then a documentary style photographer who shoots film might just be the perfect fit for you.
Weddings Captured on 35mm Film
Okay so now you understand what a documentary style photographer is and why you might like film photos from your wedding. But what does it actually look like?
Allow me to show you. Below are examples of various documentary style photos from weddings in Chicago. You’ll notice there are loosely posed couple photos along with in-the-midst-of-the-moment images.
*Photos with asterisk below taken for Unabridged Photography
Frequently Asked Questions About Documentary & Film Weddings
Can we still take portraits together with a documentary style photographer?
Of course! I can’t speak for all documentary style photographers, but I like to gently guide my couples so that they have photos together just the two of them. I won’t make you do any posing you’re uncomfortable with, and I’ll probably take photos of the moments in-between when you’re just existing together.
Do you shoot both film and digital photography?
Yes! I shoot hybrid film and digital documentary style photography with an emphasis on film. If you want me to focus solely on film for the day, I also shoot film-only for weddings. Already have a digital photographer? See if they’d be okay with you hiring a film photographer alongside them!
What if lighting is low?
No worries! I have lights and flash, and it’s actually a misconception that film can’t handle low light. Any photographer you hire for a wedding has seen a dim room/venue. I’ve seen many.
How does film affect timing of coverage?
Film photography shouldn’t slow down the day too much, but it’s also not as snappy as digital. When there’s extra time, I slow down a bit to capture the shot I’m thinking of, but I’ll make sure important moments aren’t missed.
Can we still do family portraits with a documentary style photographer?
I personally still do family portraits at weddings, absolutely. Think “everybody get together” style portraits that you’d wanna look at in 20 years to see all your family laughing together.
How long does it take to deliver the photos? Does film take longer?
This totally depends on lab development time/shipping of film, etc. I generally take my film to local labs, and the turnaround time is fairly quick. That said, scanning and editing does take time, so I always tell my couples to expect 12-14 weeks for final photo gallery delivery. But don’t worry, I’ll send sneak peeks within a week!
Is film photography reliable?
Yes! I always tell people there are risks with both film and digital photography, but I take all the precautions necessary to mitigate any risk. Sure film has to go through more processes to reach the final result, but it makes it that much more special when you see the perfect film photo.
Ready to Capture Your Wedding on Film with a Documentary Style Photographer?
Having a documentary style photographer at your wedding can make all the difference in how positively you remember your wedding day. If you’re already nervous about having your photo taken, but you want to remember how it all went down and have memories of moments you didn’t even see, I can’t recommend a documentary style film photographer more.
And always remember, you don’t have to change to fit into a “wedding” aesthetic. Your photos are for you, not an industry.
If you’re in Chicago, New York, or traveling to a destination where you want someone you can trust to make you feel calm while capturing the moments you’ll want to see again and again, reach out to me. Let’s talk about your dream photos.
