engagement shoot
no veil, no tux, just you
A website dedicated to the art of engagement photos
"Boy, wedding photography has changed so much"
-mother of the bride
-mother of the bride
Weddings and photography make the perfect marriage.
For most of us, no other day will be so important, have such pageantry, include so much family and friends. It is the last stop before buying that first house, having children or "settling down". It is one of life's milestones, a line drawn in the sand at a specific point in time.
Photos, like a fine wine, improve with age. And the more special the moment captured, the greater the appreciation over time. And thus the wedding album quickly becomes the family's first heirloom.
So where does that leave engagement photos?
It's not hard to imagine how the modern engagement shoot began. Couples love having pictures of themselves at their weddings, be it that large portrait when you first enter the reception or on the front of the wedding invitations themselves. Wedding photographers quickly added this service and it became quite standard to go out for an hour to a nearby park for flattering yet unimaginative photos. They served a purpose. So what's changed?
Wedding photography, which remained largely unaltered from it's infancy, was revolutionized in the 70's when small 35mm cameras slowly replaced its bulky predecessors. Having no longer the need to carry heavy equipment, photographers used this new found freedom to express weddings in a whole new way - photojournalism! The rules of wedding photography were forever broken and an openness to interpretation was born.
The 90's gave rise to the digital age of photography where we first saw Photoshop™ manipulate images in unimaginable ways. The new millennium began by introducing us to digital cameras - no longer would the cost of film and processing slow creativity or experimentation! As we approach the conclusion of this first decade, we have witnessed the "ceremony" of weddings slowly diminish - fewer weddings occur in churches, destination weddings have flourished and more couples request that the service be "short, sweet and nonreligious". Couples are now willing to meet before the ceremony to have extra time with their photographer. Day-After shoots, when on the day following the wedding the couple redresses in their gown and tuxedo, have also grown in popularity. And the mere idea of a Trash-The-Dress shoot would have horrified most just a decade ago. Not anymore.
In short, wedding photography has gained in its importance and its role has changed. No longer are formal portraits and photojournalism enough to satisfy the desires of the modern bride. With today's weddings being more attune to extravagant parties and an elaborate expression of one's self, today's photographers are expected to be artists, visionaries and completely up-to-date with fashion and trends. Photography has become the medium of choice for expression, no longer shackled in its role as documentarian.
With such strong desires for self-expression, why does the engagement shoot get so little respect? Why do so many people still venture to the nearby park for a few nice shots under a tree? At the end of the day, the engagement photos and the wedding pictures are very similar. Both bring the couple and the professional photographer together, both are meant to capture a moment in time and both are meant to express the unique personalities of the couple. But the engagement shoot has so many advantages over its counterpart - bad weather can be avoided by simply moving the date, there is no tight schedule to keep, no white dress to worry about, no family nor friends waiting for your arrival. But its biggest advantage is the freedom of both the couple and the photographer to express themselves fully. One can be adventurous, experimental or just plain silly.
In many ways, the engagement photos are the real you.
For most of us, no other day will be so important, have such pageantry, include so much family and friends. It is the last stop before buying that first house, having children or "settling down". It is one of life's milestones, a line drawn in the sand at a specific point in time.
Photos, like a fine wine, improve with age. And the more special the moment captured, the greater the appreciation over time. And thus the wedding album quickly becomes the family's first heirloom.
So where does that leave engagement photos?
It's not hard to imagine how the modern engagement shoot began. Couples love having pictures of themselves at their weddings, be it that large portrait when you first enter the reception or on the front of the wedding invitations themselves. Wedding photographers quickly added this service and it became quite standard to go out for an hour to a nearby park for flattering yet unimaginative photos. They served a purpose. So what's changed?
Wedding photography, which remained largely unaltered from it's infancy, was revolutionized in the 70's when small 35mm cameras slowly replaced its bulky predecessors. Having no longer the need to carry heavy equipment, photographers used this new found freedom to express weddings in a whole new way - photojournalism! The rules of wedding photography were forever broken and an openness to interpretation was born.
The 90's gave rise to the digital age of photography where we first saw Photoshop™ manipulate images in unimaginable ways. The new millennium began by introducing us to digital cameras - no longer would the cost of film and processing slow creativity or experimentation! As we approach the conclusion of this first decade, we have witnessed the "ceremony" of weddings slowly diminish - fewer weddings occur in churches, destination weddings have flourished and more couples request that the service be "short, sweet and nonreligious". Couples are now willing to meet before the ceremony to have extra time with their photographer. Day-After shoots, when on the day following the wedding the couple redresses in their gown and tuxedo, have also grown in popularity. And the mere idea of a Trash-The-Dress shoot would have horrified most just a decade ago. Not anymore.
In short, wedding photography has gained in its importance and its role has changed. No longer are formal portraits and photojournalism enough to satisfy the desires of the modern bride. With today's weddings being more attune to extravagant parties and an elaborate expression of one's self, today's photographers are expected to be artists, visionaries and completely up-to-date with fashion and trends. Photography has become the medium of choice for expression, no longer shackled in its role as documentarian.
With such strong desires for self-expression, why does the engagement shoot get so little respect? Why do so many people still venture to the nearby park for a few nice shots under a tree? At the end of the day, the engagement photos and the wedding pictures are very similar. Both bring the couple and the professional photographer together, both are meant to capture a moment in time and both are meant to express the unique personalities of the couple. But the engagement shoot has so many advantages over its counterpart - bad weather can be avoided by simply moving the date, there is no tight schedule to keep, no white dress to worry about, no family nor friends waiting for your arrival. But its biggest advantage is the freedom of both the couple and the photographer to express themselves fully. One can be adventurous, experimental or just plain silly.
In many ways, the engagement photos are the real you.
Content copyright . steven somfalvi. All rights reserved.
