What is Documentary Wedding Photography?

Planning a wedding involves making countless decisions, and one of the most important choices you’ll face is how you want your day to be captured. When it comes to wedding photography, there are a variety of styles to choose from, but one of the most authentic and timeless approaches is documentary wedding photography.

I’m sure you’ve heard of this term as it’s a popular phrase that’s been buzzing around on social media. But what exactly does “documentary wedding photography” mean? In this post, I’ll dive into this term and explain the importance of a tailored wedding photography experience.

Images from Roselyn + Julian’s wedding in New Orleans, Louisiana. Captured on 35mm, medium format, and digital.

What Does a Documentary-Style Approach Look Like in Action?

Documentary wedding photography is all about capturing real moments as they happen throughout the day. Think of it as visual storytelling—your photographer is there to document the emotion, spontaneity, and beauty of the day, without interrupting the flow of events.

Instead of posing and directing each shot, a documentary-style photographer works quietly in the background, snapping photos of everything from your guests’ candid reactions throughout the day, to the little details that make your wedding unique. It’s about telling the full story of your day through images that reflect the joy, love, and raw emotion of the moment.

If you're someone who values authenticity over tradition and prefers to let things unfold naturally, documentary wedding photography is an ideal choice for you. It allows you to relive your wedding day exactly as it happened, without making your day feel like a 10 hour-long photoshoot!

Can I Still Take Formal Family Portraits?

Yes, of course! While documentary wedding photography focuses on candid moments, family portraits are still an important part of many weddings. If you’re wanting those classic, posed family photos, we can absolutely include them in your wedding day timeline.

Family portraits are often something couples (and their families!) look forward to because they understand the importance of honoring the close family members who were able to be there for their special day. I like to think of formal family portraits as heirloom photos because they’re a great way to preserve memories that can be passed down through generations. I also love that family portraits also gives me the opportunity to get some fun candids of you and your favorite people right alongside the standard “smile at the camera!” photos! And the best part is, family portraits don’t tend to take longer than 15 minutes, so we can make it happen without taking away from your overall wedding experience.

The key here is flexibility. If you want formal family portraits, we can schedule a short, dedicated window of time to ensure everything runs smoothly and you still have plenty of time to enjoy the day.

How Much Time Should We Spend on Newlywed Portraits?

When it comes to having set portrait time, I don’t want you to think that just because you hired a documentary-style photographer that portrait time then goes out the window. For me, whether we spend 15 minutes taking newlywed portraits or an hour is entirely up to you! (For example, Roselyn + Julian, the subjects of these photos, really wanted to prioritize getting some stunning, cinematic, and editorial-style portraits at multiple locations on their wedding day, so that’s exactly what we did! But some couples really don’t like being in front of the camera, and so we only set aside around 15-20 minutes for newlywed portraits in their timeline, and that’s perfectly okay too!). There’s no “right” amount of time when it comes to photos—it’s about what feels good for you and your partner. If you prefer to keep photography low-key and natural, I will be your fly on the wall. If you’d like to take some time out of your wedding day to just have fun in front of the camera with your partner, that’s more than alright with me!

The way that I typically conduct newlywed photos is a mix of a cinematic and editorial style. I love giving prompts that create natural movement as well as using the environment to my advantage to get photos that feel both artistic, candid, romantic, and true to who you are as a couple.

My Philosophy as a Documentary Wedding Photographer

Many people have varying ideas of what it means to be a documentary wedding photographer or what “documentary style photos” even are. To me, it means capturing moments as they unfold. It means not stepping in to ruin a natural moment because “the lighting would look better over here.” It means being as unobtrusive as possible, while still being a helpful, calming, guiding presence throughout your day.

As your wedding photographer, my main goal is to ensure that you’re able to be fully present in the moment. I want you to enjoy this time with your loved ones, kiss your partner, dance your butt off, laugh, cry, and breathe without feeling the pressure to perform for me and my camera. I firmly believe that the best wedding photos happen when the couple chooses to put their full trust in me, and (as odd as this may sound coming from a wedding photographer!), not care about their photos because they’re too busy simply enjoying their day!

I want you to feel relaxed, calm, and present on your big day, without worrying about posing for hours or getting caught up in the details. My approach is always one of guidance, not pressure. I can offer helpful tips or advice to help you make the most of your time, but I will never insist on anything that doesn’t feel right for you.

The most important thing is that you and your partner get to enjoy your wedding day exactly how you envision it—connecting with each other and your loved ones, without being bogged down by expectations.

Final Thoughts

Wedding photography should be an experience that enhances your day, not one that takes you out of it. This is truly what a documentary-style approach is—allowing the day to flow naturally, allowing you to be free from any photo-related expectations that you don’t want, and ensuring that you’re able to fully enjoy every aspect of your wedding day.

My job is to document your wedding story in a way that feels authentic to you both. It’s your day—let’s make sure it’s captured in a way that truly reflects the love, joy, and beauty of the moments you’ll cherish forever.

ABOUT BELLA GENOVESI

Bella Genovesi is a documentary wedding photographer specializing in film and digital mediums. She is based in Denver, CO, but she loves to travel and will gladly go anywhere you take her! Her work combines the artistry of editorial and candid photography, so that every frame becomes a work of art, your wedding gallery a collection of moments that not only tell the story of your wedding day as a whole, but of your unique love story.

Interested in working together? Click the button below and let’s chat!