Wedding photography: editorial style or photojournalism, which really suits you?

When you look at your wedding photos a few months from now, or twenty years from now, you won’t just want to remember your dress or the decor of the hall. What you’ll want to feel are the emotions of this unique day, the glances, the bursts of laughter, the discreet tears, the tender gestures… in short, life.

But how does a photographer capture all this? The answer depends very much on the photographer’s style.

“What style of photography is right for us?”

Among the most widespread approaches, two clearly stand out: the editorial style, highly aesthetic and inspired by magazines, and the photojournalistic style, also known as wedding reportage, focused on authentic moments.

In this article, I’ll explain their differences and particularities, and I’ll also share my personal approach, built around storytelling, improvisation… and, above all, you.

Editorial style: the elegance of a magazine

The editorial style is that found in the pages of a fashion magazine or a trendy editorial.

It is characterized by stylized, worked, composed images, with great attention paid to aesthetics. The photographer directs the poses, chooses the light and constructs the image like a work of art.

Features :

Directed poses, fashion / movie inspiration
Stylized scenes, sometimes staged
Precise work on light, posture and lines
The result: sophisticated, sometimes glamorous, highly polished photos

It’s a style that can produce breathtaking images – but also demands time and real involvement from the couple. In the reality of a wedding, between travel, unforeseen events and emotional intensity, it’s rare to be able to free up 45 minutes for a calm, structured session.

The photojournalistic style: pure authenticity

The photojournalistic style, or wedding reportage, is based on a more discreet, spontaneous approach.

Here, the photographer doesn’t direct, but observes. He’s there to document the day, without interfering, and capture the moments as they unfold, in all their authenticity.

Features :

No installation required
On-the-spot moments, natural emotions
Photographer in the background, very discreet
The result: images that are full of life, sincere and vibrant.

It’s a style that suits most couples, simply because most people aren’t models by nature. We don’t always know how to hold ourselves, what to do with our hands, and we don’t always feel like posing.

And that’s exactly what this style respects: your real emotions, your spontaneous gestures, your energy.

My approach: between storytelling and spontaneity

Since I’ve been photographing weddings, I’ve opted for a storytelling approach.

My aim is to tell your story with authenticity, staying true to who you are and what you’re experiencing, without forcing things.

It’s also a question of temperament: I’m a discreet person, I don’t like to interrupt a moment to take a photo. I prefer to blend into the atmosphere, capturing emotions in a light, undisturbed way. My camera is there, but it doesn’t take up all the space. You’re the one at the center.

That’s why I naturally prefer the photojournalistic style – because it’s like me, and highlights the spontaneity and truth of a moment.

But… sometimes the editorial intrudes on the day

That said, every wedding is different. Every couple is unique.

Very often, during a couple session, or in an exceptional setting, I feel that there’s a particular energy, a magnificent light, or simply a couple willing to play the game a little.

At times like these, I don’t hesitate to offer a few calmer, more editorial images, always gently and sympathetically.

The idea is never to “turn you into models”, but rather to seize a creative opportunity and guide you to obtain more constructed images, without losing your naturalness.

It’s a balance that I find in the moment, depending on the energy of the moment, the couple’s mood, the weather, the location…

🖼️ For example, during this autumn wedding at Moulin de Launoy, the bride and groom were stuntmen and actors. Very much at ease in front of the camera, they played the posing game to the hilt, which enabled me to compose very editorial, almost cinematographic images.

Or, for this timeless wedding at Château de Barthélemy, the theme chosen by the bride and groom inspired me to take a few posed photos, in classic tableau style.

These moments are rare, precious and, above all, spontaneous. I don’t provoke them: I seize them as they come.

A brief comparison: two styles, two visions

Aspect	Editorial style	Photojournalistic style
Photographer’s direction	Yes, directed poses	No, spontaneous and natural
Stage direction	Yes, often inspired by magazines	None, everything is caught on the spot
Time required	Important	Adapts to the rhythm of the wedding
Suitable for shy people	Less	Yes, perfectly
Rendering style	Stylised, aesthetic, cinematic	Authentic, lively, emotional
Ideal use	Couples sessions, portraits, details	Full day, emotions, interactions

And in the end, which to choose?

The answer is simple: you don’t have to choose one or the other.

What counts is that your photographer knows how to adapt, to understand what makes you feel comfortable, what you expect, and how to balance things to suit you.

It’s perfectly possible – and often even preferable – to have a predominantly photojournalistic wedding report, punctuated by a few more artistic, more structured images at key moments of the day.

The most important thing is that these images look like you.