As we always involve ourselves in the latest and most accurate information regarding our industry, we sometimes run across articles that need to be read by our clients and/or potential clients. The WPJA is the utmost authority in the wedding photojournalism world. We highly agree with what this author it stating in this article and suggest that all readers take this to heart. Feel free to contact us if you would like to know further information about this and what our philosophy is in comparison to this type of shooting technique.
Deke
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MACHINE GUN SHOOTING AT WEDDINGS
WPJA photographer Scott Lewis, who just moved to Philadelphia from central New Jersey, halted his unpacking to ponder a question: When photographing a wedding, is it necessary to shoot constantly to ensure that every memorable moment is captured?
He answered by recounting a recent conversation he had with two young photographers just beginning their careers as wedding photojournalists. They admired his style and sought guidance. Lewis, who has worked most of his career as a photojournalist, most recently at a newspaper in Raleigh, NC, gave them sage advice. “These guys shoot twice as many pictures at a wedding as I do,” says Lewis, who takes between 1,400 to 1,800 images per wedding. “I told them, ‘You’re taking a machine gun approach when you should be taking a sniper approach.’”
The digital age has liberated photographers from the expense of purchasing and processing huge quantities of film. In addition, some WPJA members have cited the ease and economy of digital photography as a factor that support their creativity—one that includes a license to take large numbers of shots. Yet overshooting has its disadvantages.
Lewis posits that less-experienced photographers overshoot because they do not trust their instincts. “As a photographer, you are always going to beat yourself up about every moment you miss,” he points out. “That’s just what we do. It’s not important to get every possible moment between the couple. The guests are just as important. If you photograph a protest, for example, you don’t have to get a picture of every person with a sign. You need to capture the essence of the event. A wedding is like 100 little events in a day. You just need to capture the essence, not every moment.”
Patience is part of the discipline, and that also improves with experience. You can stay fixed on a subject or moment, get one in the bag and then hang with the scene while shooting a few more in hopes of a change that will improve the picture.
At a recent wedding, Lewis patiently captured a well-framed candid emotion, which revealed a private and honest split second expression given by the subject while among other wedding attendees. Unguarded moments like this one are what Lewis continuously looks for, even in structured situations. “I shoot for me but not at the expense of shooting for my clients,” he says. When Lewis sees something that he finds visually intriguing, like the bride standing serenely by the window in this photograph, he shoots and hopes his clients will have a similar response to the picture. When they do, he calls it “magical.”
Lewis believes he must put down the camera from time to time in order to see—moreover feel—what’s going on. “I often sit back and look at the world through my own eyes and not just through a camera. It brings a human element to the photos. It’s about people connecting.”
To Lewis, the measure of ultimate success is to have someone who didn’t attend the event feel as if they were there. “You do that by being a good observer,” he notes. “If you are constantly shooting you aren’t observing. A photo editor once told me you can’t give up your life to photograph others’ lives. If you don’t have a life, you aren’t going to be a good photographer. That’s also true for wedding photography. Overshooting takes away energy and creativity.”