Copy of Documentary vs Editorial Wedding Photography: What’s the Difference?
Documentary. Editorial. Candid. Fine art. Traditional. Wedding photography suddenly has a lot of terminology for something that should be fairly simple: You want wedding photos you love.
Two styles you'll probably come across while searching for a wedding photographer are documentary and editorial. They can look completely different — but you don't necessarily have to choose between them.
In fact, I don't.
I'm Georgina, the photographer behind Emilia Michaels Photography, and my approach combines documentary wedding photography with a subtle editorial influence.
Here's what that actually means.
What is documentary wedding photography?
Documentary wedding photography is all about real moments. Rather than constantly stopping or directing what's happening, your photographer observes the day and captures it as it naturally unfolds.
The nervous glances before the ceremony. Your dad trying very hard not to cry. The massive hug from your best friend. Your guests laughing during the speeches. Children doing something they're absolutely not supposed to be doing. Your grandparents on the dance floor. It's less: “Stand here. Look at me. Smile.”
And more:
“Forget about me. Go and enjoy your wedding.” The goal is to create photographs that don't just show you what your wedding looked like. They remind you how it felt.
What is editorial wedding photography?
Editorial wedding photography is more intentional. Think beautiful magazine imagery. Interesting composition. Gorgeous light. Movement. Architecture. Details. And portraits that feel effortlessly polished.
There's usually more input from the photographer when creating these photographs. But editorial doesn't have to mean stiff posing or spending an hour staring seriously into the distance. At least, not in my world.
I prefer gentle direction. I'll find the light, choose the location and tell you what to do when you need me to. You just get to be yourselves.
Documentary vs editorial: what's the actual difference?
The easiest way to explain it?
Documentary photography captures a moment.
Editorial photography helps create one.
Imagine you're walking out of your ceremony. Your guests throw confetti. You're laughing because half of it has gone directly into your mouth. I'm not stopping that moment. I'm photographing it.
That's documentary.
Later, we head outside for ten minutes while the light is beautiful. I find the location, position you in the light and give you a little direction.
That's editorial.
Both photographs belong in the same wedding gallery. They simply tell your story differently.
Which style is better for weddings?
Neither. It depends entirely on what you want. If you want every photograph perfectly posed and polished, a heavily editorial photographer might suit you. If you want almost no intervention whatsoever, a pure documentary photographer may be perfect. But if you're thinking:
“I want natural photographs, but I still want those gorgeous portraits…”
That's exactly where the two styles can work beautifully together.
Can you combine documentary and editorial wedding photography?
Absolutely. And this is where my own approach sits. Documentary storytelling. Editorial edge. For most of your wedding day, I'm observing. I'm looking for reactions, relationships and little moments happening around you. I'm not going to interrupt your dad hugging you because I think the light would be better three metres to the left. The moment matters more. But your portraits are different.
That's when I'll look for beautiful light, interesting locations and compositions and give you gentle direction.
You get the photographs that feel completely spontaneous. And the photographs you'd happily put on the front of a magazine. I don't think you should have to choose.
Will documentary wedding photos still look beautiful?
Absolutely. Documentary doesn't mean careless. A great documentary photograph still considers light, composition, timing and storytelling. The difference is that the photographer is working around the moment rather than making the moment work around the photograph. Sometimes the most beautiful photograph from your wedding won't be the perfectly composed portrait. It'll be the photograph where somebody you love looks at you in a way you didn't even notice at the time.
Will editorial wedding photography feel awkward?
It shouldn't. You don't need modelling experience. You don't need to practise poses on TikTok. And you definitely don't need to know what to do with your hands. Good direction should make you feel less awkward, not more. I might ask you to walk together, move slightly towards the light or adjust where you're standing. Small things. Enough to create something beautiful without making the photograph feel like somebody else.
What if we hate posing for photographs?
Then a documentary-led approach with a little editorial direction might be exactly what you're looking for.
You won't spend your entire wedding being photographed. You'll spend it getting married. Talking to your guests. Drinking the champagne. Laughing. Crying. Dancing. Eating. Actually being there.
Then we'll disappear for a short while, create some beautiful portraits and get you straight back to your wedding. No two-hour photoshoot required.
What photographs will we actually receive?
With a documentary and editorial approach, your finished gallery should feel like a complete story.
You'll have the obvious moments:
The ceremony.
The kiss.
Confetti.
Family photographs.
Couple portraits.
Speeches.
The first dance.
But you'll also have everything happening around them.
Your mum's reaction.
Your friends laughing.
Someone crying during the speeches.
The children underneath the table.
The dance-floor chaos.
And alongside those photographs, you'll have a collection of more considered editorial-inspired portraits.
The photographs you knew you wanted — and the ones you didn't know you needed.
How do we know which wedding photography style is right for us?
Look at complete wedding galleries rather than individual Instagram photographs.
Then ask yourself:
Can I imagine us in these photographs?
Do the couples look comfortable?
Do the emotions feel real?
Do you love the candid moments as much as the portraits?
Does the gallery tell you what the wedding actually felt like?
If you're constantly drawn to natural photographs but still save beautiful editorial portraits to your wedding Pinterest board, you probably don't need to choose between them.
Find a photographer who can give you both.
Documentary & Editorial Wedding Photography in Kent
I'm Georgina, the photographer behind Emilia Michaels Photography, photographing weddings throughout Kent and the South East.
My approach is documentary-led with a subtle editorial influence. That means I'm there for the moments you expect. And I'm constantly watching for the ones you don't.
I'll document your wedding without turning it into a photoshoot, then step in when a little direction will create something beautiful. Because I want you to have both. The photographs that look incredible on your wall. And the photographs that, years from now, take you straight back to exactly how it felt.
If you're planning a wedding in Kent and you're looking for natural storytelling with an editorial edge, I'd love to hear what you're planning.
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