Trends are Temporary, Class is Permanent
I started Martin Creates Weddings because I was in a good flow of doing corporate event gigs and then one day, I was asked to photograph a wedding. The experience of capturing the wedding’s wonderful moments made me realise how much more fulfilling weddings and family occasions are. The difference in emotions that we experience on special occasions vs corporate events is clear and obvious to any professional photographer and videographer.
This article is dedicated to the decades of amazing work that have led to vintage style of wedding photography still being widespread today despite the vast editing options available to professional photographers. The wedding images used in this article were taken and edited by Martin Creates Weddings.
Vintage Photography at Weddings
As a professional wedding photographer, there is a growing appreciation for analogue-style photography which reflects these human emotions. Or maybe, this filmic style of photography never left the scene in the first place? Digital photography has enabled us to explore a much wider range of photography styles from the retro and grainy style to the modern and almost artificially sharp style. Editing options have never been as vast as they are today.
Below is a professional wedding photo taken with a modern mirrorless Sony Alpha IV with a Sony 35mm f1.8. You can see how the grain and monochromatic grading can make it seem like it was taken perhaps with an older analogue camera and film roll. The use of flash was very important to make the subject pop against everything else.
These next images were taken using an 35mm 1.8 and indoors too. I decided that it was better to have it in colour. Again, the key things to focus on when creating a vintage look is whether the surroundings welcome such a style. Old wooden decor certainly does. We apply enough warmth and make sure the tones aren’t overly saturated. We want it to be authentic and classy.
The flashgun plays a key role with indoor photography because it means there is no need to worry about noise affecting the images. The ISO doesn’t need to go over 800 usually and even if it does, it can be easily recovered up to 2,000 ISO.
Gentle application of grain in post editing is recommended for achieving this look and removing any distracting colours. For example, the green plan doesn’t need to be saturated as it doesn’t bring any value. The sharp and textures are enough to make people aware of its presence in the photo.
Analogue style photography can still be considered sharp because it captures detail in an authentic way; just like our eyes notice things, e.g. a ring doesn’t need to be photographed with a macro lens during an exchange of vows.
These photos were taken in Central London and you can see more photos from this wedding by clicking here.
I am a professional freelance photographer and videographer based in London, UK. I started Martin Creates Weddings in order to help empower couples worldwide with my photography and videography knowledge and services. One of the ways I do that is by publishing blogs with free information to help any creatives out there reading this. I welcome you to check out my work on this website as well as my other website where I show the work I’ve done for brands and organisations: martincreates.co.uk. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.
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