Wedding photojournalism is a hot new trend in the wedding photography market. More and more, engaged couples are moving away from the posed photography of yesterday and into a more documentary style. Many feel that wedding photojournalism better covers today's creative ceremonies.

In the timeless (traditional) style of wedding photography, the photographer plays a very active role. He or she orchestrates virtually the entire wedding according to a preplanned shot list. Every photo is carefully posed. Depending on the length of time for which he or she is hired, some of your most personal wedding moments, such as cutting the cake or throwing the bouquet, may have to be re-enacted or faked for the camera.

In the past, timeless style left a lot of downtime for guests while the bridal party was off having pictures taken. The photographer used the few hours of transition from church to reception hall trying to get the perfect shots of the bridal party, which left guests to mingle and occupy themselves before the arrival of the bride and groom.

There are a few major advantages to timeless wedding photography. Since the shot list is preplanned, couples can be sure that no event or family member is left out. The posed photos also look beautiful in a wedding album, creating a classic memento of the big day.

Photojournalistic wedding photography takes the opposite approach to the timeless style. Rather than posed photographs, the emphasis is on candid photography. The wedding photographer takes a much more passive role, capturing the day as it unfolds naturally rather than directing the show.

Many engaged couples feel that wedding photojournalism captures the big day in a more realistic way. They also prefer the low-key approach of the photojournalistic style, feeling that the photographer should document what actually happens rather than faking events for the photographic effect.

Wedding photojournalism does have its own downside, however. Since there is no shot list, it is possible that key relatives or friends will inadvertently be left out of the photos. The photographer's instincts must be top notch as he or she decides what to cover during the busy reception. Ambient rather than photographic lighting will generally be used, which can lead to some less than perfect photographs. Finally, your album will contain no traditional posed photos. Some parents feel that their child's wedding album is incomplete without some traditional photos. You, too, may regret the lack of posed photos one day.

You now find this type of photographer at many of the popular honeymoon destinations and many feel it's better suited to the honeymoon photo's than the wedding photo's. Quality will vary obviously but many are professionals and manage to capture the moment while you are strolling along the beach or dancing in the disco in the evening. Follow this if you want to learn all about honeymoons.

Many photographers have begun to incorporate the best of both worlds. Couples may go to the wedding photography studio a day or two before the ceremony for a posed wedding photography portrait. Before or after the ceremony, they might pose for a short list of the photographs they most want. The rest of the time, however, their day will be captured through wedding photojournalism. This blending of styles ensures that no one is inadvertently left out of the photographs and gives more traditional family members the proper wedding album shots. Yet it dramatically shortens the posed photography session and allows the couple to see candid photos of what actually happened on their wedding day.

You may also be interested to learn how to save money on your wedding photography