Cinematic, Editorial, Documentary: What Each Means for Your Wedding Photos

If you’ve been looking at wedding photographers, you’ve probably read the same three words over and over: cinematic, editorial, documentary. Most photographers pick one. I use all three, and here’s what each one means in your photos.

Documentary: the good, the great, and the gorgeous

When some photographers say they shoot documentary, they mean the good, the bad, and the ugly. That’s what they’re on the lookout for all day, and that’s what you’ll get. Good for them, that’s commitment to a true documentary approach. But that is not what I want you to get from me on the most beautiful day of your lives. To me, documentary means the good, the great, and the gorgeous.

It means true emotions, the details you chose so carefully, and real moments that nobody set up. No calculations to impress my Instagram followers. But that picture of your aunt laughing with her mouth full of cake? No. Grandma when she gets that scowl because she’s ready for a nap? You won’t get that from me.

Editorial: portraits you’d frame

Editorial means the polished portraits, the ones that look like they belong in a magazine. In Oaxaca that might be an old stone corridor, a courtyard in the late afternoon, or an arch with soft light coming through.

These take some direction. I tell you where to stand and where the light is. Then I give you something to do, like walking, talking, or just being close, so you don’t end up stiff. If you feel awkward in front of the camera, this is where you’ll notice the difference.

Cinematic: movement, light, and mood

Cinematic is about how the photos feel together. There’s movement in them: a veil in the wind, a walk across a plaza, a spin on the dance floor. The light and color set a mood, and the photos follow your day from beginning to end.

It also comes from shooting video. I film your day as well, so I’m always thinking about where the scene starts, where it goes, and how it ends.

And what I mean by natural

“Natural” gets used two ways. My way of natural is putting you at ease, in a beautiful spot, letting you be yourself, and using natural light and careful composition.

The other way the word gets used means shooting like a guest with no training and no real interest in taking a good shot, and being surprised by whatever is on the card later. That’s not my kind of natural.

Why all three

When you look through your photos, you want great candids, unadorned and natural. You also want portraits worth framing, and photos that capture the atmosphere, the mood, the world of your day. One style alone can’t give you all of that.

So I change how I work through the day. Getting ready and the ceremony are mostly documentary. Portraits are editorial. The whole collection, and your film, is cinematic. The look of your photos stays the same.

If that sounds like what you want, tell me your plans. You don’t need a date yet.