Bob's Blog
Thoughts From an Island Photographer

 Have you ever seen images where the photography style seemed out of sync with the image being captured, or the personality of the people in the image? That’s what can happen with a single-style photo shoot, whether it be fine art portraiture, or decidedly contemporary.  It’s also the reason we use a blending of styles to compliment our signature island flair look.

 Here are some of the most common photography styles and their characteristics:

 Photojournalistic, Documentary or Reportage  – This approach captures a moment in time in its purest sense.  Touch ups are rarely done, as the goal is to capture and preserve insightful moments. These are NOT mere snapshots. Shooting in this style requires the photographer to not only be “in the moment” but also be a second ahead of the action to anticipate and be ready to catch the split second magic. It is the exact moment of a newlywed’s self-realization or a teenager’s self-admiration and cannot be planned. Scene imperfections are welcomed and cropping is kept to a minimum, requiring the photographer to have a strong sense of composition and a unique perspective.  Images are sometimes printed in black and white or sepia, even in today’s modern world on a bright Caribbean beach. Wide angle lenses are often used to capture the most detail possible in a scene.

 Fine Art or Artistic Portraiture – Some consider this style to be the opposite of a photojournalistic approach since the ultimate goal is simplistic perfection in every image instead of documenting a scene complete with quirky flaws. While its approach also captures a single moment and tells a story, the artistic vision of the photographer is typically used evoke a single mood or emotion in all its purity. Often characterized by soft focus techniques and painting with light, fine art images create an idealistic and flawless image which many consider timeless but others worry will become ‘dated’ over time. 

With fine art photography, scene distractions are removed in the photo setups or post-production. Skin is made flawless and each image stands as alone as a piece of art. Quirkiness is deliberate when included, such as shoes lined up on a beach, or a seemingly forgotten bouquet floating in the water to modernize a fine art photography shoot portfolio.          

 Traditional, Classical or Posed Portraiture  – This is a style all are familiar with, used most often used for the family wall canvas or for formal wedding shots with the entire wedding party. Each family unit is posed using classical, proven techniques for photo composition, lighting, background and posing. Most professionals consider this style the foundation of all photography styles. These images are always planned and never spontaneous. It is an exacting style requiring patience and a keen eye for detail. The difficulty in capturing a single perfect image grows exponentially with the number of people to be included in a single photo. This is because the number of variables which must be contained for a single photo becomes larger with each additional person included. Classical portraiture is the most desired engagement photo style and the least favored style by teenagers and ladies of a certain age. Yet, the images taken in this style regularly achieve a timelessness that all the other photography styles combined have yet to achieve.    

 Contemporary or Modern  – This photography style ‘breaks the rules’ of other photography styles to bring a creative fresh approach to imagery and to challenge our ideas and memories. Photos may include minute deliberate ‘flaws’ or discordant facial expressions so a second look provokes thought. Contemporary photos may use tilted horizons to heighten emotion or unusual focus on a targeted subject. Unusual compositions are a perfect match for the unusual angles and lighting choices. Some believe this is not a style at all, but an extension of the above three styles adding unique and very memorable twists.  Today’s modern style may become timeless or strongly dated – no one knows the future. Still, it has earned a solid spot in our current style portfolio.  

 At the risk of offending some of our dear photographer friends, we recommend against ever having single-style shoot. Perhaps you describe yourself as a traditionalist or a modern bride, but aren’t you and your family a lot more complex than that?  So have that fine art canvas and a beautiful black and white documentary too. You are only limited by your imagination and the talent of your professional photographer.  

 Until later,

 Bob and Karin Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers