I believe that for your wedding day it’s best to aim for a good mix of formal and reportage shots. Formal shots have their place as a reminder of the important family members who were present. They allow for a very structured and geometric composition where all the theories of photography can be incorporated. Angles and lines lead the viewer’s eye from one area to another, either into or out of the image. Sometimes the photographer can make the eye read left to right which is normal. At other times the photographer may reverse this. The formal shot as it is so structured lacks personality and will not capture any real resemblance of the subject’s natural look. 

With the reportage portrait even when the composition is not as carefully produced the photographer can capture the moment and the real essence of the subject’s personality. Even slight soft focus or an element of motion are acceptable. For me these shots have the greatest intrigue as they are natural and the subject is not posing. Eyes looking away from the camera can produce beautiful or handsome results. In recent times wedding photography has become much more focused on reportage photography with much less traditional group work. This also means that the day is not as interrupted as it once was. The photographer can become part of the crowd, mingling and observing rather than directing and taking centre stage. 

Below are two examples of a traditional wedding shot and a modern reportage shot.