It is no secret that I have a vested interest in wedding photography. Enough to have a series of articles on the topic. It is a passion of mine, being a special component of a couple’s special day. But it goes so much further than that alone. There is a rich history behind wedding photography that, in its own way, transcends time. In a way, it is a small part of preserving history, although personal history, which in so many ways can build upon the story of our culture. With that in mind, I will go into the early history and evolution of the art form, as well as why it can enrich our story as a culture.
1. The Evolution and History of Wedding Photography
The history behind wedding photography reportedly begins between 1826-1827, with the creation of the photographic art form by way of Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, according to Wilfred Baatz’s Photography: An Illustrated Historical Overview (1997). As time continued, by the 1840s, the art form had become less exclusive, but centered around people of high status, such as Queen Victoria. Throughout the following century, the art form became less exclusive, even commonplace.
At the premiere of the 20th Century, the technology for color photography was developed, however, was deemed unreliable, which was why we continued using black and white imaging as the standard until around 1950. A lot of this technology existed before this time frame, but due to both World War I and World War II, the technology’s release was delayed by decades. Once it was implemented in full swing, color photography became the industry standard. Now, something to consider was that photography was not like how we utilize it today. In the past 20 years or so, the enhancements of technology have allowed us to access our photos digitally. However, prior to this, the use of film was standard, which was a long and complicated process to develop photographs, which included dark rooms and special lighting. I can’t imagine having to make this job a profession back then, because it was far more expensive than it is now and far easier to fail.
Beyond the advancements of technology, the art form of photography has advanced a great deal as well, with the introduction of visual storytelling. While this concept is relatively new, especially with the addition of digital photography, the art form has progressed exponentially. Every picture tells a story in its own way, but you can also curate a series of visuals that convey the story you are trying to tell. In the case of wedding photography, the goal you are trying to accomplish is to document the love story.
2. The Timeless Appeal
Now there are a number of things that you must focus on to create this perfect story of a couple’s love, namely the intimate moments. The emotions of the couple, their family, their friends. The atmosphere of love and joy. The celebration of their beautiful union. It doesn’t necessarily take a seasoned photographer to know what to look for, but it certainly takes a photographer with a level of awareness. By preserving those moments, you are creating a time capsule of the special day. This time capsule will live on, far longer than anyone involved in it, especially between physical copies and digital archival. With these vital moments preserved, curated, and released as a story, this sets the stage for your special day to be remembered as a part of history.
3. The Investment
When considering photographers for this task, you have to consider your level of investment – whether that is emotional investment or a financial investment – and what you are looking to get out of it. I would also stress that looking at it as an investment rather than expense will greatly benefit you in the outcome. Our memories are always with us, but having something to remind you of your special day will always be preferential to relying on your own memory, especially as the years carry on.
When it is all said and done, you cannot get time back. But you can remember it fondly. Wedding photography can be the best way to capture one of the biggest events in your life, from now until forever. Any photographer worth their salt would be honored to be a part of your history, as would I. I hope that maybe you have learned something about the history of wedding photography and why it can be crucial to capture the history that deserves to be remembered.
Warmest regards,
Logan Clark