Currently, there exist two main approaches to wedding photography. The traditional wedding photography comprises of classically posed images. There is a lot of photographer control and interaction on the wedding day. Photojournalistic wedding comprises of frank and unposed images. There is very less photographer interaction and a hint is taken from editorial reporting styles. These two types are the extreme styles of wedding photography. Most of the contemporary wedding photographers are found in the middle of these two extremes.

Nowadays, the fashion based approach is increasing in demand as a third style. In this type, photojournalistic images are blended with posed images encouraged by editorial fashion photography. The final images are similar to those found in magazines like Vanity Fair or Vogue.

Contemporary wedding photography means the wedding photography that is not traditional in nature. The major part of this wedding photography is to portray the story and ambience of the wedding day, rather than a series of pre-determined poses. The viewer of the photographs should get an idea about how the wedding proceeded. The arrival of digital cameras and the Internet indicated that many common people could voluntarily play the role of a wedding photographer. However, contemporary wedding photography has a much bigger sense than just capturing informal photographs. It comprises of the use of timing, lighting and composition to take photographs. The photographs taken in this manner ought to have a strong visual appeal.

A contemporary wedding photographer is required to produce some of the following – either traditional or contemporary flush mount variety of albums – digital services like slide shows or digital prints – posed as well as frank shots of the wedding couple and their guests. These may be during some ceremony or a reception – indoor photography of a church or other private venue during the ceremony or reception – outdoor photography at some scenic location on the wedding day – formal portraits in the studio.

There is no particular standard regarding the photos produced in a wedding. So, as per the photographer, the product as well as the number of images alters. Wedding photography may be submitted in different type of images such as – images on CD or DVD as a slideshow or gallery, online proof gallery, a magazine with thumbnail size pictures on different pages, 4 X 6 prints or 4 X 5 prints. Some of the wedding photographers submit all these proofs to the client. Some of them ask the client to make a final print choice regarding the images and then the client purchases these from the wedding photographer.

Wedding photographers can deliver various types of albums like scrapbook style albums, hardbound books, contemporary flush mount albums, digitally designed coffee table albums, traditional matrix albums and so on. These albums may be a part of a pre-purchased package or an after wedding purchase. All wedding photographers do not submit albums. Some have an inclination to supply prints or files. The clients can later make their own albums from these files.

Nowadays, wedding photographers have online sales through galleries present on their own website or by partnerships with other sellers. Such sellers host the images and arrange for the back end sales mechanism for the wedding photographer. The photographer declares his own price for the photographs. The seller charges a flat fee or some commission.

The prominent names in the wedding photography are The Bebb’s and Denis Reggie; Canada’s Jesh De Rox, California’s Mike Colon, New York based Christian Oth and celebrity wedding photographer Joe Buissink.

Wedding photography can be both tiring and encouraging. The photographer has to constantly search for good angles of candid shots. Good communication and planning of the time of the events can relieve much of the stress linked with this photography. Also, the photographer must be ready for the unexpected to happen.