All photographers have different shooting styles. Wedding photographers can have a style that is formal and capture the event in a traditional way. It all depends on what the client or in this case the wedding couple want from the day. Many times being a corporate event photographer in London and having experience with photographing people in event situations have been asked to accompany a traditional wedding photographer to do the candid or now liked to be called ‘reportage style’ photography. The shots you see of people who are unaware they are being photographed. This always gives great results at a wedding shoot.
Other photographers can be loud, excitable and dramatic. Others calm, quiet and reserved. Clients often choose a photographer sometimes for their manor than their actual photography skills to suite a situation or event. An example here is that if you have an event that is fun with a party atmosphere it is sometimes best to have a event photographer that is polite to people, knows how to handle groups so that he or she adds to the fun of the evenings entertainment but also providing a service and result but doesn’t need to have that certain skill. This is where I as an event/portrait photographer often shoot couples entering a large function and print on site. All adds to the success of the event. At one time a client asked me and a colleque to dress as paparazzi and shoot guest entering on the red carpet. We all had fun but here the photos were not at all in a serious nature I can assure you.
On the other hand a client may need a photographer who is controlled and is able to work at a function and hardly be noticed by the quests. Or to keep as low profile as possible. If you have an important meeting or event with prestigious people attending the last thing you want is a photographer being obtrusive, awkward and causing any disturbance. This is often a comment about the general press style photographer on the street who will do almost anything to obtain that shot to earn a living.
There is often within an agency two or three photographer on their records that they will use depending on their individual style. At Alternative I have a track record for working with prestigious PR companies and have been commissioned to attend and work at events where the guests have been Prime Ministers or Princes from various countries, so can be trusted to operate in a controlled manor and produce results for the client.
