Do Wedding Photographers Have Too Much Power?

Do Wedding Photographers Have Too Much Power?

It’s a confronting question. One that many of us in the industry might instinctively shy away from. But after nearly a decade of documenting weddings, real, raw, complex, and beautiful, I think it’s one worth asking

Because the truth is: wedding photographers hold immense power and Im not just saying that.

After all, We choose what gets remembered.

Not everything captured gets delivered. And even less gets posted. Yes, we cull away the photos that are blurred, or unflattering, etc but when it comes to the ‘grid’ and our own portfolios, We select the moments that feel “worth”, sharing, highlighting. In doing so, we craft a visual legacy, one that may or may not reflect the full emotional spectrum of the day

We can reframe the narrative.

I’m going to say something now that might come as a shock… Weddings aren’t always smooth. Sometimes there’s tension, grief, exhaustion, family dynamics simmering under the surface. And yet, with intentional framing, selective cropping, and post processing, those moments can be softened.. even rewritten. A complicated day can be made to look serene. But at what cost?

Our presence changes things.

Cameras don’t just capture, they can influence. People perform when they know they’re being watched. A couple might kiss more often. A parent might hold back tears until a lens appears or even dissapears. Emotion becomes amplified and CURATED Sometimes that’s beautiful. Sometimes, it’s a performance.

We decide what becomes ‘shareable.’

The images that make it to social media, to the ‘grid’, in the portfolio, the story highlights, all in their own way reinforce certain narratives. Certain kinds of beauty, certain types of emotion. It’s subtle, but powerful. Who gets shown and who gets cropped out says something. Whether we intend it to or not.

We hold influence, far beyond the day itself.

Through Instagram/facebook posts, blogs and Pinterest boards, we help shape what couples believe weddings should look like. What love should look like. We can unintentionally affirm some stories while erasing others. And sometimes, all it takes is one image left out and that’s a crazy thought.

So what do we do with that power?

We remember the sacredness of the role.
A wedding photographer isn’t just an artist. We are a witness. And our job is not to control the narrative, but to honour it.

That means checking our ego at the door. That means asking hard questions about why we gravitate to certain images. That means listening and I mean really listening to the people’s stories we’re trusted to tell.

Because love, real love, isn’t always perfect. It isn’t always glossy or light-filled or picture perfect. Sometimes it’s messy and complex and still.

And that deserves to be seen, too.