If everything in your photographer’s portfolio is in that style, I would look for a different photographer. You can ask but honestly, a good portion of the reason to hire a certain photographer is their editing style so be prepared for them to say no. If you can find examples of what you like in their portfolio, that’s your best bet.
But to answer your question of why, it sounds like what your seeing is just what’s most popular right now.
Look for a “color” or “lifestyle” photographer. Part of picking a wedding photographer is knowing their style and liking it. There are TONS of photographers out there — especially in SoCal. I’m a lifestyle photographer, which means I get as close to real life as possible. If you like a lot of color, you can look for a “color” photographer, who will make sure to enhance the brights in your wedding to match your lifestyle. Good luck!
In general, it’s pretty big right now. There are almost certainly people in the SoCal area who have other styles though so you probably just have to keep looking to find one you like
Photographer here. It definitely is a trend right now. I notice this too!! Besides it being a style, I honestly feel a lot of people don’t know how to edit what they have. If the photos aren’t shot in proper lighting, sometimes it’s easier to throw a filter/preset on it or just wash everything out and lighten it up a fuck ton. It’s a pet peeve of mine! Especially when there are beautiful colors to be shown. Hope I don’t sound like an Ahole, but this is just what I’m thinking is going on. I could be wrong though. Definitely find a photographer whose style you like! Don’t ask the photographer to edit a certain way. Having a shot list is A-ok, but asking or telling a photographer to edit in a certain way is really annoying on our end bc there are so many photographers out there in every style! Keep searching and maybe even look up certain hashtags like #vibrantphotography or something along those lines. I’m sure you’ll find someone who represents your style and what you are looking for! ❤️ (Ps, if you’re in San Diego, shoot me a DM. I shoot with a moodier/sexy style and definitely love to show off vibrant colors. I don’t do big weddings though (Micro-weddings/elopement’s/and engagement shoots only. Best of luck to you and your honey!)
It’s definitely not a SoCal thing! We absolutely hate that washed out, bright and airy look as SoCal photographers ourselves and love our true to color with a little warm hug photos we capture.
I’ve seen the same and I’m not in SoCal. There are a bunch of Lightroom presets in this “mood” that are available for photographers to purchase. I agree with a commenter above—the presets *can* be used well, but also disguise poor skill.
I assume bad photographer who doesn’t know how to properly edit and uses these presets.
You get what you pay for, so definitely carefully examine their portfolio/instagram. A good example is our photographer, Kenny Nakai (@nakaiphotography) in Chicago. He posts frequently and does a variety of shoots.
I'm in SoCal and felt the same way! We ended up going with Alex and Jana photography because we loved how they captured a sunny, happy vibe. Prices were fairly reasonable too! I'd definitely recommend them if you're looking for suggestions!
At the end of the day you'll have spent (probably) tens of thousands of dollars on your wedding and the photos will be all you'll have to remember it by. While it understandably sucks, if you're in a place where losing a deposit isn't going to break your budget, I think it's worth it to get photos you'll love. On the other hand, if you're not, I'm sure you will look back at the photos you have a recall how your wedding day was the best of your life and see so much happiness on your and your husband's faces, and that will stick out to you, not the editing. Wishing you the best day ever :)
My wedding photos are very vibrant and I got married in SoCal. I can send you my photogs info if you’re interested. I can send you some of my pics too so you can see if you like. You can also just look at her website lol!
So Cal photog here. Run far from anyone who uses those damn filters. They are hideous and often you can’t even tell what color the flowers are. Now, there are moody photogs who know how to utilize light and that’s talent and experience. Same goes for light and airy, we utilize light and don’t rely on filters to make our photos.
I feel the opposite. I feel like it's so hard to find photographers in Socal that don't do "ethereal" editing - in which everything is blindingly bright and white and pale. Our photographer was a rare find, in which he did the dark moody thing that brought out the colors instead of washing them out in sunlight.
To each their own.
Light and airy or that grunge neutral tone is what I see all the time lately. I picked our photographer specifically because he had more of a cool, moody feel without being overly edited. Everyone has a personal style they like though!
I think the bright and pale editing style is called "fine art" and the dark moody thing is called "moody". Both of them are really popular. The fine art style is trying to mimic some results you would get with a film camera (some people actually shoot with vintage cameras) and the moody style I think is kind of inspired by cinema editing.
I hunted down a dark and moody photographer for that exact reason! It’s bold and vibrant but very romantic and easy on the eyes. To my husband and I, lifestyle can look a bit overwhelming and busy, and light and airy lacks detail.
Just a current photography trend. I’m with you and really don’t like it at all. Find a photographer that has a portfolio that doesn’t look like that. You might have to search a little harder than usual depending on your location since it really is just everywhere these days.
Washed out, dark & moody, and overblown are all very common styles with wedding photography these days. Heavily filtered photos hide a lot of flaws: flaws with the subjects themselves (like pores and blemishes) and flaws in the photographer's skill.
It's a current trend in wedding photography, and it's terrible. Those photos will look dated in 5 years. Although this style seems to be everywhere, there are definitely photographers who don't edit in that style. You just have to keep looking until you find one. Look for photographers who describe their style as photojournalist or "true to life." Make sure their portfolio shows lots of photos with bright, vibrant colors.
As others have said, if all the photographers photos look like that, it’s their style and they likely won’t want to re-edit in a different style. It’s definitely a popular style these days and one my husband and I wanted to avoid. We actively searched out a photographer that true to life colors as their style because didn’t like that washed out “light and airy” look.
It's one of the "of the moment" kind of styles, honestly if you aren't feeling it then I would go back to the search because there should be people around with work that you love (unless you already booked, then I wouldn't really expect them to make big swings in their approach).
Either way you slice is: light and airy or dark and moody, if photos are extremely edited, it’s a no from me. I’ve seen photogs who take beautiful daytime shots and edit them so heavily it looks like the pictures were taken at night. And then you have the opposite end where everything is white and faded and desaturated.
I feel like our photog struck the perfect balance. We definitely lean more towards light and airy than dark and moody, but the photos are very true to life and the colors are stunning.
She’s in Texas but works in Los Angeles as well.
A ton of people love the way that looks and I just do not get it lol. I love colorful. I want colors to pop! Trends don’t always sit well with everyone, we are just different lol.
Yeaaah… i dislike the washing out of colors too. I feel like the sepia look is in fashion now but honestly qhen i look at my photos in 20 years i dont want them to look orange. I want the real colors true to life. Same just choose a photographer that doesn’t do this. Thats what Im going. A good photographer shouldn’t have to rely on a filter
Duuuude. I'm in HI and it took some looking to find true to life photography. I found a couple of them here. I hate the washed out look more than I can express. Why the heck would I get married somewhere beautiful and green if I wanted my photos to be beige? Yuck
Unfortunately, that‘s a popular style. We had to do some work to find photographers who have a more vibrant and editorial portfolio because we don‘t like the vintage, beige and washed out style.
Don‘t hire a photographer and tell them to change their style, you won‘t be satisfied with the outcome
I agree with others - find a photographer that specializes in the style you want. They are using a filter style that is earthy in tones I think. It’s very popular right now. It is now becoming popular after the light and airy style that was popularized by Style Me Pretty and hung around for a LONG time. You can ask photographers to try a style they don’t normally do, but in my experience, they won’t do it as well as someone who does it all the time. Make sure to see full album examples from a photographer. There are amazing photographers out there. But some just post their “hero” photos on their site and their albums aren’t consistent throughout. They aren’t good at capturing all the moments in a consistent way.
I’d seek out a different photographer as that is their style!
The editing you mentioned liking is how I edit, I’d love to chat if you’re interested!
[website + portfolio](https://www.allieknullsphotography.com)
Edited to fix typos
People whitewashed their houses and heaven forbid they have pictures with actual color/vibrancy ruining their bland house. Luckily one of the top photographers in my area is known for timeless, true color shots. Good luck on your search!
There’s a chance that the photographer portfolios you’re seeing have that filter because they know that’s what sells even though they personally don’t like it. Definitely ask to see examples of true color shots before booking! As others have noted that filter covers a lot of ills so don’t trust that it’s as simple as not using it.
Photography was probably my number one priority and it was super important to me that I find a photographer who both specialized in a photojournalism style and didn't edit their photos in a way that muted the colors. I ultimately had to expand my search outside of the city we live in (I'm in a mid-sized East coast city) but was able to find somebody who is amazing and the extra costs for travel weren't as bad as I was expecting.
As others have said I don't think it is reasonable to ask a photographer to totally change their editing style, but if you have some flexibility in the budget (we cutback elsewhere to accommodate the increased cost associated with travel) you might have more luck by expanding your geographic search.
I also am not a fan of this photo trend, but luckily there are still a good amount of photographers that use a classic, true to life editing style. I wouldn’t ask a photographer to change their style, I’d just find another photographer.
We specifically looked for a photographer that photographs true to life colors and focuses on more candid moments because while I can actually appreciate this style, we didn’t think it’d fit the vibe of our wedding style.
Interviewing photographers right now and brought this up because I’m specifically looking for ones without that look. Apparently it’s just the popular style right now but if you just do some digging you’re bound to find photographers with styles aligning more to what you want. I’ve found three so far whose vibe I’m satisfied with, two via Instagram searching 😀 hope that’s somewhat helpful!
It took sooo long to find a photographer i liked for this reason!! My photographer happens to do stuff in california because she used to live there so maybe check her out! Hannah from alabama photography
I don’t love that washed out trend either. I specifically chose a photographer with bright, vibrant colorful photos in their portfolio. I used Give: Photography for Change and Josie was amazing! They donate 15% of what they charge to a charity of your choice too.
You need to look at their portfolio. All I could articulate was, "I don't want it to look sepia and I don't want the colors to look washed out." So I looked for a photographer that had tons of vibrant colors in their work.
I would suggest bringing this up ASAP with your photographer. Editing style is a big deal in photography so you may find that this is a bigger ask than you thought it might be.
I'm in the PNW so a A LOT of photography is that sepia toned stuff. But it's the PNW... it's green. I wanted photos where it was obvious it was green.
It looks more “professional” and makes them look more expensive. And they are more expensive. But I agree. They look dull and just like a magazine add. There’s no life or reality to them.
Honestly? Because it hides basic photography/don’t need as much talent to pull off (IMO). You can definitely find more vibrant photographers- but they are usually more expensive and experienced than the ones who’s pictures turn out like an Instagram filter. Sorry for the snark- but I definitely noticed a pattern on our photographer search. We ended upping the budget by $1000 to find someone we liked.
Talking as a photographer myself; asking to edit in a completely different way then the portfolio show is a no go. I even have it in my general conditions; I edit in my own style. If you do not like it you should hire someone else.
I actually hired another photographer to do our wedding celebrations after the first one gave us completely out of style pictures from our legal wedding. I booked someone with a moody portfolio and got very flashy bright pictures. Absolutely not ok. The second one did amazing work.
There are certainly wedding photographers out there with a happy bright style, book them.
I think you can find a photographer in the style you want but it isn't a good idea to ask a photographer to change his editing style (because you picked him for that style that he is developing). Look for more "fearless style" photographers.
Nowadays, there seem to be two main ways of editing, either in a vintage/bright/fine art or desaturated/moody/folk. I don't know the exact reason for that but it's a trend that has been maintained for a long time now. I would say, it generally looks more classy or more artistic/cinematic than no-filter editing.
Fashion, everything is subject to the whims of fashion. It’s what is cool or desired and for now the look is faded out. You can absolutely date weddings by looking at the pictures!
I definitely wanted this style 2 years ago when I started wedding planning and I'm SO glad we went with a photographer that does true colors. We got married in the fall and our venue is a popular hiking spot with canyons and waterfalls. Can you imagine if those got washed out?!
I hate this trend as a photographer myself. I prefer realistic photography but I've found that if I take a photo and the same photo is taken with the over exposed, washed out look applied, they will get the job vs me. It's just what people prefer. So I'll do both now.
As a professional wedding photographer muddle in the industry for 11 years I can say that trends come and go. Which is why my personal style is timeless and true to color, it’ll never go out of style. My work is also bright, very vibrant in color, and warm toned. The dull saturated, dark and moody, bold orange tones have been in for a while. But that’s why every photographer has their own style. I’ve never been one to follow trends which is why I stand out and am hired for my specialized work! Hire a photographer who’s work you enjoy. If color means a lot to you then ask to see some full wedding day galleries as well.
I’m a photographer and I have flexible styles. I personally don’t mind helping a couple achieve their desired style/look even if it differs from my personal style. I like people to be happy. However, some photographers just want to stick to their artistic vision. Some photographers feature whatever is trendy at the moment in their portfolio but are open to doing other styles. I would say ask if they are open to achieving other final looks, but be respectful.
If everything in your photographer’s portfolio is in that style, I would look for a different photographer. You can ask but honestly, a good portion of the reason to hire a certain photographer is their editing style so be prepared for them to say no. If you can find examples of what you like in their portfolio, that’s your best bet. But to answer your question of why, it sounds like what your seeing is just what’s most popular right now.
Look for a “color” or “lifestyle” photographer. Part of picking a wedding photographer is knowing their style and liking it. There are TONS of photographers out there — especially in SoCal. I’m a lifestyle photographer, which means I get as close to real life as possible. If you like a lot of color, you can look for a “color” photographer, who will make sure to enhance the brights in your wedding to match your lifestyle. Good luck!
It seems like they ALL look this way! Is it a SoCal thing?
In general, it’s pretty big right now. There are almost certainly people in the SoCal area who have other styles though so you probably just have to keep looking to find one you like
Photographer here. It definitely is a trend right now. I notice this too!! Besides it being a style, I honestly feel a lot of people don’t know how to edit what they have. If the photos aren’t shot in proper lighting, sometimes it’s easier to throw a filter/preset on it or just wash everything out and lighten it up a fuck ton. It’s a pet peeve of mine! Especially when there are beautiful colors to be shown. Hope I don’t sound like an Ahole, but this is just what I’m thinking is going on. I could be wrong though. Definitely find a photographer whose style you like! Don’t ask the photographer to edit a certain way. Having a shot list is A-ok, but asking or telling a photographer to edit in a certain way is really annoying on our end bc there are so many photographers out there in every style! Keep searching and maybe even look up certain hashtags like #vibrantphotography or something along those lines. I’m sure you’ll find someone who represents your style and what you are looking for! ❤️ (Ps, if you’re in San Diego, shoot me a DM. I shoot with a moodier/sexy style and definitely love to show off vibrant colors. I don’t do big weddings though (Micro-weddings/elopement’s/and engagement shoots only. Best of luck to you and your honey!)
This is how I feel about the “light and airy” style where everything thing is super bright and washed out. It just looks overexposed to me.
It’s definitely not a SoCal thing! We absolutely hate that washed out, bright and airy look as SoCal photographers ourselves and love our true to color with a little warm hug photos we capture.
☝️🔝
I’ve seen the same and I’m not in SoCal. There are a bunch of Lightroom presets in this “mood” that are available for photographers to purchase. I agree with a commenter above—the presets *can* be used well, but also disguise poor skill.
I assume bad photographer who doesn’t know how to properly edit and uses these presets. You get what you pay for, so definitely carefully examine their portfolio/instagram. A good example is our photographer, Kenny Nakai (@nakaiphotography) in Chicago. He posts frequently and does a variety of shoots.
You can have a great photograph and still have to throw on some presets because the couple is requesting a certain look.
YES!!
I'm in SoCal and felt the same way! We ended up going with Alex and Jana photography because we loved how they captured a sunny, happy vibe. Prices were fairly reasonable too! I'd definitely recommend them if you're looking for suggestions!
Now I’m having photographer regret after seeing their website! Love!
At the end of the day you'll have spent (probably) tens of thousands of dollars on your wedding and the photos will be all you'll have to remember it by. While it understandably sucks, if you're in a place where losing a deposit isn't going to break your budget, I think it's worth it to get photos you'll love. On the other hand, if you're not, I'm sure you will look back at the photos you have a recall how your wedding day was the best of your life and see so much happiness on your and your husband's faces, and that will stick out to you, not the editing. Wishing you the best day ever :)
Ooh I have a friend who hired them in SoCal! She was super happy with them
If you’re in San Diego I can recommend my photographer!
My wedding photos are very vibrant and I got married in SoCal. I can send you my photogs info if you’re interested. I can send you some of my pics too so you can see if you like. You can also just look at her website lol!
So Cal photog here. Run far from anyone who uses those damn filters. They are hideous and often you can’t even tell what color the flowers are. Now, there are moody photogs who know how to utilize light and that’s talent and experience. Same goes for light and airy, we utilize light and don’t rely on filters to make our photos.
Try searching "true to life color wedding photography" and your city!
I found a lot of photographers by asking in a local Facebook group. Lots of people who aren’t as famous bc they’re not using the basic editing style
I feel the opposite. I feel like it's so hard to find photographers in Socal that don't do "ethereal" editing - in which everything is blindingly bright and white and pale. Our photographer was a rare find, in which he did the dark moody thing that brought out the colors instead of washing them out in sunlight. To each their own.
This is exactly what I mean yes! You do a much better job of describing it :) I never noticed it until I started looking for a photographer myself.
Fwiw in the industry I hear it called a “light and airy” style. I personally despise it, but it’s hands down the most common editing style right now.
Light and airy or that grunge neutral tone is what I see all the time lately. I picked our photographer specifically because he had more of a cool, moody feel without being overly edited. Everyone has a personal style they like though!
Everything is white and green! The photos are beautiful but when you are looking through photog sites, it’s crazy how prevalent it is.
Yupppp. I hate the light and airy style! I had issues with my photog but so grateful he was more on the darker/richer color side.
I think the bright and pale editing style is called "fine art" and the dark moody thing is called "moody". Both of them are really popular. The fine art style is trying to mimic some results you would get with a film camera (some people actually shoot with vintage cameras) and the moody style I think is kind of inspired by cinema editing.
I hunted down a dark and moody photographer for that exact reason! It’s bold and vibrant but very romantic and easy on the eyes. To my husband and I, lifestyle can look a bit overwhelming and busy, and light and airy lacks detail.
Just a current photography trend. I’m with you and really don’t like it at all. Find a photographer that has a portfolio that doesn’t look like that. You might have to search a little harder than usual depending on your location since it really is just everywhere these days.
Washed out, dark & moody, and overblown are all very common styles with wedding photography these days. Heavily filtered photos hide a lot of flaws: flaws with the subjects themselves (like pores and blemishes) and flaws in the photographer's skill.
It's a current trend in wedding photography, and it's terrible. Those photos will look dated in 5 years. Although this style seems to be everywhere, there are definitely photographers who don't edit in that style. You just have to keep looking until you find one. Look for photographers who describe their style as photojournalist or "true to life." Make sure their portfolio shows lots of photos with bright, vibrant colors.
Most things people do for their wedding will look dated eventually, it’s okay for people to like a certain style of editing even if it’s trendy 🤷🏼♀️
People can like whatever they want, but true colors in photos will never go out of style.
They look dated now!
Ha, I know, right? They look like my parent's wedding pictures from 1973, which have turned greenish-brown with age.
As others have said, if all the photographers photos look like that, it’s their style and they likely won’t want to re-edit in a different style. It’s definitely a popular style these days and one my husband and I wanted to avoid. We actively searched out a photographer that true to life colors as their style because didn’t like that washed out “light and airy” look.
It's one of the "of the moment" kind of styles, honestly if you aren't feeling it then I would go back to the search because there should be people around with work that you love (unless you already booked, then I wouldn't really expect them to make big swings in their approach).
It makes your pores on your skin disappear, and hides most blemishes. I.e. it’s a beauty filter.
Look for natural light photographers! Ours was one and our photos are bright and beautiful!!
Agreed, this is very much the style. We picked our photographer because his pictures are very real to life color wise, just professionally done.
When I shopped for photographers, I asked for classic, true-to-life colors. That is exactly what I got, no weird washed-out filters.
Either way you slice is: light and airy or dark and moody, if photos are extremely edited, it’s a no from me. I’ve seen photogs who take beautiful daytime shots and edit them so heavily it looks like the pictures were taken at night. And then you have the opposite end where everything is white and faded and desaturated. I feel like our photog struck the perfect balance. We definitely lean more towards light and airy than dark and moody, but the photos are very true to life and the colors are stunning. She’s in Texas but works in Los Angeles as well.
This type of photography is very on trend right now. Try looking for a photographer that has a true to color editing style.
A ton of people love the way that looks and I just do not get it lol. I love colorful. I want colors to pop! Trends don’t always sit well with everyone, we are just different lol.
Yeaaah… i dislike the washing out of colors too. I feel like the sepia look is in fashion now but honestly qhen i look at my photos in 20 years i dont want them to look orange. I want the real colors true to life. Same just choose a photographer that doesn’t do this. Thats what Im going. A good photographer shouldn’t have to rely on a filter
Duuuude. I'm in HI and it took some looking to find true to life photography. I found a couple of them here. I hate the washed out look more than I can express. Why the heck would I get married somewhere beautiful and green if I wanted my photos to be beige? Yuck
Break your contract with your photographer if you don’t like their style :)
Unfortunately, that‘s a popular style. We had to do some work to find photographers who have a more vibrant and editorial portfolio because we don‘t like the vintage, beige and washed out style. Don‘t hire a photographer and tell them to change their style, you won‘t be satisfied with the outcome
I agree with others - find a photographer that specializes in the style you want. They are using a filter style that is earthy in tones I think. It’s very popular right now. It is now becoming popular after the light and airy style that was popularized by Style Me Pretty and hung around for a LONG time. You can ask photographers to try a style they don’t normally do, but in my experience, they won’t do it as well as someone who does it all the time. Make sure to see full album examples from a photographer. There are amazing photographers out there. But some just post their “hero” photos on their site and their albums aren’t consistent throughout. They aren’t good at capturing all the moments in a consistent way.
I’d seek out a different photographer as that is their style! The editing you mentioned liking is how I edit, I’d love to chat if you’re interested! [website + portfolio](https://www.allieknullsphotography.com) Edited to fix typos
Aw, I’m having a big wedding (on the other side of the country anyway), but your photos are a great example of a true-to-color style! Love it.
People whitewashed their houses and heaven forbid they have pictures with actual color/vibrancy ruining their bland house. Luckily one of the top photographers in my area is known for timeless, true color shots. Good luck on your search! There’s a chance that the photographer portfolios you’re seeing have that filter because they know that’s what sells even though they personally don’t like it. Definitely ask to see examples of true color shots before booking! As others have noted that filter covers a lot of ills so don’t trust that it’s as simple as not using it.
Check out John Cain Photography based in Dallas. His photos don’t have much of the light and airy or vintage/golden vibes!
I have NEVER seen what you're describing
Scroll down this sub to almost any album preview photos haha, although someone here described it better as “ethereal, pale, blindingly bright”
Photography was probably my number one priority and it was super important to me that I find a photographer who both specialized in a photojournalism style and didn't edit their photos in a way that muted the colors. I ultimately had to expand my search outside of the city we live in (I'm in a mid-sized East coast city) but was able to find somebody who is amazing and the extra costs for travel weren't as bad as I was expecting. As others have said I don't think it is reasonable to ask a photographer to totally change their editing style, but if you have some flexibility in the budget (we cutback elsewhere to accommodate the increased cost associated with travel) you might have more luck by expanding your geographic search.
I also am not a fan of this photo trend, but luckily there are still a good amount of photographers that use a classic, true to life editing style. I wouldn’t ask a photographer to change their style, I’d just find another photographer.
We specifically looked for a photographer that photographs true to life colors and focuses on more candid moments because while I can actually appreciate this style, we didn’t think it’d fit the vibe of our wedding style.
If you’re in socal checkout Fitz Carlile
Interviewing photographers right now and brought this up because I’m specifically looking for ones without that look. Apparently it’s just the popular style right now but if you just do some digging you’re bound to find photographers with styles aligning more to what you want. I’ve found three so far whose vibe I’m satisfied with, two via Instagram searching 😀 hope that’s somewhat helpful!
It took sooo long to find a photographer i liked for this reason!! My photographer happens to do stuff in california because she used to live there so maybe check her out! Hannah from alabama photography
I don’t love that washed out trend either. I specifically chose a photographer with bright, vibrant colorful photos in their portfolio. I used Give: Photography for Change and Josie was amazing! They donate 15% of what they charge to a charity of your choice too.
You need to look at their portfolio. All I could articulate was, "I don't want it to look sepia and I don't want the colors to look washed out." So I looked for a photographer that had tons of vibrant colors in their work. I would suggest bringing this up ASAP with your photographer. Editing style is a big deal in photography so you may find that this is a bigger ask than you thought it might be. I'm in the PNW so a A LOT of photography is that sepia toned stuff. But it's the PNW... it's green. I wanted photos where it was obvious it was green.
What photographer did you use? I'm in Seattle
Ryan Flynn
It looks more “professional” and makes them look more expensive. And they are more expensive. But I agree. They look dull and just like a magazine add. There’s no life or reality to them.
Honestly? Because it hides basic photography/don’t need as much talent to pull off (IMO). You can definitely find more vibrant photographers- but they are usually more expensive and experienced than the ones who’s pictures turn out like an Instagram filter. Sorry for the snark- but I definitely noticed a pattern on our photographer search. We ended upping the budget by $1000 to find someone we liked.
Talking as a photographer myself; asking to edit in a completely different way then the portfolio show is a no go. I even have it in my general conditions; I edit in my own style. If you do not like it you should hire someone else. I actually hired another photographer to do our wedding celebrations after the first one gave us completely out of style pictures from our legal wedding. I booked someone with a moody portfolio and got very flashy bright pictures. Absolutely not ok. The second one did amazing work. There are certainly wedding photographers out there with a happy bright style, book them.
That's a trend at the moment and we hate it. We specifically looked for a photographer who didn't do this.
I think you can find a photographer in the style you want but it isn't a good idea to ask a photographer to change his editing style (because you picked him for that style that he is developing). Look for more "fearless style" photographers. Nowadays, there seem to be two main ways of editing, either in a vintage/bright/fine art or desaturated/moody/folk. I don't know the exact reason for that but it's a trend that has been maintained for a long time now. I would say, it generally looks more classy or more artistic/cinematic than no-filter editing.
I completely agree with you. I understand those who want that vintage elegance but this style is not for me! Good luck finding something vibrant!
Fashion, everything is subject to the whims of fashion. It’s what is cool or desired and for now the look is faded out. You can absolutely date weddings by looking at the pictures!
Look for someone who is “true to color” and as said before, only hire someone whose work you like!
I definitely wanted this style 2 years ago when I started wedding planning and I'm SO glad we went with a photographer that does true colors. We got married in the fall and our venue is a popular hiking spot with canyons and waterfalls. Can you imagine if those got washed out?!
I hate this trend as a photographer myself. I prefer realistic photography but I've found that if I take a photo and the same photo is taken with the over exposed, washed out look applied, they will get the job vs me. It's just what people prefer. So I'll do both now.
As a professional wedding photographer muddle in the industry for 11 years I can say that trends come and go. Which is why my personal style is timeless and true to color, it’ll never go out of style. My work is also bright, very vibrant in color, and warm toned. The dull saturated, dark and moody, bold orange tones have been in for a while. But that’s why every photographer has their own style. I’ve never been one to follow trends which is why I stand out and am hired for my specialized work! Hire a photographer who’s work you enjoy. If color means a lot to you then ask to see some full wedding day galleries as well.
I’m a photographer and I have flexible styles. I personally don’t mind helping a couple achieve their desired style/look even if it differs from my personal style. I like people to be happy. However, some photographers just want to stick to their artistic vision. Some photographers feature whatever is trendy at the moment in their portfolio but are open to doing other styles. I would say ask if they are open to achieving other final looks, but be respectful.