Why Pinterest is Killing your Wedding Photos

At first it was the same pictures over and over. Some were better than others.  Once in a while I would see something truly unique that I was looking forward to trying; a certain pose or a specific set of props.  Months before their weddings my brides would send me 1 or 2 favorite images- and then end up forgetting about them come wedding day.  So, in the end it was always fun and there wasn’t much pressure.  They still were excited and happy with their pictures.

Nowadays, Pinterest is killing my wedding photography.

It is definitely helpful to gain some insight into the tastes and preferences of your clients.  But time and time again, I have to explain that these images they find from Pinterest are just…. well…. unattainable.  The basic essence of photography is capturing THIS point in THIS time.  In other words- wedding images are so amazing because it was “their” moment.

There are so many different elements that have to come together to make an incredible, “Pinterest worthy”, image.  The lighting has to be right, the camera’s setting has to be specific, the focus needs to be correct, the subjects need to be in the right place, the photographer needs to be in the right place…and so on.  The majority of the time all of this happens spontaneously.  That’s why we love photography.  What can be captured is such a beautiful piece of existence that the human eye cannot even see.  Everything just…. aligns.

When there is so much effort focused on referencing Pinterest photos- we lose touch with what is happening NOW.  Right here, right in front of us.  YOUR moments that are happening.  Photographing a wedding day cannot be completely planned.  Sure, we know what places, generally what poses might work- but essentially it’s just luck.  Chances of amazing photographs increase with experience, equipment, etc- but photographers rely on luck for amazing wedding photographs.  Ever wonder why we take so many pictures?  Well, there ya go!

Pinterest is giving the common day bride an unrealistic vision of what they think their wedding and their wedding photography SHOULD look like.  Brides obsess over these perfect images of a perfect couple in THEIR perfect moment.  Sometimes even abruptly stopping the photographers “zone” to remind of the image on Pinterest that they wanted.  I have been feeling lately that my brides are somewhat disappointed that some of the Pinterest ideas don’t look the exact same as in their photos.  It is impossible to reproduce raw emotion that is conveyed in a photograph.  That’s what makes the photograph amazing in the first place.

Here’s some advice from a wedding photographer:  STOP LOOKING AT PINTEREST for your wedding photography ideas.  It’s just not how it works- not at all.  A good wedding photographer relies on all of the elements aligning and the zone that they are in to create beautiful imagery.  Not reproducing another image from someone else’s moment.