A Comparison of Popular Photography Styles: Exploring Capturing, Editing, and Composition

Planning a photoshoot—be it for your wedding, a cozy family portrait, or anything in between—means making a bunch of important decisions. But one of the most fun (and crucial!) choices you’ll make is picking a photography style. To help you out, I’m breaking down these styles into three categories: how we capture the shot, how we jazz it up (aka editing), and how we compose the whole scene. Ready to dive in? Let’s get to it!

Image Disclaimer: Not all images featured in this blog are the property of Danielle Lee Photo. Some images have been sourced from external websites and are included to enhance the reader's understanding and appreciation of the content. All rights belong to their respective owners and are linked where available.

2. Editing Style

When it comes to editing, each photographer has their signature touch, a way to bring out the soul of the photograph that speaks both of their artistic vision and the unique qualities of the moment captured. Here’s a more detailed look at how I approach the editing process to add that extra layer of magic to your photos. Every photographer's style is as unique as their fingerprints, but overall they are grouped into 4 main styles or 6 substyles.

Main Styles

• Light & Airy: Bright, soft, and oh-so-romantic, this style makes every photo feel like a breath of fresh air. Often slightly cool and low contrast
• Dark & Moody: For something a little more dramatic, these photos are all about embracing the shadows and bringing a sense of mystery. Often warmer and higher contrast
• Natural: Keeping it real with minimal tweaks to make your photos look as true-to-life as possible. True to color editing with a less-is-more approach.
• Stylistic: This is where creativity really kicks in, transforming photos into unique pieces of art. To me, this group/style is anything that doesn't pass as largely true to what the human eye say at the time. These styles can vary a lot, but a very popular one right now is retro-film.

Sub Styles

• Natural/Clean: Simple and straightforward, focusing on the beauty of the moment without any fuss. True-to-color with a very lgiht shift warm or cool, if any. Typically more saturated and higher contrast than Light/Airy (Light/Airy, Natural Parent Style(s))
• Warm/Golden: These photos are all about that glow, giving your pictures a warm, cozy vibe. Very warm, yellows and golds, often hazy/glowy. These fall under 'Stylistic' in my appearance because they are neither light nor dark, and very far from true-to-color or natural. Occasionally they can be light, but often not airy. (Stylistic Parent Style)
• Bold/Vibrant: If you love colors that pop, this style brings out vibrant hues that grab attention. Characterized by saturated colors, lots of dark blacks, bright whites and lots of contrast. Overall colors are typically true and neither warm nor cool, but it not realistic to the human eye so I group this under Stylistic Parent Style, often with Dark & Moody Influence
• Film Inspired: A nod to old-school film with its grainy textures and nostalgic feel. Typically having flat blacks and whites, can lean warm or cool, light dark or natural, these really are in a league of their own which is why they are so popular, but if i had to, I'd group in Stylistic Parent Style
• Muted/Earthy: Soft, subdued, and perfectly understated for a natural look. Nude tones, typically low contrast, and on the darker side, so to me these ar grouped under Dark/Moody Parent Style
• Cinematic/Rich: Dive into a deep color palette with striking contrasts that look like they’re straight out of a movie. These are better -than-real-life brighter, deeper, richer colors and depth, typically with colors that are accurate and neither warm nor cool. I group these under Stylistic Parent Style, often with Dark & Moody Influence. These don't fall under 'natural' or natural influenced even to me, because they have too much dynamic range (range of light levels a camera can capture, from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights without losing detail) that is unlike the human eye.

Here is a visual guide of the common editing styles today

Common Shooting Styles + Editing Style Combinations

Certain shooting styles just simply play well with certain editing styles. These are the combo's I see often. If i didn't list it, it doesn't mean it's no out there, you just might have to look a little harder to find them!

if you're photographer edits...

AGAIN, these are not RULES, just PATTERNS I have observed over the years!

Choosing the right photography style is all about matching your vision with the right techniques to tell your story. Whether you’re drawn to the authenticity of documentary-style shots or the elegance of a cinematic edit, my job is to bring your vision to life in a way that feels true to you. Let’s chat about how we can make your photoshoot uniquely yours!

For me, my shooting style is Prompted and Cinematic, and and editing is Film-Inspired x Moody. But, let's see if you agree with me.

Credits to images used!

https://christinarunnalsphotography.com/2022/05/11/boston-light-and-airy-photographer-the-smith-family/ - light and airy image

https://www.stillandmotionpictures.com/wedding-film-photography.html - stylistic

https://www.hannahelisephoto.com/ - warm golden

https://www.lookslikefilm.com/2020/05/09/wedding-lightroom-presets/ - dark and moody

https://www.twowildsoulsphotography.com/ - bold vibrant -

https://www.tobiahtayo.com/dorfold-hall-wedding-photographer - retro film Image

https://www.petedenness.com/granary-estates-wedding/ - Cine/Rich image