Wedding Photography Rules  |  Cardiff wedding photographer

Wedding Photography Rules.  Who sets them?  Who says that to use certain items in photographs (smoke grenades as an example) you have to be 'hipsters' or 'cool' or 'trendy'?  Who sets what 'cool' is, or what 'trendy' does, or what 'alternative' should act like? I'm a rule breaker.  Mainly because I didn't know that wedding photography had rules like what you had to wear to use certain props!  I didn't get that memo!  Did anyone get that memo??!! You may be able to tell that I'm p*ssed about something.  You are right. I posted a photograph of a pretty standard looking, normally attired wedding couple at sunset kissing and holding smoke grenades backlit by the setting sun.  I loved it, they loved it.  I posted the photograph into a Facebook group called "Epic Wedding Photography", along with several other Facebook groups wedding photographers use for sharing wedding photographs. It's nice to get likes, it's nice to get objective constructive critique etc. However, to be told by a Bristol Wedding Photographer, Andy, that "Smoke bombs work on couples with a certain look, like young alternative hipsters" gripped my sh*t.  I can handle the "over processed" critique - it's my style.  But saying that I can't use smoke GRENADES (not bombs Andy) because my couple didn't look cool or trendy or hipster enough is like saying only guys with arms full of tattoos can wear Converse at a wedding, or only brides with multiple piercings can look cool. And if you are a guy (or girl) with a beard, tattoos and piercings - well the world is your oyster wedding photography wise.

Who sets the Wedding Photography Rules when it comes to "Alternative", "Hipster", "Cool" or "Trendy"?

Fashion designers.  Graphic Artists. Photographers.  We do. You and Me. So who is to say that a heterosexual wedding couple wearing the standard wedding attire of suit and dress can't use smoke grenades?!!! This is Google's take on Hipster: "Members of the subculture typically do not self-identify as hipsters, and the word hipster is often used as a pejorative to describe someone who is pretentious, overly trendy or effete." And again from Goole: What does it mean to be a hipster?

According to the Urban Dictionary ; Hipsters are a subculture of men and women typically in their 20's and 30's that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter.

• My couples are in their 20's - 30's - Tick that box
• My couples are independently minded - Tick that box
• My couples appreciate art - Tick that box
• My couples appreciate a wide variety of musical tastes- Tick that box
• My couples are creative ( you should see what they make for their own weddings.) - Tick that box
• My couples are intelligent, sometimes highly intelligent (using the standard IQ scale) - Tick that box
• My couples have lots of witty banter - Tick that box
• My couples are active in politics and take note of what's going on in the world around them.  Although to be fair I don't tend to discuss politics with my couples.  I'll even photograph weddings for Labour supports and Donald Trump supports if they value me and my art - Tick that box
• I have no idea what 'counter culture' means... but if it means they go against the grain then yes, they do. (On the whole, my couples dress normally, don't have arms full of tattoos or wear beards or converse and still use smoke grenades.  If that's not counter culter I don't know what is!!) - Tick that box

Does it Really Mater? In the big scheme of things no.  What matters is that YOU the people reading this, the people that book me, book me for my style of photography.  If YOU like what you see and YOU want to wear a Tu-Tu whilst holding a smoke grenade or sparkler I'm ok with that. If you want to wear Morning Suite and White wedding dress and hold smoke grenades - I'm ok with that as well.  In fact I couldn't care less what you wear or what you look like or what you do or what music you like or whether youre intelligent or have three heads. It's YOUR wedding.  I'm not their to set the rules.  Apparently I break the rules - so does that make me a hipster photgorapher... at the age of 48??!!!