Mirrorless Black & White Wedding Photography

Today’s Post by Matt Staver

As a photojournalist who photographs only a limited number of weddings a year in the Denver area I don’t have a formulaic approach. Every wedding is different and each couple has different aesthetic sensibilities, families and budgets. That being said, to me, the two most important photographs to capture in any wedding are portraits of the couple and the unscripted, intimate moments that unfold throughout the day. I use Canon DSLRs but an indispensable tool that I use (and find more often than not is the camera that captures some of the best moments and photographs) is my Fujifilm X100s. I set it to silent mode, capture in black and white and always keep it around my neck.

Setting the camera to capture in black and white does several things. It helps me decide (always on the fly) when to use it vs. the Canons. If a situation feels like it will be better suited for black and white, I use the Fuji. It helps remove some of the post-processing time and decision making, and it’s amazing how my brain thinks differently knowing I have a dedicated black and white option.

Another situation I use the Fuji is when an intimate moment is unfolding or about to unfold. The silent shutter helps the bride and groom focus on their wedding, allowing them to become lost in that moment and what is happening around them. There is a strong tendency for a person to turn and smile toward the camera or feel self-conscious about what they are doing or feeling, causing them to “perform” for the camera. This happens more often when the photographer is a bigger presence in the room than their moment. A quiet camera, like the mirrorless Fujifilm X100s, doesn’t make me invisible but I think it helps capture more emotional, authentic moments.

Matt Staver is an editorial, documentary and commercial photographer living in Denver, Colorado. He’s a third-generation Colorado native and a second-generation photographer. His website is www.matthewstaver.com