Photographers vs Content Creators — Do We Really Need to Choose?
I’ve seen quite a lot of conversation online recently about wedding photographers and content creators, and honestly, I can understand why it’s got people talking. There seems to be a bit of a “photographers vs content creators” feeling creeping into the wedding world. But personally, I don’t think it needs to be that way.
I’m a wedding photographer, so obviously I’m passionate about photography. It’s what I love, and it’s a huge part of why I started my business. But I’m also a bride, a wife and now a mum to my little girl, Maeva and becoming a mum has made me think about memories in a completely different way.
Since having Maeva, I understand memories a little differently I take SO many photos of Maeva. Probably far too many! But I also take little videos. Sometimes it’s nothing exciting at all. It’s just her laughing, making a funny noise or doing something that makes me smile. And I know those little things are going to change so quickly. Sometimes I want the photograph. Sometimes I want the video. Sometimes I want both. And I think that’s why I really understand the appeal of wedding content creators.
Photography and content creation aren’t the same thing. As a wedding photographer, I’m there to tell the story of your wedding through photographs. I’m thinking about the light, the composition, the emotion and all those little moments happening around you. I’m looking for the things you might not even realise are happening. The look on your parents face. Your partner trying not to cry. Your best friend laughing during the speeches. The squeeze of a hand. The chaos of getting ready. The quiet moments in between everything else. I want to create photographs that you’ll still love looking at years from now. Photographs you can print, frame, put in an album and pass down. And then there’s the content creator. They’re often capturing your day in a completely different way. The behind-the-scenes moments. The fun. The chaos. The little videos. Your bridesmaids getting ready. Your friends dancing. Your dad having a few too many drinks and hitting the dance floor! Those moments that you can watch back almost immediately after your wedding. And honestly, I think that’s brilliant. Different doesn’t mean better or worse. It just means different.
So where does the “vs” come from? I think there are genuine concerns on both sides. As photographers, we need to be able to do our jobs properly. If someone is constantly stepping into our frame, interrupting a moment or making it difficult to capture something important, then of course that’s going to be frustrating. But equally, a content creator has been hired by the couple too. They’re there because you wanted them there. So I don’t think this needs to become a battle between two suppliers. I think it comes down to something much simpler: Communication. Before the wedding, everyone should know what the plan is. Where people need to be. When the photographer needs a little space. When the content creator can get in and capture those behind-the-scenes moments. And most importantly, everyone needs to remember why they’re there in the first place. The couple. We’re here to be the best media team possible!
If you’re thinking about booking a content creator… There is one thing I’d always recommend. Check your photographer’s contract first. Some photographers are happy to work alongside content creators, while others may have different terms around additional media suppliers. That’s okay. Every photographer has their own way of working and their own business terms. But it’s much better to know before you book. If you’re unsure, simply ask: “Are you happy to work alongside a content creator on our wedding day?” It’s such a simple question, but it could save you a lot of stress further down the line.
Personally, I think there is room for both If you want beautiful, timeless wedding photographs and those fun little videos to watch back the next morning, why shouldn’t you have both? Your photographer isn’t there to replace your content creator. Your content creator isn’t there to replace your photographer. We’re capturing different sides of your day. And when we communicate properly, I actually think the two can work really beautifully together.
I’d love to see more photographers and content creators working with each other rather than against each other. Sharing the space. Respecting each other’s roles. Communicating before the day. And ultimately working together to be the best media team our couple deserves.
I don’t want them worrying about whether their photographer and content creator are getting along. I don’t want them wondering who’s allowed to stand where. I don’t want them feeling caught in the middle. I want them to enjoy their wedding. To laugh. To cry. To dance. To completely forget that we’re even there. And then afterwards, I want them to have all those memories to look back on. The beautiful photographs. The silly videos. The little moments they didn’t even know were happening. The things that make them say: “Oh my god, I forgot that happened!” Because since becoming a mum, I’ve realised just how precious those little memories are.
Life moves ridiculously quickly. The things you think you’ll remember forever somehow become a blur. And that’s why I love what I do. Whether it’s through a photograph, a video or both, we’re preserving a little piece of someone’s life. So, photographers and content creators don’t need a “vs.” We just need to work together. To respect each other. To communicate. And to be the best media team our couple deserves. Because when the couple comes first, everybody wins.
Love, Sarah x