In France, the future still looks rosy for marriage: according to official figures, almost 240,000 couples tied the knot in 2014. Behind all of these ceremonies there is a highly lucrative market. One of the key ingredients for a successful wedding, at least as important as the cake, is photography. Wedding photography, a tradition going back to the end of the 19th century, has evolved as marriage itself has changed. From the 1970s onwards, it shifted away from its conventional format as family structures were remodelled and marriage itself became less popular. Over time, couples came to want photographs that reflected their relationship, favouring spontaneous images over more formal portraits. This trend is even more popular today and photojournalists are moving into the market, offering a fresh take on the ritual.
During the Visa pour l’Image festival of photojournalism in Perpignan in early September, the SCAM (France’s copyright collective) revealed that a growing number of its members are now photographing weddings. Faced with a fall in their revenue from the press, for better or for worse, these professionals are turning towards this sector, far removed from their original profession and an activity they might once have looked down upon. For the couples who opt for this type of photographer, the choice expresses a wish for a more modern view of their ceremony.
Building their own legend
“Marriage is no longer a prerequisite when it comes to starting a family,” says sociologist Irène Jonas in “La Mort de la photo de famille? De l’argentique au numérique” (L’Harmattan, 2010). “It has lost some of its formal side and is now a more individual act. The growing popularity of wedding photojournalism is a way of addressing a contradiction: on the one hand, there is marriage, a highly standardised ritual and, on the other hand, a desire for something very personal.” Everyone is entitled to build their own legend so the way that the event is captured is of utmost importance for the couple. The day is recorded for posterity, for memory’s sake and for family history, but that’s not all. For these couples, there are none of the conventional poses; the demand has changed. Pierre Morel is one of these photojournalists more than prepared to cooperate with bride and groom. Although he works for a number of media publications, he spends his summers going from one wedding to another. “What I offer them is a way to tell a story, from when they’re getting ready in the morning, right though till the evening. It’s like a documentary and I tell them “You’re the subject!”
However, not everyone thinks outside the box like this. Professor at Nantes university and author of “La Photographie, un miroir des sciences sociales” (L’Harmattan, 1996), sociologist Sylvain Maresca has interviewed a high number of wedding photographers. In his view, tastes remain conventional on the whole. “People getting married today still expect something quite solemn,” he says. In a traditional ceremony, the pictures have to reflect the fantasised realm of marriage and they are more inspired by the spectacular weddings featured in magazines than they are by photojournalistic style images. Timeless iconography for pictures that are for keeps. And which very often outlive the marriage itself!
Story published in Le Monde, on September 24, 2015
http://www.lemonde.fr
