Timeless: but what does that actually mean?

“Timeless.” It’s a word a lot of us in the wedding photography world throw around. We market ourselves with it. We strive for it. We promise it. But what does it actually mean?

When photographers talk about creating something “timeless,” I think what we’re usually aiming for is this: you’ll look back at your wedding photos 10 or 20 years from now, and aside from the youthful glint in your eye, the style and quality of the photography won’t feel out of place. It’ll feel like it could have been taken just a few months ago, rather than decades earlier.

But why is that so important? Is it because we don’t want to cringe at our past selves? Probably. I know I’m definitely guilty of dropping the word “timeless” into my own marketing here and there. In fact, if I were to scan through the copy on my website right now, I’m pretty sure I’ve slipped it in a few times without thinking twice.

But here’s the thing is anything really timeless?

Right now, the wedding photography world is filled with trends: blurry, out of focus images. Chic black and whites. Direct flash. Deep shadows and heavy underexposure for a moody feel. Some photographers (and clients) will argue that these are the new timeless. Others would say they’re anything but.

What we can say for certain is that each of these styles has a following, a group of people who love them. So maybe “timeless” isn’t about an objective standard. Maybe it’s just another trend we’ve decided is safe. Maybe it’s the visual equivalent of a little black dress: classic, sure, but maybe not very personal or bold.

So, what’s the takeaway here?

Here’s my two cents: go for what you like. Stop worrying about whether it’s going to look dated in 10 or 20 years because, honestly, it probably will. No matter how crisp, classic or clean the image looks today, time will leave its mark. And that’s okay.

Go for the blurry image. Go for the crazy lighting. Go for the neon gels, the funky filters, the direct flash, the drama, the romance. Go for the thing that excites you now, and makes you feel something now.

Because in 20 years, when you show those photos to your kids or your grandkids, you won’t be saying, “Aren’t these so timeless?” You’ll be saying, “This is what our wedding felt like.” You’ll be proud of the moment it captured. And that more than anything is what makes a photo truly timeless. Let’s stop trying so hard to predict the future and instead celebrate the present for everything it is.

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