Wedding Photojournalism

Wedding Photojournalism

Author: Steve Brazill October 24, 2019 Duration: 53:38

I have been sitting here trying to write this post about my guest and can’t figure out where to start. Do I start with the fact he’s America’s Most Celebrated Wedding Photographer? Or maybe I start with the many TV appearances, or the books… or maybe the awards and accolades. When you have a guest like Denis Reggie, just getting the first sentence typed out is tough, very tough.

Denis Reggie is arguable the best wedding photographer on the planet, and that’s not me saying that, it’s American Photo. When they did a cover story on The Top Ten Wedding Photographers in the World, Denis Reggie topped their list. Wow.

Denis is a legend in the world of wedding photography, have pioneered his art and naming it wedding photojournalism. His images are like no other wedding photos you’ll see. His website sums it up best:

” With quiet anticipation and discovery, photographer Denis Reggie intuitively documents the most revealing and poignant wedding scenes without subject awareness of his camera or intent.”

He even dresses as a guest so he can blend in as he moves around looking for the shot to develop naturally. I absolutely love this concept. Here’s another quote from his site:

“We quietly capture authentic wedding moments knowing that people look best when unaware of the camera and just being themselves.”

Let me tell you a bit more about Denis… he’s well know for his work as the Kennedy family wedding photographer, but let’s go deeper. Denis is a a Canon Explorer of Light, he has been featured on The BBC, China Television’s Art & Celebrity Channel, The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight, Oprah, VH1, CNN, and Fox. Hold on, I’m just getting started here…

His wonderful images have been on the covers of LIFE, People and Elle France magazines and named among Photographs of the Year by People, LIFE, Time, and Newsweek. And then there is the client list… sit back and read for a while…

Designer Tory Burch; Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell; ER television star Noah Wyle; Eagles singer/songwriter Don Henley; actor Chris O’Donnell; designer Vera Wang for her New York wedding; former U.S. Senators Howard Baker and Nancy Kassebaum; designer Reed Krakoff; Metromedia president John Kluge; Forrest Gump producer and New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch; civil rights activist Martin Luther King III; Sony Music president Tommy Mottola; author and Vanity Fair writer Dominick Dunne; famed Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski; John Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette; author Tom Clancy; football great Frank Gifford; actor and philanthropist Paul Newman; Vice President Al Gore for wedding of daughter Karenna Gore; Home Depot co-founder and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank; financier Saul Steinberg; beauty expert and Allure editor Linda Wells; ABC News anchor Peter Jennings; Oprah Winfrey; actress Carey Lowell; Teresa Heinz Kerry; television’s Catherine Crier; cable television magnate Ted Turner; Secretary of State John Kerry; designer Lisa Frank; television anchor Campbell Brown; New Line Cinema CEO Michael Lynn; CBS News correspondent and longtime Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer; models’ agent Eileen Ford; Warner Music’s Edgar Bronfman, Jr.; heiress Christina Getty; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis for the wedding of daughter Caroline Kennedy; ABC’s Roone Arledge; Limited founder Leslie Wexner; NBA basketball sensation Dominique Wilkins; pop singer/songwriter Mariah Carey; political strategists Mary Matalin and James Carville; Coca-Cola CEO Neville Isdell; actress Holly Hunter; Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith; All-Pro NFL linebacker Keith Brooking; billionaire industrialist David Koch; Backstreet Boys lead singer Brian Littrell; Ambassador Elizabeth Bagley; hotelier Rand Araskog; bridal designer Anne Barge; socialite Tinsley Mortimer; American Idol’s Paula Abdul; football legend Fran Tarkenton; author Nancy Friday; then-Wall Street Journal editor Norm Pearlstine; actor Emilio Estevez; basketball star Shareef Abdur-Rahim; Grammy-winning producer Matt Serletic; Gannett CEO Douglas McCorkindale; Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger; Academy Award® winning Spielberg cinematographer Janusz Kaminski; designer Kenneth Cole; Alexandra Miller and Prince Alexandre von Fürstenberg; singer/songwriter James Taylor; past New York Governor Mario Cuomo; current New York Governor Andrew Cuomo; Coca-Cola president Donald Keough; NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle; actor James Garner; television personality Leeza Gibbons; Ethel Kennedy; actress Susan Lucci and more.

Denis Reggie is a unique artist.. part photographer, part story teller, and part journalist.

Join Wedding Photographer Denis Reggie and me as we discuss wedding photojournalism, and take a close look at his iconic image of John Kennedy, Jr. kissing the hand of his bride Carolyn Bessette, on this episode of Behind the Shot.

Connect with Denis

Website: denisreggie.com
Instagram: @denisreggie
Twitter: @denisreggie
Facebook: @DenisReggiePhotographers

Denis Online

Popular Photography Interview: A Conversation with Denis Reggie
Vogue: The Kennedy Family Wedding Photographer Shares His Most Iconic Images and the Stories Behind Them
Shutterbug: Denis Reggie’s 7 Tips on How to Shoot Group Portraits at a Wedding


Steve Brazill hosts Behind the Shot-Video, a series that goes far beyond gear lists and camera settings. Each conversation is a deep exploration of the creative and technical journey behind compelling images. You’ll hear working photographers unpack the entire process-from the initial spark of an idea and the challenges of the location to the critical decisions made in post-production. This podcast sits at the unique intersection of art and practical technology, offering tangible lessons for anyone looking to improve their visual storytelling. Rather than abstract theory, these discussions provide a real-world look at problem-solving under pressure and the artistic choices that define a signature style. Tune in for honest, detailed breakdowns that reveal how memorable shots are truly built, layer by layer. It’s an essential resource for visual artists seeking both inspiration and actionable knowledge, all grounded in the lived experience of accomplished creators.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 200

Behind the Shot - Video
Podcast Episodes
Making More Creative Portraits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:46
I have always been fascinated with the education side of photography. I don’t have a formal photography education myself, and I am very aware of what skill sets I wish I had been exposed to earlier in my photo journey. I…
Concert Photography Photo Releases [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:59
This is a show I have been thinking about doing for a while, and that I believe is an important subject for both new and veteran music photographers…. BUT even if you’re not a music photographer, this subject should matt…
Capturing Warbirds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
I will never forget growing up hearing my dad talk about his days flying P-51 and P-40 planes. His walls were covered in model planes of classic war birds, as though he was trying to relive his youth. When he passed away…
3 Guys Walk Into a Podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:06:11
One of the things I love about the podcasting world is the instant camaraderie you sometimes feel when talking with other podcasters. It’s hard to explain the connection you get when you have something creative in common…
Photographing Spirits of Carnival [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:49
The photographers I am exposed to by doing this show never cease to amaze me. Recently, my buddy Ian Spanier told a friend of his that he should be on the show, and gave him my contact info. At that point, Jason Gardner…
Product Photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:16
I never used to go to photography conferences. It’s not that they didn’t interest me, it’s just that none of them cover my genre of music photography. WPPI is all about weddings and portraits, and while Imaging USA seems…
Artistic Macros [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:22
One of my favorite parts of doing this podcast is that I get to discover and meet some amazing photographers, and L.A. based Nikon Ambassador Joey Terrill is a perfect example. We’ve all joked about a photographer we kno…
Architecture Photography Tips & Tricks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:44
I find guests for Behind the Shot in a number of ways. Sometimes it’s a referral from a friend, sometimes it’s a cold email I send after seeing an image I just need to know more about, and now and then it’s through a pho…
Portrait Composites [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:53
One look at the client list at the bottom of Paul Mobley’s About page and it’s quickly apparent that he’s one of the best commercial, advertising, and editorial portrait photographers working today. It’s a list of A leve…
Elevate Your Portrait Images [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:51
Zoe Rain is one of those photographers in the rare group of artists that was born to do what she does. Some people can learn to become amazing artists, while others, people like Zoe, seem to have a natural gift for seein…