RESUME by THE LISBON WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
Photos of the bride’s hair in a mirror, the shoes for the wedding party, and a dress already worn
• Pode ler este artigo em Português.
The wedding photographer and three photos along the wedding path
Being a wedding photographer is far more than capturing beautiful images. It’s about living each moment as if it were unique, being alert to the details invisible to the wedding guests, and diving into the emotions that shape the story of an unrepeatable day. Returning to a common conversation among wedding photographers — “how many photos does it take to tell the story of a wedding?” — I remembered choosing just three. Three simple, intimate, personal images.
Three photographs from the bride’s side. And even as the wedding photographer who was there, I admit: I didn’t choose them because they were the most beautiful or impactful. Nor because they have artistic value. These are images that speak only to me. They matter because they take me back to that moment, that day, that wedding.
Three photographs, one moment
I remember each one clearly:
- A mirror with the bride’s braid reflected.
- The bride’s shoes: those for the ceremony and the party.
- The bride, dressed, was finally ready to leave.
These three wedding photographs don’t tell the whole day. For those who weren’t there, they might mean nothing. But for me, who lived that morning alongside the bride, each one anchors intense memories. Each image is an emotional anchor.
Why did I choose these three?
- Because I like them.
- Because they represent steps on my journey as a wedding photographer.
- Because they remind me that no matter how many times I photograph these moments, each one is always new.
- Because mirrors differ, shoes change places, lights shift, and doors force new angles.
The journey of a wedding photographer
More than documenting what’s seen, my work is about capturing what’s felt. Being a wedding photographer means returning to similar moments hundreds of times, but never in the same way.
Photos that define me as a wedding photographer:
- The intimacy of the bride’s preparation.
- The small, almost invisible details.
- That moment when a bride stops being just a woman in a dress and becomes the symbol of a new story.
These images I keep — just for me — reflect that path. They don’t need to be beautiful. They just need to be honest. Genuine. That’s where their power lies.
How many photos tell a wedding?
Among wedding photographers, there are many conversations about how many images are enough to tell a wedding story. But the answer is never a number. Because the essence isn’t in the quantity, but in the emotional connection.
Choosing three, as I did here, is just an exercise. An exercise in memory, in sensitivity, in honesty. Because sometimes, three are enough to remember the rest.
Point by point:
- Wedding photographers often debate how many images are needed to tell a story.
- Today, I chose three wedding photos that remind me of the bride’s wedding morning.
- They don’t show everything, but they bring back the whole day.
- They matter because each detail is unrepeatable.
- That’s why I love being a wedding photographer — every photo is different and true.
What drives me behind the lens
What drives me when photographing a wedding is not the contract. It never was. Even in the first wedding I photographed (well, the second — the first happened by chance), it was always about the images. And still today, if I ever feel I’m doing it just out of obligation, I stop.
You should know:
- It’s not the contract that makes me accept a wedding.
- It’s the wedding photographs that call me — that promise of genuine moments.
- The couples who hire me know this. They believe in it.
- And so far, that trust has never failed.
Because each photo is unique
No matter how many weddings I photograph, I never capture the same moment twice. No two brides are the same. No two reflections. No two hugs are shared in the same way.
Being a wedding photographer means understanding that each click is a one-time event. It doesn’t come back. And it must be honest with what it sees.
Conclusion
The three photos I chose today hold no value for anyone but me. But they prove that wedding photography is made of silent emotions. They are what keep me faithful to what I do. They make me want to continue. Because being a wedding photographer is walking, every day, toward images that don’t yet exist — but are waiting for me.
Let’s talk?
If you felt any connection with these words or believe your wedding photographs deserve to be more than records, let’s talk. Schedule a meeting with me, no obligation. I want to meet you, hear your story, and show you how every photo can be unique and truly yours.
- You can see a full wedding story: