BEFORE IT STARTS by THE LISBON WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
Some photos from the engagement session, with the couple with horses and walking through the woods
• Pode ler este artigo em Português.
The Hidden Side of Being a Wedding Photographer
A wedding photographer doesn’t just capture images — they capture memories that become timeless. In Sofia and Ricardo’s engagement session, the wedding photographs told a silent story, shaped by light, anticipation, and a creative instinct that only those who live this craft truly understand.
Seeing the Shot Before It Exists
What sets a wedding photographer apart is their ability to see the image before it unfolds. The moment I lift the camera, the photo is already in my mind. This foresight feels like a divine gift, and when the shot appears on my screen, it brings a nearly spiritual satisfaction.
Photography is copying with light and transforming with light. The true art lies in aligning imagination with reality. When both match, it means the photographer has succeeded — and that’s a powerful and deeply rewarding experience.
Balancing Joy and Tension in Wedding Photography
The joy of photographing love doesn’t come unaccompanied. It’s almost always preceded by emotional turbulence. Upon arriving at the shoot location, my eyes frantically search for the right spots — where to place the couple, how to frame them, and how to craft cinematic elegance.
Emotional context:
- Every session starts with a burst of creative panic.
- That panic sharpens observation and decision-making.
- Initial anxiety fuels the quality of each wedding photograph.
This doubt is essential. It’s the artist’s adrenaline before a performance. And just like a singer stepping on stage, the moment I press the shutter, everything aligns.
The Unseen Training Behind Wedding Photography
Looking at a perfect shot, one might assume it was effortless. But behind each photograph lies study, repetition, and relentless passion.
Technical and emotional preparation:
- Each image is a result of years of practice and learning about light.
- Emotion must work in harmony with technical precision.
- Doubt continues to be a tool for growth and artistic evolution.
That unseen training allows a photographer to turn even the most unlikely setting into a cinematic backdrop. Because wedding photography is not about the location — it’s about vision.
A Childhood Memory as Metaphor for Effort
I remember a boy with a handmade go-kart, climbing a slope in Eduardo VII Park. His joyful descent after the hard climb is a perfect metaphor. The effort before each shot is always worth it, and every successful frame is that joyful ride downhill.
Respecting the Moment and the Couple
Respect for the bride, groom, and wedding guests is non-negotiable. Every couple brings a unique story. As a photographer, my mission is to honour that story and translate it into images.
Wedding photography demands technical precision and emotional empathy. It’s about seeing beyond the obvious: the intertwined hands, the sparkle in the eyes, the spontaneous hug between friends — all the details that make a wedding day unforgettable.
The First Click: From Panic to Magic
Everything shifts with the first shot. The panic vanishes. Focus sets in. From that moment on, each image flows, driven by the deep pleasure of capturing something unrepeatable.
This is what I aim for: to make each session my best yet, to ensure each couple feels unique, and every wedding ceremony is documented truthfully and beautifully.
Conclusion
Being a wedding photographer means living between technique and emotion. It means anticipating, feeling, doubting, and creating. Every session brings new challenges, and it’s that uncertainty that keeps creativity alive. With respect, passion, and vision, we do justice to the love we are asked to capture.
Let’s Talk
Planning your wedding day and want to make sure your memories are captured in a way that’s emotional, elegant, and truly yours? Let’s have a chat. Every story deserves to be told through beautiful, unforgettable images.
- You can see a full wedding story: