WALKING IN SINTRA by THE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
Photos of the bride and groom on their way down from the Church of Santa Maria to the Café Paris in Sintra, where the wedding party took place
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Bride and Groom leaving the Church and heading down to the village
I’m glad when this happens, but it’s very rare. Leaving the church where the ceremony took place and walking down to the village—Sintra in this case—crossing the streets on the way to the reception, and photographing along the way. I guarantee it puts the wedding photographer in their favorite setting.
That’s how it was with Ulrica and João. Children of Sintra, and as locals who know its streets, walls, and staircases, it couldn’t have been any other way. One of the things that gives me the most joy is not having to think or decide too much about what will be done, where, and how—and no, it’s not laziness. When the photographed couple makes the decisions, it seems that my improvisational photographer side comes alive and, for some reason, I’m more productive. Things flow better, and all I have to do is make the most of it.
Photographers are tireless in the pursuit of spontaneity
Maybe photographers—and wedding photographers are no different—are a bit like parasites, and when they see a scene they like, there they go with camera to the eye and the right lens to take advantage, like a bee heading for a freshly bloomed flower. It’s not ill-intentioned—it’s just how it is—they say it’s more spontaneous. Or is it laziness? Doesn’t seem like it, because those who witness weddings know that photographers are tireless in the pursuit… of spontaneity. Maybe I’m like that, too. I don’t know…
Point by point:
- From time to time, the wedding photographer receives a kind of gift from the couple:
- They decide where they want the photos to be taken
- They choose a path they want to walk
- A place they’ve known since childhood
- I love it when that happens, and I don’t have the power to decide anything except how to capture the resulting wedding photos:
- It’s not out of laziness
- I capture many more genuine photos
- There’s a strong connection between the couple and the place
- The photographer’s work feels much more complete
- Photographing requires great harmony between those being photographed and the photographer:
- Communication flows much better
- Bride, groom, and photographer know what they want to do
- There’s no desire to stop photographing
- When I’m searching for images during a wedding, at any part of it, I always prefer spontaneity for a much more natural capture, and I always avoid directing the action.
You need to know:
Whatever method we choose to photograph a wedding, it will always have its conveniences and its challenges. As with everything, there’s a tendency for balance, and so some people choose—or develop—their working method based on the results they want to achieve.
Directing the action on a wedding day for a fully controlled shoot by the photographer:
- Has its advantages:
- The photos will reflect the final result that the photographer desires based on their style
- They can choose where and how to tell the story of the wedding day
- And disadvantages:
- The event loses its spontaneity
- It becomes a kind of alternative story, far from what happened
That’s why I only direct certain parts of the wedding day if it’s necessary:
- During the couple’s portrait session on the wedding day
- When someone asks me to be photographed
When I shot my first wedding, I immediately knew I couldn’t interfere with the action. So I learned:
- To always position myself on the right side for capturing the moment
- To stay as attentive as possible to how the events unfold
- To learn to shoot as quickly as possible
Your wedding is a series of moments that, together in photographs, will tell the true story of what happened. That’s my method—let the action flow. Come and see the results in the photos I have to show you. Book a meeting—I’d be delighted to welcome you.
- You can see a full wedding story:
