girl plays with bubbles at wedding
aPPROACH

DOCUMENTARY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTOGRAPHS WITH DEPTH & DELIGHT

Let me capture your day as it was, filled with every laugh, every tender moment and all those spontaneous dance moves.

Father of bride wipes tears away seeing daughter in wedding dress, b&w image

As a documentary wedding photographer, my idea of wedding photography is not your usual looking straight at the camera formal style. I want to capture the day as it was with all the laughter, love, and everything in-between, including the joyful moments of friendship. I'll photograph all the excitement and even some of the nerves. I want to show precisely how the day was!

bride and groom arms up in air on guests shoulders at London wedding

So expect me early on, when everyone is buzzing around getting ready or ticking things off their 'to do' list. When your dad or mum comes through the door to see you in your wedding dress for the first time, I'll be there. When you're both looking directly at each other during the ceremony, and it feels like the world is a million miles away, I'll be there to capture it. When your favourite song comes on, and you're dancing with friends and family, I'll be dancing too! Well, taking pictures and dancing – it's a fun combination!

bride looks lovingly at groom after his speech, b&w image

Top 5 things I focus on as a
documentary
wedding
photographer

Top 5 things I focus on as a documentary wedding photographer

Bride gifts mother gift on morning of wedding
woman loses at giant Jenga at wedding drinks reception
father sees daughter in wedding dress by window
women run with umbrella's after church wedding gets hit with rain
groom wearing kilt picks and spins bride during barn wedding first dance

01 / THE ART OF CONVERSATION

Being a documentary wedding photographer isn't just about capturing images silently; it's also about engagement. I find that having a chat with the couple, their family, and friends right from the start sets everyone at ease. It's this approach that allows me to blend in, almost like another guest, capturing those genuine moments. There's an art to knowing when to join the conversation and when to step back and let the scene unfold, ensuring those candid shots are as natural as possible.

02 / RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

With experience comes a sixth sense for anticipating those fleeting moments that make a wedding special. It's about being in the right spot at just the right time, ready to capture a laugh, a tear, or a look that says it all. Weddings bring together a mosaic of people, making every set of photographs uniquely eclectic and endlessly fascinating to document.

03 / SHOW ME THE LOVE

Hopefully, after looking through my images, you would have gained a sense of a theme running through them, I'm particularly drawn to happiness and the warmth that can accumulate from a wedding, I enjoy photographing people. If you give me a still object to photograph, I would get bored very quickly but throw people and the ray of emotions that can be displayed on a wedding day. You have something that I can really connect with.

04 / THAT’S HOW THE STORY GOES

Storytelling is perhaps one of the oldest forms of human connection, rivalled only by music, and it's rare to find someone who doesn't appreciate a good story. I view weddings as an ideal setting for storytelling. Each image captures a slice of human emotion, a snapshot in the larger narrative of life. By assembling a collection of images from throughout the day, I aim to craft a narrative that not only documents but revitalises the very essence of the occasion. It’s my hope that, in viewing these photos, you'll find yourself immersed, reliving the unfolding story with every heartbeat.

05 / I BET YOU LOOK GOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR

The dance floor is one of my favourite parts about being a documentary wedding photographer! My main aim is to get in close to capture all the action. So whether your mate is 'attempting' the worm, or your bridesmaid is in the centre of a circle with those epic moves, I'll be there. When all your friends rush to the dance floor after the first dance, or even when you both get lifted onto shoulders, hands in the air, ecstatic smiles on your faces, I'll be there!

"He has a talent for capturing the most fleeting of special moments in a natural yet artful manner; you can see the thought behind the composition of each candid photo without it ever looking posed or clichéd"
HANNAH & OLLIE
Portrait of Richard Skins
BOOKING YOUR WEDDING WITH ME

So, you've locked in the date and found that perfect spot to tie the knot? Brilliant! Next up is catching all those amazing moments on camera, right? If you've been scrolling through my pics and think my documentary wedding photography style might be just the ticket for your big day, don't hang about! Loads of couples are booking photographers way in advance these days - we're talking 2 or 3 years sometimes. Crazy, I know! So if you like what you see here, drop me a line as soon as you've got that date set in stone. Don't want you missing out just 'cause you waited to get in touch. Let's chat about making your day look as awesome in photos as it'll feel in real life!

CONTACT ME
FOLLOW MY PHOTOGRAPHY ON
INSTAGRAM @RICHARDSKINSPHOTOGRAPHY
black and white photograph of bride and groom being showered with confetti