A photojournalist’s eye, turned towards your wedding day.
Storytelling is at the heart of what I do. I’ve spent twenty years as a photojournalist working for Reuters, Getty Images, Bloomberg and WWF among others. Documenting real life as it unfolds across the world, in rooms where no moment repeats itself and no second chances exist.
That background shapes everything about how I photograph weddings.
I don’t pose. I don’t direct. I work quietly on the edges of your day capturing the moments that were always going to happen whether I was there or not. The stolen glances. The unrehearsed laughter. Nothing staged and nothing missed.
Twenty years of photojournalism teaches you one thing above all else. The moment you interfere, you’ve lost the moment.
Why weddings
Photographing world events for two decades has taken me to places full of tension, history and consequence. Real life, lived at full intensity. Weddings, I’ve come to realise, are exactly the same. Real and significant moments compressed into a single day. The same instincts that served me across twenty years of documentary work are what your wedding day deserves.
I’m married. I know what it feels like to simply be present in that day rather than managing it. That feeling is what I’m here to protect and give every couple I work with.
Be present. I’ll take care of the rest.
What to expect from me
Every wedding begins with a conversation. Zero obligations, just a call or video chat where you can tell me about your day and I can tell you more about how I work and answer any questions you may have.
On the day I’ll arrive before things start to familiarise myself with the setting and key people involved with your day. You won’t need to manage me, brief me or worry about me. I’ll find you when I need to and disappear when I don’t.
Within 24 hours of your wedding you’ll have a curated selection of fully edited highlights ready to share with whoever you like. The complete edit follows within ten days. Every image considered individually. Nothing included that doesn’t earn its place.
Editorial work
To see some of my work from twenty years of documentary photography for the world’s leading news agencies, have a look at www.cjratcliffe.com and @cjratcliffephoto on Instagram.