about Jean-Luc
27 years, 500+ weddings, and a deep love for capturing real moments
My Story
Documentary Wedding Photographer, Cambridge — The Person Behind the Camera
I’m Jean-Luc — a French-born, documentary wedding photographer based in Cambridge who’s been telling love stories through photographs since 1998.
I fell in love with photography long before digital cameras existed. My first meaningful photograph was shot on 35mm film back in 1995 — a girl cycling through dappled light on a quiet French street — and that curiosity and creative hunger has never faded. Today, I bring that same energy and instinct to every wedding I photograph, whether it’s a grand celebration at a Cambridge college or an intimate elopement on the Norfolk coast.
What drives me is the human side of this work. Yes, I care deeply about composition, light, and technique — but what I care about most is people. The way your partner looks at you when they think nobody’s watching. The way your dad fights back tears during his speech. The quiet moments between the big ones. That’s what makes a wedding story worth telling, and that’s what I’m always looking for.
27+
years of experience
What Makes a Documentary Wedding Photographer Different?
A documentary approach means I photograph your wedding as it genuinely unfolds. I don’t choreograph moments or manufacture emotions — I observe, anticipate, and capture what’s real. The result is a collection of photographs that feels honest and true to the day you actually lived, not a staged version of it.
That said, documentary doesn’t mean I disappear entirely. I’m always on hand to gently guide you through couple portraits, organise your family group shots efficiently, and make sure the key moments are covered. The difference is that 90% of my work happens without any direction at all — and those unscripted moments are almost always the photographs couples treasure most.
Over 500 weddings have taught me to read a room instinctively. I know when something beautiful is about to happen — a glance, a laugh, a tear — and I know how to be in the right place at the right time without being noticed. That quiet confidence comes from experience, and it’s something that simply can’t be shortcut.
My Approach…
No secret…
27 Years Behind the Lens
I started shooting film in 1995, moved to Cambridge in 1998, and have been photographing weddings here and across the UK ever since. In that time, I’ve captured celebrations in Cambridge colleges, country houses, coastal hotels, barn conversions, village churches, Italian hilltop towns, and French châteaux. Every venue and every couple has been different, and every wedding has made me a better photographer.
Beyond weddings, I’ve worked as the official photographer for the Cambridge Film Festival, covered live music and cultural events, and spent years honing my portrait work through travel and personal projects. That breadth of experience has shaped me into the photographer I am today — adaptable, intuitive, and comfortable in any setting.
I hold a French passport, which means I can work freely across Europe with no visa complications. If you’re planning a destination wedding in France, Italy, or elsewhere on the continent, I’d genuinely love to hear about it.
WHY ME
What You Get When You Book Me
Experience That Shows
With more than two decades of professional photography and hundreds of weddings under my belt, I’ve encountered every scenario imaginable — from torrential rain and power cuts to surprise proposals during the speeches. Nothing throws me, and that composure means you can enjoy your day knowing the photography is completely taken care of.
Someone You’ll Actually Enjoy Having Around
Weddings are emotional, sometimes chaotic, and always deeply personal. The last thing you need is a photographer who adds stress. I’m calm, friendly, and easy-going — I’ll put you at ease, make your guests smile, and blend into the day so naturally that most people won’t even realise I’m working. Couples often say I felt more like a guest than a supplier, and I take that as the highest compliment.
Photographs That Stand the Test of Time
Trends come and go, but genuine emotion never dates. My editing style is warm, natural, and true to life — no heavy filters, no over-processed skin, no fashionable colour casts that will look odd in ten years. Your photographs will look as beautiful in 2050 as they do today, because real moments captured honestly are always timeless.
A Little More About Me
When I’m not working as a documentary wedding photographer in Cambridge and beyond, you’ll find me exploring with my camera in hand — chasing good light, interesting faces, and unfamiliar places wherever I travel. Photography isn’t just my profession; it’s how I see the world and always has been.
I’m a proud Frenchman who’s made Cambridge home for over 25 years. I still have a noticeable accent, which tends to be a good icebreaker with guests. I drink far too much coffee, I’m fascinated by cinema and music, and I firmly believe that the candid photograph of your uncle dancing with his tie around his head at midnight is just as important as the formal portrait on the college steps.
Above all, I genuinely care about every couple I work with. Your wedding day matters enormously to me — not just as a professional commission, but as a human experience I’m privileged to be part of. That care shows in the photographs, and it shows in the relationships I build with my couples long after the confetti has been swept away.
Some of my old favourites…
EXperience HighlightS
Some Memorable Encounters Along the Way
A career spanning 26 years throws up some wonderful surprises. As the former official photographer for the Cambridge Film Festival, I’ve had the pleasure of photographing some remarkable people — including a very charming Terry Gilliam who asked me if I wanted a photo together, and a rather bemused Woody Harrelson who wanted to know exactly who I was before agreeing to a shot.
These experiences — working quickly, reading people, capturing authentic expressions under pressure — are exactly the skills I bring to every wedding.
“Want to take a picture with me?“
Terry Gilliam
CAMBRIDGE, UK
“And… You are?”
Woody Harrelson
Cambridge, UK
Like What You’ve Read? Let’s Have a Chat
I’d love to hear about your wedding plans. Whether you’ve got every detail sorted or you’re right at the beginning of your planning journey, get in touch and let’s see if we’re the right fit. There’s absolutely no obligation — just a friendly conversation to see how I can help.