How do you feel about having your picture taken?
A bit awkward, perhaps? I get it. You want beautiful photos on your wedding day, you just don’t want to be standing there for half an hour posing like a couple of lemons. 🍋🍋
I take beautiful photos for people who don't like to pose.
I’m Gary Williams. I’m an award-winning wedding photographer based in London. I take beautiful photos for people who don’t like to pose.
My work has been exhibited worldwide, shortlisted for the International Photography Awards, published in the New York Times and I'm a proud winner of the 2024 Hitched Wedding Awards.
I love what I do and I’d love to hear from you.
"Gary, these are amazing! We are crying! We honestly can't thank you enough, not only for the fantastic photos but for how comfortable you made us feel. We aren't naturals in front of the camera but wow you have done an amazing job."
—Leanne and Dave
Enjoy A Stress-Free Wedding Day.
This is not for influencers! I promise no forced poses, no awkward moments and I won’t ask you to say “cheese”. Let me take care of the photos so you two can enjoy your day to the max. Everyone deserves a stress-free wedding day.
Why Take The Chance?
Don't risk it. Choosing the right photographer means you’ll have peace of mind and photos you’ll treasure for the rest of your lives. Check out the testimonials from my delighted couples who love their wedding photos (and the way I took them) and let me do the same for you.
Drop me a Line and let's talk.
Let's start by checking the date. Click the button and send me a few details.
"They are absolutely stunning and you captured the day perfectly. Thank you again for your incredible work and being so lovely to boot! Never thought we’d actually enjoy having our photos taken as much as we did!"
—Anna and Neil
"We can't recommend Gary enough! Not only did he capture our wedding day beautifully (seriously, the photos look like they came straight out of a magazine!), but he was also incredibly helpful during the planning process. Even though we're not exactly models, he made us feel completely at ease in front of the camera and knew exactly how to get the best shots."
—Krishna and Marek
"Choosing a photographer for your special day is never an easy task, often judging simply by pictures on websites. Having seen Gary's work and sharing it with my husband, we loved his natural approach. Gary is friendly, professional and has a great sense of humour. He put us at complete ease and we'd made the right decision. Particularly when my videographer cancelled 30 mins before she was meant to arrive, he assured me his photos would be all we needed, and he was right. Eternally grateful, thank you."
—Lauren and Patrick
"He was professional, charming and polite throughout, making us feel at ease despite us not being comfortable in front of the camera."
—Martha and Ben
What is documentary wedding photography?
Documentary wedding photography is taking pictures of the wedding just as it happens. No forced poses, no tedious photoshoots and I won't tell anyone to "say cheese". I'm there to observe and capture the laughs, the hugs and maybe a few tears.
Who Are You?
I'm Gary Williams, an award-winning documentary wedding photographer based in London. My work has been displayed in galleries across the world, published in books and magazines, the New York Times, displayed on billboards and (my favourite) printed on tea-towels!
Is candid wedding photography the same as documentary photography?
Yes. candid, documentary, reportage - they all mean pretty much the same thing. Wikipedia defines it like this: "Candid photography is photography captured without creating a posed appearance." So it's about capturing those natural, unposed, real moments.
Okay, but will you still do Family Group Shots?
Of course! Although my emphasis is on taking candid shots, I'm happy to do family portraits. It's rare these days to have the family and friends together in the same place so why not take advantage and photograph the occasion? The trick is to be efficient so everyone can get back to enjoying the day, just the way you intended.
What about a quick photoshoot with the Newlyweds?
Absolutely. my background is in studio portraiture so you're in safe hands. I'll make sure you feel comfortable and relaxed so we can get some great shots of you and your new spouse. We'll work quickly so you can get back to enjoying your day with your guests.
"Gary was absolutely amazing, we cannot recommend him enough to photograph your special moments and events. He not only captured our wedding day perfectly but helped make it even more special."
—Lisa and Martyn
"Professional, excellent value, a great man and made us all feel special on our great day! Thank you Gary!"
—Sean and Jim
"We couldn't have picked a better guy for the job. His enthusiasm and professionalism throughout the day were impeccable and brought joy and laughter to the day. We wanted photos that were natural and not forced and Gary managed to capture that in every single shot. I could not recommend Gary more."
—Daryl and Tom
"Wow! The photos are absolutely amazing, even better than we could have hoped for! We’ve just watched the photo-film on our honeymoon having a drink and it’s made it even more perfect."
—Amy and Richard
"Gary was the best photographer we could have had on our wedding day! He was catching the emotions of the day perfectly whilst making himself invisible! Highly recommended."
—Marie and Brian
"Thank you so much, Gary, you did such an amazing job. We love the pictures you took of our wedding and we loved the way you took them!"
—Danny and Amos
"It was amazing to see the photos. Myself and Roger were very emotional. We both cried watching the slideshow again and again. We really like how you capture the memories of our day."
—Cecile and Roger
"Gary has gone above and beyond on our special day, arriving early to find the best places for beautiful pictures, looking after our small wedding party, capturing natural moments without getting in the way. The photos came out absolutely beautiful."
—Jurgita and Michael
"We couldn't be happier with our choice of Gary as our wedding photographer. From start to finish, he was incredibly helpful and went above and beyond to ensure every moment was beautifully captured. Gary immediately got a feel for our family and gave us exactly what we wanted while also guiding us to fantastic ideas we hadn't considered, which turned out to be some of our favourite moments."
—Sophie and Mardon
"Gary was such an amazing photographer to work with. He is so humble and kind plus made our day very memorable and special. All our pictures came out really beautiful and many thanks to Gary, we will treasure them forever."
—Sarah and Romeo
"Gary, these are amazing! We are crying! We honestly can't thank you enough, not only for the fantastic photos but for how comfortable you made us feel. We aren't naturals in front of the camera but wow you have done an amazing job."
—Leanne and Dave
"Oh my goodness! We are blown away and overwhelmed. We have only just had a quick look and blubbed our way through most of it. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you."
—Elaine and Graham
"Gary was friendly, made us laugh and feel comfortable in front of the camera. During our ceremony, he managed to capture important moments whilst being sure to not intrude."
—N & F
"The photos are beautiful. We're sitting here crying!!! Thank you so, so much."
—Rachel and Adrian
ENJOY THIS PHOTO FILM FROM A RECENT WEDDING:
Why wedding photography really matters (to me, a least!)
There’s a bit of stigma amongst photographers that wedding photography is trivial, boring and repetitive. I completely reject that. I know it sounds like a line from a sales brochure, but for me it really is a huge privilege to be entrusted by a couple to photograph their wedding day. Wedding photography might not be as “cool” as fashion photography but it’s way more important. It’s about real life and making memories with the people you love. It matters. It lasts.
"I am so glad my partner found Gary for our wedding photos. As someone who isn't necessarily comfy in front of a camera, I know first hand that it can come across in the pictures. Gary's relaxed nature was infectious and I was instantly at ease with him. His efficiency and experience came across to everyone in our wedding party, with compliments from all who attended. The pictures are something out of a fairy tale."
—Philipa and Caimin
"Gary was an absolute delight to work with from start to finish. He was very professional in his communication before the event. On the day Gary was fun and engaging and made having photos taken enjoyable and put us both at ease. We got the photos back very quickly and they are everything I had hoped for and more. I can not rate Gary highly enough. Thank you for capturing our legal wedding so beautifully."
—Nicole and Andrew
"Gary is an amazing photographer and artist but also an amazing human being who strives to capture the story behind the image. We hired Gary’s services for our wedding. He met us before-hand to make sure he understood everything about our wedding. The end result was stunning. You won’t regret booking Gary!"
—Sofia and Sabri
Making Memories
Beautiful moments to enjoy for years to come
As a documentary wedding photographer my work has been displayed in galleries from New York to Italy, published in the New York Times and shortlisted for the International Photography Awards. I love capturing special moments and weddings are certainly full of those. Bringing families and friends together for this most important day brings with it drama, romance, fun, tears and laughter and I'll be there to capture every moment.
EXPLORE SOME RECENT WEDDINGS:
"Gary arrived promptly, he had a wonderful personality putting everyone at their ease, even taking pictures of my daughter who hates being photographed. His timings and suggestions were impeccable; we couldn't recommend him enough. An excellent photographer."
—Anne and Nigel
"Gary was friendly and professional, putting everyone at their ease - we barely noticed him most of the time so he got some great natural shots of the family relaxing together. We couldn't be more pleased with the results - the photographs are a wonderful reminder of a lovely day."
—Kath Coar
FAQ
How much do you charge?
A.Prices start at £450 for a micro-wedding in central London. Every wedding is different so whatever you need let me know and I'll give you a price.
You’ll get all the images beautifully edited in an online gallery where you’ll be able to order photo books and prints if you want them.
Where are you based?
A.I have lived in Islington, London for almost 20 years.
Do you travel?
A.Yes! I have worked in over 60 countries and I love to travel. Whether it's throughout the UK or worldwide, let's do it!
How many photos will we get?
A.For a full day wedding I take 1000s of photos and deliver around 500. For a simple ceremony I might take 200-300 and deliver around 100.
I know a lot of photographers use the number of photos they deliver as a sales point. Some couples feel they are getting more value for money they more photos they get, but I think this is the wrong way to look at your wedding photographs.
The issue isn't how many photos but how good the photos are. It's easy to take 1000s of photos but what you're paying a good photographer for is take great shots, be discerning and look for special moments. We have a phrase for the other type of photography: spray and pray. You can imagine what that means!
Ask yourself if you really want to sit through 1000s of photos of your wedding trying to decide if this one is slightly better than that one. That's what you're paying me for. I will be discerning in the photos I take and then take the time to choose the best ones for you. On average it takes about the same amount of time to edit and sort the photos as it does to shoot.
Don't worry, you'll get lots of great photos and besides, years from now you'll probably only be enjoying maybe 20-50 of them in an album.
So, don't worry about quantity - it's a red herring. Look at your photographer's work and choose them based on their style.
How will you deliver our photos?
A.Your photos will be sent in the private digital gallery for you to download and share as you like. From there you can easily order beautiful photo books, wall art and prints.
How long do you need to edit and deliver the photos?
A.I like to say 2 weeks, just in case, but usually they are all edited and delivered sooner than that.
Are you happy to photograph posed family groups?
A.Yes. My "thing" is natural documentary style photography but I am very happy to do family groups. Weddings are a rare chance for the whole family to join together so I actually think it's important to do a few groups. But don't worry, it will make sure the process is quick, easy and fun so you can get back to enjoying your day.
Do you have insurance?
A.Yes.My policy is with Hiscox Insurance Company Limited and includes an indemnity limit of £2,000,000
Have you won any awards?
A.I am the winner of the Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 and very fortunate to have had my work displayed in the Decode Gallery Arizona, The Art Square Gallery in New York, Cambridge University, The Glasgow Photography Gallery and the Trieste Photo Festival in Italy. My work has been officially selected for the International Photography Awards, published in the New York Times, printed in biographies, on tea towels and billboards!
Hi, I'm Gary
I'm a documentary wedding photographer based in London. My work has been displayed in galleries across the world, published in books, the New York Times, displayed on billboards and (my favourite) printed on tea-towels. Whether it's a wedding, corporate event or editorial portraiture, I love making pictures. Get in touch and let's make a bit of magic together.
AWARDS AND EXHIBITIONS
