PHOTOGRAPHER | Gustavo Simões
Gustavo Simões is a wedding photographer based in Portugal, documenting weddings with a focus on atmosphere, honest moments and the people who make each celebration unique. His work blends a documentary approach with a loose editorial sensibility. With analogue photography at its heart, he complements each gallery with digital photography. Gustavo Simões travels throughout Europe to capture weddings.
Tell us about your business!
I'm drawn to photographs that capture the essence of a couple, not just how they look, but who they are together and how they are around their family and friends. The way they hold each other, the way they laugh, the way they hang out with the people they love. Nothing forced, nothing that feels like a performance.
I want couples to look back at their photographs and think, "Yes, this is really us." Not a version of themselves created for the camera, but a genuine reflection of who they are and how it felt to be there, surrounded by their favourite people.
What would you like couples to know about you?
I believe the best photographs happen when you feel comfortable enough to forget about the
camera. I want couples to enjoy their wedding rather than feel they need to perform for it. After all,
the more fun you're having, the better the photographs will be. My approach is relaxed and
unobtrusive, allowing the day to unfold naturally while still paying attention to the details, the
atmosphere and the moments that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Of course, there are moments when I'll step in and guide you, like during couple portraits or family
photographs. But beyond that, I prefer to let things flow, giving you the space to enjoy the day in
your own way. Every couple is different, and I believe your wedding should reflect that. My role is to
be there when you need me and to step back when you don't, respecting the way you choose to
spend your day.
Where are you based?
I'm based in Ericeira, a coastal town in Portugal, less than 30 minutes from Lisbon.
Do you travel for weddings?
Although Portugal is home, my work has taken me across Europe to photograph weddings in different places and settings. Every year brings new destinations, and I've had the pleasure of shooting weddings in Spain, Italy, France and Greece. Next year, I'm particularly excited about the possibility of photographing a wedding in Croatia. I love the opportunity to discover new places, meet different people and tell each couple's story in a setting that feels uniquely theirs.
How would you describe your style?
Documentary with an editorial edge. I’m interested in honest moments, interesting compositions, movement and the little imperfections that make a wedding feel real. My work is centred around analogue photography, complemented by digital, capturing both the energy of the day and its quieter moments.
I'm also drawn to the details that might seem small at the time but become meaningful years later. I want couples to look back at their photographs in 10 or 20 years and remember the warmth of that sunny afternoon, the wine they were drinking, the colours of the venue or how beautiful the sunset looked that evening. For me, these details are just as important as the people themselves because they help bring the whole story back to life.
I love photographing the passage of time throughout a wedding, almost like telling a story in a film. The wine bottles standing full at the beginning of the cocktail, the same bottles empty by the end of the night, high heels left on the grass as the party unfolds. These little transitions reveal how the day evolved and how people experienced it. I want the photographs to feel lived-in rather than staged, bringing together people, details and atmosphere to tell the story of a wedding as it truly happened.
What is your most memorable career moment?
I took my first steps in wedding photography in 2020/2021, but one of the moments that really stayed with me happened in early 2022. I photographed a very intimate wedding with just 20 people in the south of Portugal, surrounded by the people who mattered most to the couple.
I remember arriving home that day feeling genuinely excited. There was a sense of clarity about it, as if something had clicked. I knew this was exactly the kind of wedding I wanted to photograph: intimate and meaningful, with a strong sense of style, but still honest, relaxed and beautiful. A celebration centred around what matters most to me: good people, good food, good wine and the freedom to enjoy the day together.
That wedding helped me understand the kind of photographer I wanted to become and the stories I wanted to tell. Looking back, it was a small celebration, but it had a big impact on the direction of my work.
What inspires you?
I'm a very visual person, so cinema is a big source of inspiration for me. I particularly love science fiction, especially the films of Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve, like Interstellar, Inception and Dune. I'm drawn to the way they use light, colour, composition and atmosphere to create entire worlds and make you feel part of a story.
Analogue photography also gives me the freedom to explore photography outside of weddings. I love bringing my film camera to friends' birthday parties, on trips and during everyday moments that might otherwise go undocumented. There's something special about photographing life without a brief or a particular outcome in mind, simply because a moment feels worth capturing. These personal projects keep me curious, allow me to experiment and help me stay inspired throughout the quieter months of the wedding season.
I think all of this influences the way I photograph weddings. I'm always looking beyond the obvious moment, paying attention to the light, the surroundings, the little details and how everything comes together. I love the idea of telling a wedding story almost like a film, where every photograph has its place and, when you put them all together, they bring you back to how the day actually felt.
On a more personal level, my partner, whom I've been with for eight years, is a big inspiration to me. Every time I photograph a wedding ceremony, I find myself thinking about my own relationship and what it means to share your life with someone. I think that's why I photograph with my heart as much as with my eyes. I'm often moved by the speeches and little moments of emotion during ceremonies and receptions. Luckily, I'm behind the camera, so I can quietly document those moments without anyone noticing how moved I am myself.
How would you describe your working style?
When I speak with couples, I always tell them that my goal is to create photographs that feel like them, rather than a recreation of another wedding they've seen on Instagram or Pinterest. Every wedding has its own personality and magic, and I want to find that essence and translate it into photographs.
I'm not the kind of photographer who will ask you to "give each other a little kiss" or do something that feels unnatural just for the sake of a picture. Of course, I'll guide you when needed and compose photographs with intention, but I want to capture the way you naturally hold each other, interact and spend time together. The little things that make your relationship yours are often the ones that matter most.
I often describe my approach as being like a good friend: someone who knows when to be there and when to step back. I want you to feel taken care of throughout the day, knowing that I'll be there when you need me but never feeling like you have to worry about the photographer. Your job is to enjoy your wedding; mine is to make sure the memories are documented.
And that extends to your guests, too. I want your family and friends to feel seen, included and important, rather than just being faces in the background. I love getting to know people and making them feel comfortable around me. In fact, sometimes, judging by the reviews I receive, it seems friends and family end up loving me almost as much as the couple, if not more! Haha.
For me, that's part of what makes this job so special: being welcomed into a celebration, connecting with the people there and documenting the day in a way that feels honest to everyone involved.
Do you shoot digitally, on film or both?
I shoot both film and digital. Over the years, I've been incorporating more and more analogue photography into my work. Whereas a couple of years ago, my coverage was roughly 20% film and 80% digital, for 2027 and the years to come, I see that ratio shifting in the opposite direction.
My style is documentary with a loose editorial edge, and I feel that film really enhances this approach. I love the way it captures the imperfect, spontaneous and sometimes unpredictable moments that make a wedding feel alive. There's a certain texture and character to analogue photography that I connect with, and I feel it brings me closer to the way I want to tell a story: honestly, naturally and without making everything look too polished.
Do you have custom packages according to individual needs?
Yes, absolutely. I offer different coverage options based on the number of hours each couple needs, so they can choose what makes the most sense for their celebration. Beyond that, I also offer additional options such as a second photographer, welcome dinners or other pre-wedding events, and couple photoshoots on a different day.
What is a favourite product or service that you offer and why?
I love leaning more and more into analogue photography. Its slower, more intuitive approach feels natural to my documentary style, helping me capture the atmosphere, imperfections and spontaneous moments that make every wedding different.
I personally select and edit every photograph, carefully bringing the whole gallery together so it flows naturally and tells the story of the day. From the big moments to the smallest details, I want the final images to bring couples back to the people, the atmosphere and the feeling of being there.
Where would you love to travel to for work?
As a surfer, Hawaii has always been a dream destination for me. I've already had the pleasure of photographing a couple from Hawaii who got married in Portugal, which made me even more curious about the place and its culture.
I'm also really drawn to the Nordic European countries, particularly Denmark and Sweden.
What is your advice to couples getting married?
My dream client is someone who connects with my work and understands my approach to photography. Someone who values honest moments over perfectly posed pictures and wants their wedding to feel like them, rather than follow a particular trend or expectation.
They appreciate the beauty in the imperfect, care about the atmosphere and the people around them, and trust me to tell their story in my own way. They’re the kind of people who care about good food, good wine and having a great time with their favourite people, rather than worrying about every little detail being perfect.
Gustavo Simões
Website: gustavo-simoes.com
Instagram: @gustavosimoesphoto
