West Midlands England

Documentary wedding photographer. Had my first darkroom at 14. Started earning money from photography while still at school. Nikon shooter since 1988.
Lived in Rome in the late 80s. Spent a lot of time in the Vatican watching Arturo Mari at work - the papal photographer who covered six popes over 50 years. He had access to some of the most important moments in modern history and his job was to document them without getting in the way. That stuck with me. Steven Spielberg was another big influence - the way he frames a scene and tells a story through what he chooses to show you. Both shaped how I approach photography.
Photographed for newspapers in Canada and Poland. 30+ years as a photographer. Been shooting weddings for 20+ years. Over 500 ceremonies across UK and Europe. Achieved #2 worldwide (WPJA 2023, 2024), #1 UK multiple years. Invited to judge Fearless (x2), ISPWP, PKIR, MyWed.
Pure documentary approach. No posing, no directing.
Polish/Canadian. UK-based. Shoot London and Europe regularly.

My wedding chapter follows an incredible decade spent shooting photos in Manhattan and further afield as a press photographer.

While there's absolutely nothing I enjoy more now than a day spent with blushing brides and gigantic bouquets, there was a period not so long ago when a working day meant a portrait of an A-List superstar, an outlaw biker, lusty strippers, Nobel Prize winners, a martyr, many eccentrics and the odd evil genius.

You don't have to be any of the above for me to shoot your wedding!

My aim is to deliver the best collection of wedding images from a wedding day. Every couple is unique and deserves images that tell that couple's story (not a generic one!). Reportage and fine art photography in one package - this combination does work well together. The result? A unique collection of photos of authentic moments and beautiful artistic portraits.

I just love to capture all the fun and happiness of a wedding day! For me it's about real moments and real emotions. Capturing the atmosphere and how it really felt to be there on the day! I also love to getting creative with a few couple portraits. Together you get the true story of your day told, and some awesome portraits to hang on your wall!

I am so lucky to have been photographing beautiful weddings for more than thirty years. The photographs I love to take are natural, fun and sometimes a little quirky.

An easy going approach to the weddings I photograph helps everyone relax and my documentary style works really well for most of the day catching expressions, details and all the little moments with just a few formal photos along the way.

Hi, I am Phil! Based out of the Midlands in the UK, I travel all over the UK & beyond, specialising in telling your unique story through unforgettable photographs!

I will go above and beyond to give you an unforgettable experience. My passion is and will always be, to leave you with a collection of amazing moments you'll be able to relive for a lifetime!

Jonathan, AKA J S Coates Wedding Photography is a UK based photographer that loves create a of mix natural candid style images with some epic portraits.