The secret of Canon Ambassador Pablo Laguia's success when photographing a wedding is to treat it as a documentary project – one that captures the complete story of a couple's special day, as well as the distinctive beauty of the location they have chosen.

Working in partnership with his wife Ana Gómez, Pablo uses his wide experience in news, fashion and portraiture to celebrate every aspect of a wedding – from quiet, behind-the-scenes moments to the day's big set-piece events.

"We don't see wedding photography as different from other genres," says Pablo. "We approach weddings as we would a documentary, with the difference that [with] weddings, we aim to get 70% documentary shots where we let things happen naturally, 20% fashion and portraits and 10% details or still-life shots."

After they got together in 2009, Pablo and Ana decided to combine both their personal and professional lives. Pablo closed his photographic studio, Ana quit her job, and they began working as a destination wedding photography team. On their shoots, Pablo is always the main photographer, covering the key events, while Ana is the second shooter capturing all-important details and spontaneous emotions.

Ana also has a range of other roles within the business: she scouts for perfect locations before a wedding and deals with clients, marketing, communications and social media. When asked to describe Ana's role, Pablo simply says: "She's the boss!"

Before a wedding, they spend time thoroughly getting to know the couples as well as researching the wedding location, looking for the ideal backdrop. "We look for the perfect frame and put the couple, their emotions and feelings, in that frame," says Ana. "The aim is to make the photos original and romantic at the same time. That, for us, is our mark – what makes our pictures recognisable and distinctive."

It's been a successful approach: the weddings they've photographed include those of celebrities and Hollywood actors and their work has been published in magazines including Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar. They were also named one of the 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography by American magazine Rangefinder in 2017.

One of the main reasons Pablo and Ana most enjoy shooting weddings is the relationships they form with the people they photograph. "We love our couples," says Ana. "Most of the couples we have photographed are now our friends. We have been a part of the most important day of their lives and it feels like we have a very special connection with them – and that's forever. Everyone who gets married remembers their wedding photographer."

How do you make your subjects feel comfortable?

"The most important thing is that the couple trusts your work 100% and makes you a part of what they are experiencing so everything is very natural on the day," says Ana. "Before the wedding we talk to the couple a lot, so we get very close to them. That's why they feel super-comfortable with us, which allows us to maybe catch an emotion such as tear if we just wait for the perfect moment."


What makes the perfect set of wedding pictures?

"Pablo is obsessed with light and composition and I look for details and emotions," shares Ana. "When all of this comes together, we know the wedding's going to be perfect and we will have a good set of photos."


What makes you passionate about wedding work?

"Weddings deal with an important and emotional day in people's lives and each one is different," explains Pablo. "They allow us to do many styles of photography – documentary, fashion, portraits, street photography and still life. If you add to all this the ability to travel around the world to tell these beautiful stories, it's perfect."


What's been your most memorable wedding so far?

"We photographed a wedding in Wanaka, New Zealand, which took place on the lake shore with mountains in the background," says Ana. "The bride came to the aisle with a beautiful white horse. After the wedding, we took a helicopter to the top of the mountains with the couple and did a shoot there. It was an incredible experience."

Pablo Laguia & Ana Gómez