Daniel Dyntar

Daniel Dyntar is a wedding photographer from Lucerne, trading as Daniel Dyntar Photography GmbH from Stadelstrasse 9 in Horw. He works in Zurich, Lucerne and across Switzerland, and says he is glad to travel beyond its borders. Weddings are what he calls his great passion, but he also photographs couples, families, pregnancies, newborns, businesses and events. His site is written in German, with a single English tagline about timeless love stories.

Experience and recognition

The home page states that he brings experience from more than 100 weddings, and a row of figures on the same page counts 130+ weddings, 350+ happy clients and 120 thousand finished photos. He writes that over his many years as a wedding photographer he has seen trends come and go, and that he has always wanted to make pictures that outlast them, pictures that do not chase a trend and that bring the emotions of the moment back to life.

He cites two marks of recognition. One of his wedding photos, he writes, won the award "Masters of German Wedding Photography" and made it onto the cover of "Hochzeitsportal24". A wedding reportage of his also appeared in Brautmagazin, on pages 22 to 24, with a link to the article online. The home page also links to a podcast in which he was a guest.

His approach

His stated mission is to create memories that take a couple back to the day even 20 years later. In his words, he holds a couple's love story in pictures "voller Wärme, echter Gefühle", full of warmth and real feeling. He writes that he brings a special eye for detail and a fine feel for emotion, and that the setting is up to the couple: "Romantisch am Berg, barfuss am Strand oder ganz klassisch im Rathaus", romantic on a mountain, barefoot on a beach, or classic at the town hall. Wherever they say yes, he adds, whether in Zurich, Lucerne or under palm trees on a white beach, he will be there.

He describes himself as a family man through and through, with four daughters, and says he likes to follow couples beyond the wedding, into what he calls the "Happily Ever After" and the journey from couple to family, with pregnancy, family and newborn shoots. For couples, he offers shoots at a place chosen together, and says he has plenty of experience photographing engagements, which is one way to meet him before the wedding.

A wedding in Brienz and Interlaken

The site tells the story of Lisa and Carol's wedding in Brienz and Interlaken, which is the most useful page for couples planning a mountain wedding. The day began with getting ready in a wooden chalet in Brienz, which he describes as cozy and rustic; the bride and her companions spent the morning there among coffee and flowers. The first look and couple shoot took place in a narrow cobbled lane in Brienz, with historic buildings and flower boxes, and he notes the lake setting of Brienz as a strong backdrop for pictures.

The civil ceremony was held at a registry office in Interlaken. After the ceremony, the couple and their guests boarded a helicopter to Lauterbrunnen to see the snow-covered peaks, green valleys and the Lauterbrunnen waterfalls from the air. The party was held at Trauffer's Bretterhotel, which he describes as warm and welcoming, with good service and Swiss food, and the guests danced into the early hours. For a photographer, a day like this means several locations, a flight and a late night, and the story shows he handles all of it.

He also lists other stories on the home page, including an after-wedding shoot on the Pilatus, a sunrise couple shoot and a wedding at the Villa Villette.

What couples say

The testimonials are in German, one in Swiss German. Iva and Erich write that he has everything a photographer needs and that they never imagined their wedding photos could turn out so well. Mara and Christian, writing two weeks after their wedding, say he has a calm, pleasant manner and carried out all their photo wishes. Couples describe him as easy to deal with, flexible and spontaneous, calm and pleasant, with an eye for detail and a relaxed manner that stops anyone feeling awkward. One couple say their guests loved his candid shots. Another, Dänu and Regula, had him photograph both their civil wedding and their free ceremony, and praise his professionalism, attentiveness and organization, and the quick delivery. Family clients mention that he answered emails very quickly, gave tips before the shoot, and kept a session with 3- and 5-year-old children relaxed; one mother writes that despite being camera-shy and heavily pregnant she felt graceful and at ease during a one-hour family pregnancy shoot.

Contact and booking

Couples inquire through the contact page or an inquiry button on the home page, and the menu also links to pages for prices, photo albums, gift vouchers, couple shoots, pregnancy shoots and a blog. He is on Instagram. The footer links to his terms and conditions (AGB).

What the site does not settle

The home page and the wedding story show no prices; those are on a separate prices page that the menu links to. The wedding pages do not say how photos are delivered, how long delivery takes, or how travel is charged for weddings far from Lucerne or abroad. The site is in German and does not state whether he works in English, even with the English tagline. Couples from abroad should ask about language and travel in their first message.

Who it suits

Daniel Dyntar suits couples marrying around Lucerne or Zurich, or in the mountains, who want an experienced photographer with a calm, warm manner and a timeless rather than trendy style. His Brienz and Interlaken story shows he is comfortable with a multi-location mountain day, including a helicopter flight. Couples planning a family soon may like the idea of staying with the same photographer.

He suits less well couples who need an English-speaking photographer confirmed in writing before contact, or who want every term, from delivery to travel, laid out on the main page.