Photo Midia

Photo Midia is a wedding photographer working in French-speaking Switzerland, whose wedding page is titled for Yverdon-les-Bains and whose site describes the business as a professional wedding photographer in Suisse romande. The offer is built as a complete package: an engagement session before the wedding, reportage on the day, a private online gallery and a printed album. The site is in French, and its FAQ answers more practical questions than most photographers' sites do.

Approach

The wedding page sums up the style as "Des images sincères et lumineuses" (sincere, luminous images) and "Une approche naturelle et discrète pour raconter votre histoire" (a natural, discreet approach to telling your story). He writes that he photographs weddings with a discreet presence, attention to true emotion and a particular sensitivity to natural light, and adds: "Je guide lorsque c'est nécessaire, avec douceur, sans poses forcées" (I guide when necessary, gently, without forced poses).

The wedding photography page puts the reportage philosophy more bluntly. A wedding photo must above all tell a story, a photojournalist must be able to fade into the background to tell it, and "Les photos posées, les sourires figées appartiennent à une autre époque" (posed photos and frozen smiles belong to another era). In the FAQ he explains that couple and group pictures are still posed or set up, but the reportage approach should give them life and movement. He also says he never intervenes in the ceremony, works in available light in most situations and uses flash only when needed, and always carries two cameras as a habit and a safeguard.

The engagement session

"Quel que soit le type de contrat choisi pour votre mariage une séance en amoureux y est inclus et a lieu quelques semaines avant" (whatever contract you choose, an engagement session is included and takes place a few weeks before). He describes it as a stress-free meeting that helps the couple get to know him and feel more at ease in front of the lens on the day. The FAQ adds that meeting before the wedding is important so that everyone is in tune on the day.

A sample wedding-day timeline

The wedding photography page lays out a suggested timeline, which he says is ideal for working in good conditions, while noting that wedding days vary with travel, weather and particular situations. He calls the timeline something that "peut faire ou défaire la réussite de vos photos" (can make or break the success of your photos). In outline:

• bride's preparation and details, about 45 minutes, covering the dress, shoes, jewelry and invitations
• the bride getting into her dress, about 30 minutes, with her mother and bridesmaids already dressed
• a first look and handing over of the bouquet, about 15 minutes, in as private a spot as possible
• couple portraits and then group photos with bridesmaids and groomsmen, about 30 minutes each
• the ceremony, usually around 30 minutes
• family and guest photos straight after the ceremony, about 30 minutes, outdoors if weather allows
• a few minutes in the reception room before guests enter
• romantic portraits, ideally around 19:00 from late spring to early fall, when the light is golden
• the party, for which he reserves 5 hours of coverage to catch the reception highlights and about an hour of dancing

He notes that 90% of his couples choose a first look.

Delivery, gallery and album

The FAQ is specific about delivery. If the couple wishes, a few preview images can appear on his site or blog from a week after the wedding. All the photos are then available in a private gallery within three weeks. Couples receive, free of charge, a 20-page album of 20x30 cm and a DVD with all the photos in high resolution, and the online gallery is free for 12 months, with password protection if wanted. Photos are normally delivered as finished JPG files ready for printing, and TIF or RAW files are available on request. On the number of pictures, he promises never to leave a wedding without enough images for a superb album.

The album page describes two premium books. The first is a handmade book with soft pages that open flat, allowing panoramic spreads, printed with a patented fine-art process that resists splashes, in a 30x20 cm landscape format, with a linen cover and engraved wooden plaque, a personalized box with space for a USB key, and 20 to 100 sewn pages. The second, a classic luxury book, has very thick lay-flat pages in a 20x20 cm format, a sliding case personalized with a photo, and 20 to 60 pages. An album is included in each contract according to the package, the couple chooses the photos, and the layout is done in the weeks after that choice; he adds that the album is not printed until the couple is fully satisfied.

Booking, travel and prices

The FAQ answers the question of who will actually photograph the wedding: he takes on only one booking per weekend, so that he is fully available, and stays the couple's contact from the first meeting to the delivery of the album. Travel costs are not charged separately; they are included in the packages for the wedding day. Prices come as packages that can be adapted, linked from the FAQ, and couples whose needs fall outside them can request a quote through the Devis mariage page.

Portfolio and language

The wedding page lists wedding stories by couple name, from Laeticia and Matthieu to Carolina and Benjamin, and one gallery is a civil wedding in Cully (Camie and José). The site is entirely in French and does not say whether he works in English, so couples from abroad should ask in their first message. The contact invitation asks couples to write a few words about their day, their wishes and what matters most to them.

Who it suits

Photo Midia suits couples marrying in French-speaking Switzerland who want mostly unposed reportage, a planned timeline, and a clear package with an engagement session, a private gallery and a printed album included. The one-wedding-per-weekend rule, the free travel within the packages and the three-week delivery window make planning straightforward. Couples who do not speak French should check language before booking, and couples who want the premium albums should ask how they fit their package.