Hi, I’m David Duignan
a documentary wedding photographer in Ireland & Europe
“I’m a wedding and elopement photographer who works all over Ireland and Europe. My style is very natural and documentary – I capture the real emotions and story of the day without making couples feel posed or staged. My clients are usually fun-loving, adventurous couples who really value photography but don’t want the day to feel like a photoshoot. I keep things relaxed and discreet so the photos end up feeling like genuine memories, not forced moments.”
I have a not-so-secret love for chocolate, crisps, coffee, and red wine (don’t worry, not all at once!). When I’m not behind the camera, I’m soaking up great company, indulging my passion for Formula 1, or planning my next travel adventure. My journey into photography began at Griffith College Dublin, where I studied the craft before diving headfirst into a full-time career back in 2007. Since then, wedding photography has become both my passion and my profession.
Aside from being a wedding photographer, I am also a HSE registered wedding celebrant – meaning that I can conduct legal wedding ceremonies across Ireland. You can find more info about that over at davidjamesweddings.ie. (And, sorry no – I can’t be both your photographer and legal wedding celebrant at the same time…!!!).
My photography career has taken me across the globe, including several amazing years in The Netherlands, where I worked as a full-time wedding photographer. Those years not only gave me the privilege of capturing incredible love stories but also brought me incredible experience. Now back in Ireland, my family and I have made it home, though my love for adventure sees me traveling regularly to photograph destination weddings and elopements throughout Europe.
With close to a thousand Irish weddings and over 100 destination weddings in my portfolio, I’ve gained a wealth of experience capturing weddings in every setting imaginable. From intimate elopements with just a handful of guests to grand celebrations with 450+ attendees, I’ve worked in all sorts of venues, weather conditions, and lighting scenarios. Whether it’s helping the most shy couples feel at ease or collaborating with seasoned models, actors, and TV personalities, I adapt my approach to suit each couple perfectly.
If you’re an easygoing couple who prioritises fun that is looking for a photographer who brings the same vibe to your big day, we most likely are the perfect fit. Let’s connect and see how we can bring your story to life!
So what do I want to do for you…?
Your wedding day should feel natural, joyful, and completely your own — not a day spent posing for endless photos. My goal is to make sure you can fully enjoy every moment while I quietly capture the story as it unfolds.
You’ll get photographs that are real, full of emotion, and true to how it all felt. No stiff poses, no forced smiles — just you, your guests, and your day as it really happened.
I’ll guide you only when needed — a small suggestion here, a bit of direction there — just enough to help you look your best without ever feeling awkward. You’ll always look like yourselves, relaxed and comfortable.
I love using natural light and the beauty of your surroundings to create images with depth and warmth — the kind you’ll want to print, frame, and look back on for years to come. My editing style keeps everything fresh and timeless, so your photos will never feel dated.
I know weddings can be busy, sometimes even a little stressful, so I aim to bring calm and ease to the experience. You can trust that every laugh, glance, and genuine connection will be documented beautifully while you simply enjoy the day.
If you want photographs that tell the real story of your wedding — the emotion, the energy, and the little moments you didn’t even realise were happening — I’d love to chat about how I can make that happen for you.
David
Member of IPPVA
I produce beautiful vivid colour images complimented with high contrast black and white images. True colour and B&W will always stand the test of time and that is what I have produced since 2007. I love photographing people and I specialise in natural, unposed wedding photography so I’m not the bossy type strutting in and taking over your day. Having said that, if you feel that you do need some help, of course I’m there for you to give a little direction where needed.
As a documentary wedding photographer in Ireland, I do thrive in documentary or photojournalistic mode. Some people call it reportage but it really doesn’t matter what it’s called. It’s about being there in the moment. I love blending in with my surroundings and creating an image at just the right moment. It’s about experience and anticipation – knowing what’s going to happen next so I can be ready to capture the moment. And that’s just it, weddings are about ‘moments’ and should not be about big elaborate photo shoots.
And…, I never tell you to look at the camera and “smile” or say “cheese”.
Take a few minutes to check out my vibe…..
Bridal Preparation
Typically I will always start at the bridal preparations. When I arrive, the first thing that I say to everybody that is present is to ignore me. I want to just blend into the background and document what is happening naturally and creatively. I generally start with some details shots – dress, shoes etc and then concentrate on the people. If I can spend a short time covering the groom’s preparations also (if he is close by), then great. But that’s up to you.
Ceremony
At the ceremony, I’m remaining as discreet as possible working largely with a long lens which enables me to hang back but get in close. Ceremonies can be the emotional highpoint of the day so it’s about watching for those moments and being prepared to capture them. It’s about watching your guests (especially bored kids…!) and about moving around where possible looking for interesting angles.
Your guests are central to your celebration and I will aim to get as many quality images of your friends and family as I can and in a way that is natural. Most of the time, they will not even notice that they are being photographed resulting in really natural images.
Couple Shoot
During your couple session, I just take you for a walk. It doesn’t have to be for long. In fact, we will have discussed and agreed the timescale before the wedding so we will decide together how long to spend together on this part of the day. After all, it is important that you balance the time having photographs done and spending time with your guests. 20 to 40 minutes is the norm depending on your wishes and the location for the photos – for example some locations require a bit of a longer walk than others to reach some great spots for photos. I’m keeping these shots totally natural. I do not do cheesy cliched wedding shots. Nor am I a slave to all the latest trends in wedding photography that will produce photographs that will look completely naff in a few years time. My work will stand the test of time and remain timeless.
Instead, I want to capture photographs of the two of you acting naturally and enjoying this short intimate time together away from your guests. That means you being together and concentrating on each other. Meantime, I concentrate on getting the shots from different angles often from a distance away. Typically I layer my shots and create dimension by shooting through bushes, leaves, from behind walls or trees. Look at my gallery and you will see what I mean. In fact, if you look closely at my gallery you will rarely see brides and grooms looking at the camera. If they are, it’s usually because they are happy to and of course that is totally fine.
Group Shoots
Some posed group or family shots during the day are of course possible but my advice here is to keep these photographs to a minimum as otherwise you will find yourself standing around waiting for some people to turn up. No matter how well this is organised there will always be some people who will just keep everybody waiting and waiting. And waiting….. I know that there is generally family pressure to get a large combination of different family photos but this is where you need to be selfish and decide what YOU really want. Remember, it is YOUR day to enjoy not auntie Molly’s and her demands for every combination of family photo possible.
Reception
For most weddings, I’m there to capture the speeches and the cake cutting (if there is a cake – it’s a tradition that is disappearing) and the dancing. Dancing is really where the fun starts and some of these shots can be very funny which limbs going in all directions and mad facial expressions.
Editing
After the wedding I will edit all your images. I do not just edit 100 of them for example as some others do. Each photograph will receive individual toning and whatever other adjustments I think necessary to enhance it in my personal style. Once I have all your images edited, they will be uploaded to your private gallery where you can view them, share them (only if you want to of course…) and download the high resolution jpgs. They are not watermarked and they are print ready. You can print the files wherever you want to although if you are printing images for framing or if you want canvases, I do advise you to go through me rather than the various cheap poor quality happy snappy printing outlets on the high street.
After that, we work on what is the true end result of your wedding photographs – a high quality, professionally printed and produced album.