How did I become a professional wedding photographer?
The birth of my passion for photography
Lawrence Banahan, Wedding Photographer & Visual Storyteller
The birth of my passion for photography: a love story
Lawrence Banahan, wedding photographer on the French Riviera and Provence
I was barely ten years old when I discovered the Kodak Instamatic. It was a silent turning point.
I photographed the simple life of the village where I grew up: familiar faces, the changing light of the seasons, everyday gestures. Very early on, I understood that photography revealed a presence, an emotion, a truth, well beyond the memory it preserves.
Then came the family Kodak Retinette. Through it, I learned patience, precision, and attention to detail. Above all, I discovered that light always tells a story, if you know how to listen.
A vocation turned profession
Understanding technique, anticipating situations, reading spaces, respecting silences. Those are the four things you learn slowly, and they still govern every one of my days.
That demand has guided my work as a wedding photographer on the French Riviera and in Provence ever since.
I accompany couples in Cannes, Nice, Monaco and in the Provencal countryside, in exceptional venues as well as more intimate settings.
A discreet presence, an attentive eye
My approach is documentary, elegant, and unobtrusive. I seek authenticity over staging. Genuineness over effect.
Every wedding is a unique story. My role is to preserve its trace with sensitivity and consistency. To be present without imposing. To observe without interrupting. To create images that will endure through time with naturalness.
You can also discover some recent stories in the Stories section, where I share weddings photographed on the French Riviera and in Provence.
« What a wonderful experience we had with Lawrence! From the very first moments, his warm approach and professionalism immediately put us at ease in front of the camera, even though we were quite reserved at the beginning. His discretion and talent were remarkable: he captured with great sensitivity all those precious little moments, from knowing glances to spontaneous laughter, as well as the pure emotional moments that shaped our beautiful day. »
Valérie & Frédéric
I tell your story your way, so that it comes through in your wedding photographs. No props, no arranged poses. I stay in the background and photograph your day as it unfolds, chapter by chapter.
When a moment asks for a nudge, I give it. A quiet suggestion, a word about where to stand, and your guests take it from there. The attention stays on the emotion and on the bonds already between you, as opposed to anything staged.
You live those hours without having to think about the technical side. That part is mine, and it takes up more of the work than people imagine. The lighting in reception venues has grace and little power, so I compose my own light with off-camera flashes, keeping faces their fineness and colours their truth right through to the last slow dance. I work regularly with the samevenues and partners, which makes a day run more smoothly.
It has been so from the start. I trained at the ETPA in Toulouse, graduated in 1992, and my diploma was validated by the national examination of the École Nationale Supérieure Louis Lumière in Paris. I worked in fashion photography studios in Paris, then for the Gamma and Vandystadt press agencies, before founding my own agency, A Chacun Son Image. Magazine press, travel guides, several collections of the Michelin guides. I found my way into the intimacy and emotion of weddings, and I stayed there.
Travel takes up a good part of my life, and it comes with the work. Old towns, history and architecture still fascinate me. I have been sailing for a long time and once chaired a club. After three in the afternoon, you will find me outside, watching for the low light of late day.
Photographing every stage of a couple's road remains what I like best, from the engagement to the last dance. Some of that work appears on Instagram, and I give it little time: I prefer real moments and lasting relationships. That is where I come alive.
Real Stories
« Lawrence doesn’t just capture images. He captures the soul of a moment. Each photograph instantly brings us back to the emotion of that day. »
Camille & Adrien, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
« His presence is discreet and reassuring. We felt free to be ourselves, and that is exactly what we see reflected in our images. »
Sofia & Marc, Monaco
Kind words from past couples
« My husband and I were very stressed, but Lawrence knew how to calm us and ease the atmosphere. Thank you, Lawrence, for your simplicity and kindness. », Linan & Jean Christophe
Lawrence Banahan, Wedding Photographer on the French Riviera
Tailored Photography Services
Storytelling wedding photographer
Tell me about your day