No Posing Please: A Magic Mykonos Wedding by Sam & Larissa

The Gear and Details

Cameras & Lenses
Canon R6 MKII
Canon 28-70mm 2.0
Canon 85mm 1.8
Canon 16mm 2.8

Flash
Profoto A10

Coverage
18 hours over 2 days with 3 shooters

Photographer: Sam & Larissa

Setting the Scene

“This wedding felt more like the ultimate beach vacation with friends than a traditional wedding. The beach club is located in a remote part of Mykonos, surrounded by dusty hills and endless blue ocean. At times, it felt more like Morocco than Greece, and I wanted to lean into that feeling throughout the photography.”

Getting Ready

“Usually I create a moodboard for each phase of the wedding, but the bride had a clear vision and didn't want any references to work with. She wanted the day documented primarily on film, with very little direction and no staged moments.

We shot 30 rolls across various cameras, and the timeline moved incredibly fast from one event to the next, leaving little time for digital backups. I had to trust my instincts and get the film frames right the first time, constantly checking my gear and cleaning lenses throughout the day to avoid mistakes.”

‘Behind the Portrait’
The bride had been clear from the start that she wanted no posed photos. I respected that, but I also knew I needed at least one timeless portrait of her. I chose the biggest, lowest chair I could find to give the shot an editorial feel. Knowing I'd have maybe 30 seconds with her, I practiced the shot with her hair stylist beforehand — he was amazing, and we tried different poses, arm up, arm low, so once she sat down, there were no questions left.

Ceremony

“The light was harsh with deep shadows, and I went back and forth for days on whether to shoot with flash. In the end, it felt out of place, so I used flash only as a backup and relied mostly on natural light to keep things organic and true to the moment.

Sam and I sometimes split up for weddings, so for this one I had to build a team around me that would make me feel my best and shoot complementary to my own work. Magda from Pasalic Studio was steady as a rock, and I could trust her fully.. she focused on guests, the location, the drone, and safe shots. As the bride had a strong vision for film and wanted zero posed photos, I needed someone to support me — Katarina Fedora moved heaven and earth to join me, shooting mostly film alongside me and focusing on the in-between moments. I couldn't have asked for better support. Overall, I didn't need to delegate much, both of them immediately saw and understood what to do. But a few guiding principles we worked with:

Catch the couple whenever possible in between moments, they're constantly surrounded by guests with phones, so every shot matters.
Whenever we're in the same spot, one of us goes the other direction.
Shoot wide and capture the whole scene whenever I'm close.

Portraits

“The biggest learning from this wedding was that sometimes it's important to be assertive rather than too polite. Usually, I read the room, try not to force decisions, and speak calmly. I never want the couple to feel like they're performing or under pressure. But this wedding was a whirlwind: photo, video, and content combined into a team of 10 people, and on top of that, friends and guests were shooting on digital cameras and iPhones constantly. I realized at the welcome event that if I wanted to get the couple in front of my camera, I needed to be more direct. So I matched Noy's energy and pace.. calling out clear, commanding directions to cut through the noise of the day. Once I adapted, I got the shots I needed.”

‘A Favorite Shot’
I visited the location a couple of days before the wedding. Mykonos is very windy, the sun is harsh, and the roads are narrow, so I wanted to know the place well in advance. One of the most surprising moments happened on the way to the ceremony: Noy was on a phone call, holding up her ring, while Katarina took a flash photo of her. I suddenly remembered this exact stretch of road from my scouting trip and knew an incredible view was coming up in just a few seconds. As the church and the flag came into frame, I started calling out "again, again, again!!!" to get the shot just right. I was thrilled to capture that iconic Mykonian view in that exact moment — a perfect example of the teamwork and preparation at play.

‘Behind the Image’
The party had already started, and the couple just wanted to keep dancing, but the sun was setting behind the mountains, and we had maybe two minutes left. Katarina and I were practically begging them to come shoot for just five minutes, pointing at the sun and the hills, yelling through the noise of the party to get their attention. Finally, we got them for a hot minute. Down at the beach, they were running around joyfully, and we shot on all cameras as fast as we could. After a couple of minutes, they headed back to the party, and we shared a relieved high-five.

Reception

‘An Iconic Moment’
The party was absolutely wild, and the crowd was so tight around them that we could either shoot elevated from a chair or comb our way through — which was barely possible. Once she changed into her third look, I knew it would be hard to catch her, so the moment she came out from her dress change, I ran ahead and got myself into the crowd, dancing to sync with the guests. Then she came in, with all the guests reaching to touch her.