Hi, I’m Jess; a London wedding photographer,
I live in Walthamstow with my wife Lara and son Idris. I focus on LGBTQ+ and Feminist weddings, because it’s at these weddings that I feel most at home. I’m also a PhD student and a proud member of the Nikon family, working with them as a Nikon Z Creator. The support I’ve received from Nikon has been incredible, and I feel extremely lucky.
I grew up in Mid Wales and feel a strong sense of hiraeth for the mountains, forests and sea of home, but love our life in London equally.
My favourite thing is to be where people are. I find a sense of calm in busy spaces; weddings are a buzz.
A bit about me;
Outside of work, I’m mostly found spending time with my two best friends; my wife Lara (a musician) and son Idris (an aspiring footballer). As a football Mum, realistically any time off is spent on the side of a pitch somewhere in Essex. Luckily, I love football. I also love to climb, run and swim. We’re a camping kind of family and go on lots of adventures together. Our favourite story to tell is the one about the time Lara got bitten by a beaver in Italy. When Lara and me have time alone we’re either at a rave or in bed watching something and eating crisps - there is no in between.
Scroll down to find out more about me and my approach to weddings
Style and Approach
I photograph London weddings but also weddings further afield, and often travel for destination weddings. Besides weddings, I work with commercial clients too, and love to shoot live music. I’ve been a professional wedding photographer for seven years, and really think it’s the most joyful job in the world. As a documentary style and editorial wedding photographer, my approach is often described as unscripted, intimate and relaxed. This includes a mixture of portraits and in-the-moment unposed shots. What I love most about weddings is getting to know the people present; their stories and the dynamics between them.
Above all, I hope for my couples to feel seen, understood and celebrated.
I’m here to talk through any vulnerabilities you might feel about having your photos taken. I promise, these really do fade away on the day.
“Jess photographed our wedding in August at the Old Marylebone Town Hall then at one of our favourite pubs in London. Jess’s focus on queer weddings along with her impeccable eye, talent, and creative approach perfectly captured our wedding day. The final photos of me and my partner along with our nearest and dearest showed the love, joy and bliss in the big and small moments that we’ll always treasure. In the lead up to the wedding, Jess took the time to put us at ease and develop a rapport to have us feel confident in what we wanted for our wedding photography.”
Queer joy is an act of resistance
I come from Wales and have a lot of affection for rugged landscapes and big walks, but after many years in London I also love the grit and drama of the city streets. I’m a London wedding photographer, most of the time, but always jump at the chance to head home for a Welsh wedding.
Photos by Jess Rose grew from an interest in documenting live and unrepeatable events. I explored this through the study of Performance Art, which continues to inspire my approach to capturing weddings; an enjoyment of unstaged and uncanny moments, and the effort to capture the ineffable. I’m also inspired by the rawness and the coming-togetherness of protests. Queer weddings are often, at heart, an act of protest.
My favourite:
Book: The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
Film: The Lovers on the Bridge by Leos Carax / Co-Dependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same by Madeleine Olnek
Football team: Leeds Utd & Arsenal
Place: Berlin
Daydream: Self building a light-filled wonderland of a house with Lara and being on Grand Designs. I like to think Kevin McCloud would be really frustrated with us but also very charmed
Drag queen: Gottmik
Drink of choice: Coffee
Music: At the moment we’re listening to Marie Davidson
Get in touch
Wedding photographs should be a collaboration, and for this to feel right it’s so important to find someone you feel comfortable with and can trust. You might have just started putting your plans together and would like to talk them through someone who’s been to more weddings than they can count. Or maybe you have a solid picture of your day and are ready to communicate your vision. Wherever you’re at in your planning journey, the first step is to book in a call to see if we’d make a good team.
2022Top 50 British Wedding Photographers 2022; Picture & Professional Photo Mag
2022