A curated list of the best Paris photographers and expert guide to choosing the best photographers based in Paris for your wedding, elopement, proposal, family trip or personal photoshoot.
Paris is possibly the most photographed city in the world and no wonder with so many breathtaking vistas, romantic viewpoints and iconic monuments… Eiffel Tower anyone? Of course tourists coming to the most visited European capital want really great photos to capture their Paris dreams. As a leading travel planner creating bespoke experiences in Paris and southern Europe, we book dozens of photoshoots every year and thought we’d share our expert recommendations for the best photographers in Paris.
Photo by L’amour de Paris
How to choose a photographer in Paris
Your search for the right photographer depends on what kind of photos you want and how you mean to use these photos. For example; do you want wedding photography, or a family photoshoot or lifestyle pictures for your social media? Each purpose has its own requirements and photographers are accordingly specialized. Another thing to think about is where is the photographer based? You may fall in love with the style of photographer but not be willing to pay the travel costs to get that photographer to Paris and back home. We book local photographers when possible to save our clients the extra travel cost.
Then of course there’s budget. How much does a Paris photographer cost? If it’s your wedding or elopement, you may want to splurge on the top of the line artist to capture a once in lifetime event. Prices for a high-end, fine art or in-demand photographer will start at 1800€ for a full day portrait shoot and 3000€ for a wedding. On the other hand, if it’s an annual family vacation, someone who does good work and is affordable may be the way to go. Prices for an experienced local photographer for a one hour family shoot will start at 400€ and a one hour engagement shoot could start at 500€. All prices in this blog are for 2024 and generally increase 10-17% each year.
You may need to contact several photographers to check availability because the best ones get booked a year or more in advance for summer weekend weddings and typically 3-6 months in advance for portraits.
If you are doing more than an hour with the photographer and it’s a considerable investment, you’ll want to have a consultation with them to go over the purpose of the shoot, shoot locations, hash out any ideas you want to explore, etc… This also gives you a feeling for their working style and personality and if it’s big wedding with multiple days of shooting, you want to know that they are a good match. You might even have a short consultation with your two top choices to see which one best resonates with your vision.
If this all seems like too much trouble, contact Travellur and we will match you with a curated selection of available photographers that match your budget, vision and needs. We can work with you to assess your goals and arrange every detail of your shoot from logistics to make-up and wardrobe. We can even plan your entire trip to France, booking hotels, activities, transportation, trains to other parts of the country - whatever is needed to make your future cherished memories.
Photo by Rachael La porte
how to Plan a photoshoot in Paris
Once the date is set, send your photographer a shotlist - a list of the different shots you wish to get from the shoot. Visual examples are extremely helpful, so if you have any inspiration pictures of locations, angles, compositions that you know you want, include them with the shotlist. This helps the photographer know what you want and plan the shoot accordingly. If you don’t know exactly what you want, check the photographers website or social media to get ideas. Typically the photographer will tell you what time the shoot will start which depends on the shotlist. This often means starting at sunrise to get the best light and have less people at your selected locations. Sunrise shoots are surprisingly common and you will find lines of photographers with clients at the most popular locations like the Trocadero.
What to wear for a Paris photoshoot
Most photographers have helpful planning guides with tips on what to wear, how to prepare, etc… like this one from Daria Lorman. For portraits and family photos, I recommend staying away from black, white, black&white, stripes, prints or very intense colors. Stripes get all weird in the camera lens, black and white throw off the exposure, prints look very busy and distract from the face and intense colors can get over saturated in the sun. For family photos, it’s best to get everyone in a similar color story so everyone is in the same light exposure.
what else do i need for my Paris photoshoot
Other things to consider when planning is adding extra sparkle to your photoshoot like hair & make-up artist, special wardrobe, flowers, vintage car or sexy taxi boat. If you have multiple locations, you will need to get a taxi between locations. If you have wardrobe changes, I suggest getting a taxi van for a couple hours to transport you and your photographer between locations and serve as mobile changing room. Wearing a pair walking shoes to get around and bringing the shoes you want to wear in the photo is a good idea, there may be a lot of walking. You will also be grateful for a warm coat or large scarf to warm up between shots.
list of the best photographers in Paris
You will find below the best English speaking photographers for a variety of purposes and at different price points who are based in Paris. We’ve included a brief description of their work and which kind of photogrpahy we think they are best suited for. If your top choice is not available, contact Travellur for photoshoot planning and we’ll find one for you.
Daria Lorman
Website I Instagram | contact: daria.lorman@gmail.com
Like her instagram handle suggests Daria is your photographer in Paris. She is extremely versatile and since her work is so heavily Paris focused you can bet that she has an excellent understanding of all the iconic Paris locations.
Style: Light, airy with strong blacks
Best for: weddings, elopements
Price: one hour shoots start at 450€
Olivier Neuville
Website I Instagram | contact: contact@neuvillephotography.fr
Top shelf high fashion editorial style wedding photographer specialising in luxury weddings. His refined eye and exquisite compositions capture the drama and splendour of your luxury event.
Style: Sharp, rich colors, strong blacks
Best for: full service weddings only
Price: weddings start at 3000€
L’Amour de Paris
Website I Instagram | contact: info@lamourdeparis.com
American imports Cheyenne and Doug understand the French capital as few French people can; they know what visitors want and consistently deliver Paris visions to their clients.
Style: Light & bright, soft shadows
Best for: couple shoots, elopements
Price: elopements shoots start at 875€
Celine Chhuon
Website I Instagram | contact: celine.chhuon@gmail.com
Known for her luminous, sensitive work, Celine is has a way with the ladies. She is a master of softness and romanticism without losing sight of modern reality and she is especially adept at women’s portraiture.
Style: Light, soft colors, soft shadows
Best for: weddings, boudoir, maternity
Price: portrait shoots start at 790€ and includes make-up!
Rachael La porte
Website I Instagram | contact: rachael@rachaellaporte.com
Rachael’s style is a rare combination of sharp clarity and soft shadows giving it a dream-come-true feeling; capturing the hyperreality of the moment and the dream-like quality of a memory.
Style: Sharp, dreamy blue tones, soft shadows
Best for: family, proposals
Price: family shoots start at 400€
Clara Oberti
Website I Instagram | contact: Hello@rawagencyparis.com
Clara’s distinctive cool girl chic has a certain nostalgic allure and her images swirl with movement and have a vintage postcard feel. See her package prices here or contact her for a custom quote.
Style: Sepia, muted colors, dark shadows
Best for: Lifestyle, elopements
Price: lifestyle shoot starts at 400€
We got this:
Travellur has been planning photoshoots in Pairs for over a decade and has developed a trusted network of talented photographers, reliable vendors and logistic solutions. We have make-up artists, florists, vintage cars and sexy taxi boats to make your photoshoot, proposal, elopement everything it should be. We also have detailed knowledge of all the iconic Paris locations and few secret spots up our sleeve. What’s more, we can plan your entire trip from the moment you touch down in France including visits to other parts of france and epic European honeymoons.
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