MODERN
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY


Documentary storytelling

San Antonio, Texas, and weddings worldwide

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San Antonio wedding photographers Philip Thomas photographer L1000245

San Antonio wedding photographers

Hi there! I’m Philip, a San Antonio wedding photographer

I love the craft of photography! I’m a Brit from across the pond and a documentary wedding photographer based in San Antonio, Texas. My specialty as a wedding photojournalist is capturing stories with emotional depth and sincerity in a non-traditional approach, and avoiding wedding photography clichés.

I’m a former press photographer who has made San Antonio my home since 2006…I’m still holding on to my British accent for dear life! All jokes aside, I’m passionate about photography and love to fuel my passion with coffee 24/7 while balancing family life.

Wedding photojournalism is the recording of moments without deliberate interference by the photographer. A wedding photojournalist is an observer. Photographing weddings is a creative journey. As such, I observe and capture the magic unfolding. It’s instinctive rather than rational, and spontaneous rather than preconceived.

I am honored to have been voted one of the best San Antonio wedding photographers by The Knot for five years in a row. I also capture weddings in Houston, Austin, Los Angeles, New York, and other destinations. Start looking through the galleries below and I hope to hear from you!


Forget wedding clichés.

Authentic documentary weddings

Just gorgeous ‘in-between’ moments

Capturing the soul and feel of a wedding

Two young ring bearers helping each other get ready San Antonio Wedding Photographer Philip Thomas Photography

THE STYLE

Always Chasing the Light

I love capturing moments with the diminutive Leica Rangefinder cameras. The natural-looking images I produce are film-like or shot on film, which gives them a unique and moody quality, especially in black and white. The Leica is perfect for how I see the world- quiet, small, and unobtrusive. I draw inspiration from many sources, including masters of art, painters, photojournalists, street photographers, and documentary photographers. Henri Cartier-Bresson is a particular favorite of mine. Studying their work taught me more about my craft and how to tell stories with my photos.

San Antonio wedding photography - Wedding photography WPJA Award-winning image. The Creek Haus Dripping Springs-Wedding photographer-Philip Thomas-032

Unscripted in-between moments

I’m a San Antonio wedding photographer, but I also photograph in Texas and throughout the USA. I enjoy capturing the in-between moments, those raw and unscripted moments on your wedding day.

I also love working with geometry in my images. Those decisive moments and emotional resonance truly make the photos come alive.

WPJA Bride surrounded by friends and family in a prayer

Ignore me, pretty please

Of course, I’m more than happy to take the traditional group photos and portraits of the newlyweds, but they’re just a small part of the magic that happens on your special day.

The cool thing is you can just be you, and I’ll handle the rest. I believe in documenting your day as honestly as possible. In fact, please ignore me, as the pictures will be better while you can enjoy the magic and intimacy of your special day. All I ask is for your trust. See my galleries here.


Finally, yes, I am an ‘unobtrusive’ photographer, capturing the real, the authentic.

Kids are kids - lying on reception floor - Bulverde Wedding Photographer Philip Thomas - Dru+Kerry-47 Kids lying on reception floor Funny antics between two girls at a wedding reception shows the young girls lying down touch feet

WHAT I DO

Texas wedding photographer

I am a photographer based in San Antonio, and I love capturing moments all across Texas. From the vibrant city of Austin to the bustling metropolis of Houston and the serene beauty of the Gulf Coast, I enjoy exploring all that this great state has to offer through my lens.

Houston Wedding Photographer

Check out my work in Houston, Texas.

134 Canyonwood Ridge Hindu Wedding Ceremony Reception Austin Leica photographer Philip Thomas Photography

Austin Wedding Photographer

Check out my work in Austin, Texas.

Destination Wedding
Photographer

From New York to California, check out my weddings in the USA.

Featured posts for brides

Hotel Havana, San Antonio, Texas

Hotel Havana has to be one of my favorite San Antonio hotels to capture weddings. The hotel is like stepping into the tropical allure of the hotel’s Caribbean namesake.

Summer wedding in New York

056 The DeBruce Iin Livingston Manor wedding ceremony and reception in New York Leica photographer Philip Thomas Photography

Here’s a set of my favorite images from Judy and Alex’s wedding at The DeBruce in New York. The DeBruce is nestled in 600 acres of grounds along Willowemoc Creek and features hiking trails, ponds, and views of the Catskills mountains. I hope the pictures I took show just how breathtaking it is.

Featured posts for photographers

September 2024 Favorite Image of the Month and Why

September 2024 Image of the month Lady in red - 628 L1010086 Edit

 September 2024 – Image of the month. As we enter the later part of the year, I like to review the images I’ve captured and think about what I’d like to add to my portfolio. Going over a batch of my favorite photos, I was struck again by how, given time, images take on a life of their own once viewed weeks or months later. The great photographer Garry Winogrand always left his images months and years later before viewing them…

Why the Leica M is so special to me

The Leica M3 and M6

Using my skills as a former news photojournalist, I wanted to learn how to capture weddings in the way I saw the world. So, I attended numerous workshops and had the chance to meet extraordinary photographers. Two of my favorite photographers, Jeff Ascough and Australian photographer George Trifunovic, both happened to use Leica cameras throughout their careers. These were the best I’d seen and were hugely influential in developing my wedding style….

How to become a successful wedding photographer

a group of people at a wedding reception photographed through window - Philip Thomas is a San Antonio wedding photographer L1000635b

Shooting weddings over the last eighteen years, I’ve learned a great deal. It’s a self-journey of discovery. I continue to learn the craft of photography. But really, it’s about growing as a human. Not about attainable wealth. That’s not what success is! It’s about the journey.