CASTILLE ALMA — WEDDING STORIES
Photo or video? What if you didn’t have to choose? Two perspectives, two ways of telling the story of one day: yours.
There’s one question that comes up again and again when couples talk about wedding coverage: photography or video?
And I get it. Wedding budgets add up quickly. There are choices to make, priorities to set, and decisions about where you want to spend your money.
But if I can offer one little piece of advice: don’t rush into choosing.
Photography and video don’t tell a story in the same way. They don’t create the same feelings, and they don’t preserve memories in quite the same way.
And that’s exactly why I love both.
PHOTO & VIDEO
Photography freezes time. Video brings it back to life.
I love photography for its ability to say so much in a fraction of a second.
A glance, a hand resting on someone’s shoulder, an expression no one else noticed. Light falling in just the right place.
But I also love video for everything it brings that photography can’t.
The movement of a dress, guests taking over the dance floor, a run through the garden, hair blowing in the wind, an embrace that lasts just a little longer.
Video adds another dimension to your memories. It lets you rediscover the rhythm of the day, its energy and its movement.
Neither replaces the other. And honestly, I think it’s a shame to have to choose when you can bring the two together.
TWO DIFFERENT EYES
Why I work as a duo with David Pommier
I work with David Pommier, who takes care of the video side of our wedding coverage.
This isn’t simply a matter of organisation or logistics. It’s first and foremost about perspective.
We know each other well, we’re used to working together, and we share an artistic sensibility that allows photography and film to sit naturally side by side.
While I photograph, David films. We each have our own way of seeing a scene, anticipating a moment and capturing movement.
And that’s what I find interesting: we’re not doing the same thing twice.
I might linger on an expression while David captures the movement of a scene. We can tell the story of the same moment in two different ways, without trying to copy each other.
Of course, it takes knowing each other well, understanding where to position ourselves, communicating and, above all, staying out of each other’s way.
Because the point isn’t to make you feel like there’s a whole crew following you around all day.
The point is for you to enjoy your wedding.
A FILM, NOT A SOUNDTRACK OF YOUR DAY.
There are many different approaches to wedding videography.
Some videographers record speeches, vows, conversations and the sounds of the day to create a documentary-style film with live audio.
That’s not our approach.
David creates cinematic films edited to music. We don’t record sound, speeches or ceremony audio.
What interests us is the language of images.
Movement, framing, light, details, bodies dancing, glances crossing, scenes unfolding naturally right in front of us.
A film that doesn’t try to document every minute of your wedding, but instead captures its atmosphere.
Almost like a memory brought to life.
And I love that freedom: the freedom to create a visual, artistic story with its own rhythm and personality.
LESS DIRECTION. MORE LIFE.
Will two people be following us around all day?
Yes. But I promise, we’re not going to be glued to your side.
That’s something I’m particularly careful about.
I don’t want you spending your wedding wondering whether you’re standing in the right place, whether you have your best profile turned towards us, or whether you need to do something again because we didn’t get the shot.
Your wedding is not a ten-hour photoshoot.
I’d take a thousand imperfect but genuine moments over a perfectly staged scene that doesn’t feel like you.
We observe, anticipate and adapt. We step in when needed, especially during those few moments when you want to take some time for just the two of you.
The rest of the time, just live it.
It’s as simple as that.
THE MEMORIES MATTER
Is having both photography and video really worth the extra investment?
I’m not going to tell you that everyone absolutely needs both a photographer and a videographer at their wedding.
That simply wouldn’t be true.
If photography is your priority, choose photography. If what you really dream of is a film, invest in video.
But if you love both worlds, if you’re drawn to still images as much as cinematic films, then I think bringing them together makes a lot of sense. Especially when the duo knows each other well and can make the most of every moment without getting in each other’s way.
There’s something I notice again and again: we spend so much time thinking about the decor, the flowers, the outfits, the venue, the menu, the music…
And then the wedding day is over.
Everything you’ve imagined for months becomes one day, and then a memory.
Your images are what will take you back there.
Not just to remember what the decor looked like, but to see the people, the gestures, the expressions and all those little details you didn’t even notice on the day.
And ten or twenty years from now, that matters.
SO, PHOTO OR VIDEO?
Why choose?!
I’d say both, obviously. I’m not going to pretend otherwise!
But above all, choose people whose work genuinely speaks to you. People you want to share this day with. People who understand the way you see things and won’t try to squeeze you into a template.
David and I photograph and film weddings in Lyon, across France and all over the world.
Weddings that never look the same, couples with stories of their own, days that are sometimes completely wild and sometimes wonderfully intimate.
I want images that feel alive. Images that feel like you. Images you’ll still recognise yourselves in, many years from now.
And if we can give you all of that through photography and film, then why choose?
You live your wedding. We’ll tell its story in a way that makes you feel it all over again.
GOOD TO KNOW
Frequently asked questions about wedding photography and videography
Why hire both a wedding photographer and a videographer?
Photography captures individual moments, while video tells the story of a wedding through movement and music. The two approaches complement each other, preserving two different interpretations of the same day.
Why choose a photographer and videographer who already work together?
A duo used to working together shares the same working habits, artistic sensibility and approach to wedding coverage. It makes coordination easier and creates a natural connection between the photographs and the film.
Does Castille Alma and David Pommier’s wedding film include speeches?
No. Our approach is cinematic and music-led. Our films are edited to music, without sound recording or the capture of speeches, vows or ambient audio.
Can we book wedding photography on its own?
Yes. You can book photography on its own. Video is an additional option for couples who would also love to have a film of their day.
Where do you work?
I’m based in Lyon and photograph weddings across France and internationally, with David taking care of the video.
Want to see more?
This way for VIDEO
And this way for PHOTOGRAPHY
WHAT IF WE TOLD YOUR STORY?
Planning your wedding in Lyon, somewhere else in France or on the other side of the world? Tell me what you’re dreaming up. I can’t wait to hear your story.
