Documentary Wedding Photographer in the Lake District & Peak District

Honest, documentary photography for real people, with fine-art portraits in the landscapes that made you fall in love with the Lake District or Peak District in the first place.

Your wedding is about you, real people, with your own original story. So whether your special day is a big wedding with all of your friends, a micro wedding, or a secret wedding elopement.

I aim to give you the best wedding photos I can with authentic storytelling photography will give you the, perfect memories for yourself and future generations to enjoy.

A bride in a white dress is spilling a drink while pouring it into her mouth at an authentic wedding reception, surrounded by guests in a tent adorned with string lights.

The real bits

Candid laughter, nerves, chaos, quiet moments — documented as it actually happened.

Authentic Moments

The bride and groom elegantly walk down the outdoor aisle at their breathtaking Yorkshire wedding.

The atmosphere

The wind, rain and light — photos that feel like the place you chose.

It’s not a performance

Bride and Groom Wedding Photograph at Cartmel Old Grammar House wedding portrait with real puddle reflection

Portraits that feel like you

Gently guided. Never stiff. You in the landscape — not posed for it.

Behind the SCENES

Joshua Wyborn photographing bride and groom in the lake district with a reflection in a puddle

Hey, I’m Josh!

My style is a mix of 95% candid storytelling and 5% fine-art portraits — the balance that lets your wedding day unfold naturally.

I focus on the real moments: your uncle drifting off mid-afternoon, a glass of wine going astray, or those unexpected dance-floor moves from someone you didn’t know had it in them. Alongside that, I’ll create a small number of thoughtful portraits that reflect you as a couple and the energy of everyone around you.

For over 15 years, I photographed weddings across the Lake District, learning how to work instinctively with light, weather, and landscape. I’m now based in Sheffield, on the edge of the Peak District, exploring a new landscape with the same curiosity and care.

Whether we’re wandering lakeshores, climbing ridgelines, heading into woodland, or simply stepping outside your venue for a few quiet minutes, I love getting a little adventurous — and I’m always happy to work with whatever the day brings. Wind, rain, winter light… it all becomes part of the story.

Authentic, relaxed storytelling photography with a fine-art feel is what I’m about. No AI. No gimmicks. Just natural, honest photography — and real moments, captured as they are.

A couple celebrating their wedding anniversary by dancing near a lake with hills in the background.

The Lake District

Fells, lakes, and dramatic weather.

Explore Lake weddings

A bride and groom walk on a rocky path outdoors, with the groom holding up the bride’s hand. The bride wears a white dress and the groom wears a suit. The sky is cloudy.

The Peak District & Sheffield

Gritstone edges, moorland and sunset viewpoints.

Explore Peak weddings

Real moments, real people, in wild places

How to Secretly Plan a Proposal in the Peak District
Planning a proposal is exciting enough on its own. Planning one in secret, while trying to make sure your partner suspects absolutely nothing, is a slightly different challenge. The Peak District is a brilliant place to propose because you’ve got everything from dramatic open edges and big views to woodland, reservoirs and quieter spots where…
Read More How to Secretly Plan a Proposal in the Peak District
A Late Summer Wedding at The Maynard & Padley Gorge
Sixteen years together, a black Labrador with an important job, and a little adventure into the Peak District. Ross and Lisa celebrated their wedding at The Maynard in Grindleford on 10th September 2026, surrounded by their closest family and friends. Having met in their early twenties, they’ve spent the last sixteen years building a life…
Read More A Late Summer Wedding at The Maynard & Padley Gorge
Surprise Proposal at Curbar Edge
When Adil got in touch about planning a surprise proposal at Curbar Edge, he already had a really lovely plan. They were going to view Kelham Hall together before heading into the Peak District afterwards for a walk at Curbar Edge. As far as Alina knew, that was all it was. A venue viewing, a drive…
Read More Surprise Proposal at Curbar Edge
A Surprise Proposal at Owler Tor Peak District
When Josh first got in touch, I knew this was going to be a proposal to remember. He and his partner, Ezgi, were travelling around the UK with her family, staying in Airbnbs and exploring some of the country’s most beautiful places. Somewhere along the journey, he wanted to ask one very important question, but…
Read More A Surprise Proposal at Owler Tor Peak District
A Surprise View Peak District Proposal
Some proposals are planned months in advance. Others come together in just a few days. When Ruairí first got in touch, one sentence immediately stood out to me: “I’m trying to surprise her as much as I can.” He already knew he wanted to propose somewhere in the Peak District, but almost everything else was…
Read More A Surprise View Peak District Proposal
Understanding Wedding Photography Styles: Which One is Right for You?
Choosing your wedding photographer isn’t just about finding someone with a camera you like. It’s about finding a photography style that matches the feeling you want your wedding day to have. Some couples want timeless and traditional photographs. Others want natural storytelling with real emotion. Some love dramatic editorial portraits, while others simply want relaxed…
Read More Understanding Wedding Photography Styles: Which One is Right for You?

How I work

1. We chat

What matters most, what you’re excited about, and what you want the photos to feel like, not just what’s happening when.

2. We Plan

Location, light, timing and weather, with enough preparation to feel confident, without turning your day into a timetable or a chore.

3. We have fun

Unobtrusive storytelling while everything unfolds naturally, with gentle portrait moments throughout your day, rather than pulled away from it.

4. Editing & tea

I carefully edit and curate the best moments that truly represent your day, fuelled by copious amounts of tea and a lot of attention to detail.

What to expect from your wedding photography

Planning a proposal in the Lakes or Peaks?

If you’re planning a surprise engagement, I offer natural, discreet proposal photography across the Peak District and Lake District. Not sure which location is right for you? I can help you choose based on your plan, the light, and how private you want the moment to feel.

Lake District proposals

Epic mountains, lakes, and more adventurous, remote locations for something truly unforgettable.

Explore Lake District proposal photography

A couple portrait showcasing an engagement ring on a woman's hand, captured by a talented Carlisle wedding photographer.

Peak District proposals

Dramatic edges, open views, and easily accessible locations — ideal for relaxed, scenic proposals without long hikes.

Explore Peak District proposal photography

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 60 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Alison Mace 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Josh was the best wedding photographer we could have asked for.
From the point we booked him he was so friendly and kept us informed throughout the process.
We had a pre-wedding photoshoot with him which was ideal for us, not being used to being photographed. Josh made us feel relaxed and comfortable, and captured some lovely photos of us.
On the wedding day Josh was excellent - we had so many guests asking if we were friends!
As soon as he arrived he was helpful and captured excellent candid getting ready photos - nothing too staged.
He was well known to the registrars and worked seamlessly with them to capture the best photos of our ceremony.
Throughout the day he made sure we got time away from the party and helped prevent us getting too overwhelmed by it all.
He was even willing to come for a 3km walk up to Easedale Waterfall with all of his heavy camera gear!
We loved having Josh there as part of our day, and the photos he has taken reflect our day so well.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Rebecca Freeman 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Absolutely phenomenal and we’d give 100 stars if we could! From start to finish, Josh was absolutely brilliant and the photos captured still brings tears to my eyes.

Josh has really captured our most special day in the best possible way. Josh was more than just a photographer, he brought positive vibes to our day, kept everyone in check, gave great tips and guidance and he even sorted my hair and dress for me on several occasions!

The results really are phenomenal and our friends and family still comment on how beautiful the photos are you.

From the bottom of our hearts we are so grateful and if you’re looking for an amazing photographer - Josh is your man!!

Thank you again for everything - The Percival’s ❤️
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Naomi East 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 100% recommend Josh to anyone! He did an amazing job of keeping me calm and relaxed and nothing was too much trouble for him. He’s also a really funny guy, even joined in on our family sports day / rounders match! The photos he took were honestly amazing, so happy with them 😁 but he could also tell when we needed a break from everything and took us away for 5 minutes to take it all in so we were ready to get back to it all. Due to our wedding guest numbers he brought an amazing second photographer with him, Nicole and Josh worked effortlessly together and just made our day magical! So if you’re looking for a calm, funny, experienced and amazingly talented photographer then Josh really is the person you want!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Kieran Green 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Josh was the perfect wedding photographer for our small intimate wedding. We were not looking for typical wedding shots opting for naturalistic photos which Josh captured beautifully. We purchased the 2 hour package which suited our needs and didnt break the bank unlike the extortionate wedding packages we had seen elsewhere. Josh was amazing on the day, you dont know hes there but somehow he gets the shot! Really appreciated Josh's open door policy and he was always happy to answer any questions we had and respected our privacy wishes regarding sharing our wedding photos. Couldnt recommend him enough!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Christian C317 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We chose Josh after weeks of scouring the internet for a wedding photographer with a certain style. I didn’t want the usual, staged wedding shots that looked the same as everyone else’s—I wanted something natural, something that truly captured the moment. From what I remember, he was recommended by one of his peers, and after messaging him about my plans for a surprise engagement shoot, I was thrilled by how enthusiastic he was. Turns out, he loves a good surprise proposal!

For our engagement shoot, we chose Cumbria—a place close to our hearts. I had everything planned down to the minute, with him waiting at a specific spot, ready to capture us hugging among the trees like a pair of overly affectionate woodland creatures. The moment itself was incredible, though my now-wife was seconds away from either punching him or telling him to bugger off because, from her perspective, some random bloke with a massive camera was lurking nearby, snapping photos of us in what she thought was a very private moment!

But once the surprise was revealed, we hit it off with him straight away. He’s such a genuinely lovely guy—funny, lighthearted, and brilliant at making us feel comfortable in front of the camera. And those engagement shots? Absolutely stunning. The backdrop, the emotions, the way he captured the rawness of the moment—it was everything we’d hoped for.

So, when it came to our wedding, choosing Cumbria again was an easy decision. It’s a place we love, a place we hope to call home one day, and we wanted our wedding photos to reflect the same beauty and meaning as our engagement shoot. And once again, Josh delivered. He even managed to replicate some of our engagement shots—but this time, we were husband and wife.

The other big thing? We eloped. We wanted to get married as soon as possible, in our own way, just the two of us. Well… the two of us and our photographer, who was basically our third wheel for the day (a very welcome one, of course). And honestly, we wouldn’t have had it any other way. He spent the day capturing moments we still look at every day, and he made the whole experience even more special.

He’ll always be a part of our story, and we can’t thank him enough for the memories he’s given us.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Rachel Henderson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. When booking our wedding photographer Josh was instantly our first choice!!
Through the pre wedding couple portraits and on the wedding day photos we couldn’t have felt more comfortable with Josh! He put us at ease, made us laugh and felt like just being with an old friend!
On our wedding day he effortlessly fit in with all the guests and helped the day run smoothly!
All our photos are absolutely incredible! Gauged the posed to candid ratio well! & we have so many amazing memories and laughs captured on film!!
100% would recommend to all!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Paulo Titto 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Joshua testimonial
Exec summary (who doesn’t love one of those…): down to earth beautiful photographs, very, very quick turn around to our gallery, great and honest comms from 1st contact, made us comfortable, took the pressure off and lots of fun.

We live in Cheshire (not the Cheshire wives bit) but love the lakes so had our wedding in Carlisle at Lady Gilfords House (beautiful venue/room, lovely staff) and reception on Windermere at Low Wood Bay.

On the lead up in planning we didn’t know a lot about wedding photography so started initially talking to family/friends for recommendations. Spoke to lots of photographers nearer to home and some in/near the lakes. Some over the phone, on Teams, video calls etc.

There are some obviously off the scale £ photographers but in the main, we found the majority were in a similar ball park in terms of costs so realised it came down to do we like the photographer and their images, that’s why and when we decided it wasn’t Joshua…just kidding obviously 😆.

We started as with others by looking at reviews, Joshua’s website,  images and social feed we liked Joshua’s images and his general vibe, his openness and transparency in talking about mental health so set up an initial call.

In the call we talked about what we were looking for, styles we liked etc, we really appreciated his straightforward approach. After the call we decided that of the multitude of others we had spoken to it was Joshua we had a good feeling for. After the call Joshua quickly put together a proposal, we stayed in touch with questions, quick responses and set up a follow on call where we discussed final options and settled on Joshua. We decided we wanted the ceremony covered and some portraits done at a few sites in the lakes.

On the big day Joshua was waiting for us individually, it was the 1st we’d met in the flesh, so to speak, he quickly put us both at ease and a rapport soon settled that remained all day and in essence Josh settled almost into the background not at all in your face but let the ceremony flow taking pictures unobtrusively though some obviously more posed. Josh took great control over the planned group photos before our families headed off and we went into the lakes.

Josh took us to three locations agreed between us, Castlerigg Circle, Thirlmere and the jetty at Low Wood bay. He helped and guided us throughout the day and we had a great afternoon and a laugh taking images for a few hours across the three places getting us into and onto things for some beautiful images. Josh made the photos feel natural and got some brilliant organic laughs.

Although like us you’ll probably speak to different photographers we cannot recommend Joshua enough, we had a beautiful day helped by Joshua and the amazing images he’s produced.

Thank you Joshua, very best wishes and success for the future, we’ll be back for that shoot in our wedding clobber to Millican Daltons cave.

Hannah, Paul and Phoebe 🐶
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Bec Stein 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Me and my partner recently got engaged and Josh was there, hiding in the bushes, to capture the moment for us! 😂
The photos were absolutely fantastic and we couldn’t believe how quickly he turned the photos around for us.
Neither me or my partner are photo people and generally feel quite awkward in front of the camera, but josh made us feel so comfortable. We couldn’t recommend him any higher!
Thanks again Josh!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Martin Garsed 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The first decision we made for our wedding was to hire Joshua and it probably was the best decision. Not only turning out stunning photos of the day, he made us feel comfortable and relaxed. He also fitted in seamlessly with the day. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect person to shoot our wedding. Absolutely worth it and more.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jessica Walters 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. If I could give Josh 10 stars out of 5 I would.

We originally met Josh at an old friend's wedding, two years prior to being engaged and honestly, we hit it off with him that well that day, we decided we would book him for our wedding when we eventually came down to it. I think the fact that my husband and I hadn't even seen any of his work prior to this conclusion says so much about his personality !

When we actually saw our friends wedding photos, our jaws dropped. His photos were beautiful, natural and at some points just so creative. We did not care how much his services would be in the future.

Fast forward to three years ago when we finally got engaged. Pretty much instantly we got in contact with Josh to get him booked ! We didn't care about much for our big day, but photos were something we were willing to spend a lot on.

When booking Josh, things got even better. For the services he offered, we actually felt his prices were incredibly reasonable. To top it off, he offered a payment plan so that we would not have one big sum before the wedding.

Leading up to the wedding, circumstances changed financially and we slowly had to wittle down the package we had ordered so we could afford everything. He was so understanding and helpful during these times.

Then came the wedding. I don't do centre of attention. So the idea of constantly being in front of a camera and people looking at me made me feel incredibly anxious. But I have no idea why I felt like this because Josh was just being Josh ! So laid back, funny and sometimes sarcastic ! He put me right at ease. I didn't notice his camera half the time, he just made the entire day feel natural.

I could honestly go on and on about Josh's wonderful work, his personality. I'd be here all day! And if I haven't sold you on his work or personality then just know this: if your mum/sister/friend is struggling to button up that wedding dress, or you somehow get your foot stuck between layers in your dress, Josh will know what to do! He is so calm and collected, what every bride and groom needs for that busy wedding day!

You'll never regret hiring Josh !
  
 
  
  
 
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