Chloe May

Where movement meets timeless elegance.

With a focus on natural light, fluid movement, and timeless elegance, Chloe May captures weddings in a way that feels effortless yet deeply considered. From cityscapes to intimate moments with family and friends, every image tells a story of connection, personality, and joy. Their work balances editorial poise with honest emotion, creating galleries that remain beautiful for years to come.

With more than ten years of experience behind the lens, what first led you into wedding photography, and what still excites you about this work today?

Portraiture has always been a passion of mine, so after finishing a Commerce degree and realising that the office wasn’t for me, I studied photography and fell in love. My final folio was actually photographing all of my couple friends; photographing people in love has been my specialty from the start! 

Your photography is known for blending modern sensibility with timeless elegance. How do you consciously design that balance through composition, light and pacing?

I’m a big fan of even, clean, natural light. Working with window light, turning off the downlights, keeping the light colour as clean and natural as possible. I’ve also been shooting with a 35mm lens for my whole career, favouring a frame where the background is as much of a feature as the foreground.

Movement plays a central role in your approach, replacing long portrait sessions with fluid moments throughout the day. What does this allow you to capture that traditional methods often miss?

99% of my clients tell me that they don’t want posed, static poses. I also don’t like to pull my couples away from their family and friends for too long. I find I capture the best imagery in short photo sessions, across the day, so there is variety and freshness to the gallery. I give directions to my couples so that they have an action to complete, they’re always moving. 

You draw inspiration from travel, architecture, film, books and editorial imagery. Which of these influences your creative instincts most strongly and why?

Architecture is a big one for me. I’m so much more comfortable in a city than I am in a field. It becomes just as much of a feature to the photograph as the people in it. My clients are also usually very drawn to architecture, so I do work a lot in the city.

When you arrive at a wedding, what are the first visual or emotional cues you look for to understand the tone of the day and begin shaping your story?

I am very visual (of course!), so I get excited to see the styling the couple has chosen, what the amazing florist has created, the shoes the bride will be wearing, it shows me their personality and what the day will be like. 

You prioritise honest moments over trends. What do you feel couples gain emotionally from choosing photography that resists fleeting styles?

I want my couples to look back at their photos years down the track and not feel like their photos are dated. My editing style has consistently stayed the same across my career and I’m proud of that. It’s always tempting to change it up, but I find myself always going back to the classic, clean look, with minimal editing. 

 Based in Melbourne with upcoming seasons in Europe, how does photographing in different environments shift your perspective behind the camera?

It keeps things fresh and interesting. I love working at new venues with new people, seeing how people work across the world in the same industry we all love. It’s fun to be sitting at a vendor table in Italy under the stars, not understanding a word because everyone is speaking Italian. 

Are there specific destinations, landscapes or cultural settings you are hoping to work in over the next few years?

I would love to shoot a wedding in Hong Kong. I grew up in Hong Kong and can speak conversational Cantonese. That city and its people have always been very special to me. 

Beyond location, what creative goals or personal milestones are you working toward in this next chapter of your career?

I have two small children and I would love to pick up my camera more for leisure, rather than work. Create portraits of them that are more than quick snaps on the iphone. Taking the time to capture their little personalities, and watch their growth through my lens.

 For couples searching for a photographer to trust with their wedding day, what do you believe matters most beyond technical skill and a beautiful portfolio?

The biggest compliment a couple or guest could tell me is ‘I didn’t even notice you were there!’. I aim to be everywhere, capturing what I need, but I want to do it subtly so I don’t impede on the beauty and importance of a couple’s day. 

For more information visit chloemay.com.au and @chloemay.studio. Explore more of Chloe May in the Together Journal Online Directory.

Chloe May