Jeremie HKB on Photography, Emotion, and the Rhythm of a Wedding

Long before Jeremie HKB picked up a camera, he was making music - and he'll tell you plainly that the second art form never really replaced the first, it just gave it a new outlet. "Creativity has always been a central part of my life. Before photography, music was my first artistic language, and I think it shaped the way I approach my work today - through emotion, rhythm, atmosphere, and storytelling," he says. 

Based in the South of France and working primarily across Provence, the French Riviera, Italy, and Paris, Jeremie has spent more than ten years turning that same sensibility toward wedding photography, deliberately capping his yearly bookings at around eighteen so every couple gets his full attention.

Music Was His First Way of Seeing

I eventually found in photography the perfect balance between artistic creation and human connection,

Jeremie explains. 

"What fascinates me is not simply creating beautiful images, but creating something that makes people feel. Wedding photography allows me to combine everything I love: aesthetics, emotion, people, beautiful places, fashion, architecture and design." 

That combination still defines his style today. "My approach blends a modern and luminous aesthetic with a more editorial sensibility, while always keeping genuine emotions at the heart of the story," he notes.

His first wedding happened in 2015, almost as a first step into an unfamiliar world. "I photographed my first wedding in 2015, and I immediately discovered a world that fascinated me. I never really looked back," he recalls. 

A specific milestone a few years later confirmed the direction he was heading. "Things became more serious around 2018, when my work received its first publication on a wedding blog. It was an important milestone for me and the beginning of a journey that has since taken me to photograph weddings in some incredible places across France and Europe. More than ten years after my first wedding, I am still just as passionate about this world and constantly looking for ways to evolve."

The South of France Is in the Photographs

Geography shows up in Jeremie's photographs as much as any technical choice does.

"I am based in the South of France and primarily photograph weddings throughout Provence and the French Riviera, as well as in Italy and Paris," he explains. "The Mediterranean is a huge part of my visual identity - its light, architecture, colors and landscapes have deeply influenced the way I photograph weddings." 

A handful of venues come up often in his work: Château de Tourreau, Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez, Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, Bastide du Roy, Château de la Gaude, and Château de la Napoule. Beyond that home territory, he's open to going further. "Discovering a new destination is always creatively stimulating for me," he says.

New architecture, landscapes, cultures and light naturally push me to see things differently.

What Eighteen Weddings Leave Room For

Jeremie intentionally limits the number of weddings he photographs each year. "Around 18 weddings per year. Keeping a deliberately limited number of weddings allows me to remain fully involved with each couple and give every celebration the attention and creative energy it deserves."

What he's actually chasing within those eighteen weddings is a specific kind of balance. "What I love most is the balance between beauty and emotion," reflects Jeremie. 

A wedding brings together so many elements that inspire me: fashion, floral design, architecture, light, movement and incredible locations. I love translating all of those details into strong, sophisticated imagery.

The best material, though, tends to arrive uninvited. "The most valuable photographs are often the ones that cannot be planned - a look, a gesture, laughter, a parent's reaction or a fleeting moment between two people," he notes. "My role is to bring these two worlds together: creating beautiful, editorial imagery while remaining attentive enough to preserve the genuine emotions of the day."

One Château, Two Answers

Asked separately for his most unforgettable wedding location and his most memorable wedding overall, Jeremie gives the same address both times: Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez.

On the venue itself: "Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez holds a very special place for me," he says. 

"Of course, the property itself is extraordinary, with incredible views, gardens and Mediterranean light, but what makes the experience truly memorable is also the level of hospitality. The service, attention to detail and way the teams welcome both couples and vendors are exceptional. It is one of those places where the entire experience matches the beauty of the setting."

On the wedding itself, though, the venue turns out to be only part of the answer. "Everything came together beautifully: an incredible couple, spectacular floral and reception design, the atmosphere of Saint-Tropez and a celebration filled with genuine emotion and energy," he recalls. 

"But beyond how beautiful the wedding was, what I remember most is the couple themselves. They were incredibly kind and trusting, and that connection gave me the freedom to create while also documenting their celebration very naturally. Those are the weddings I remember most - when exceptional design and location are matched by wonderful people."

Curiosity Keeps the Work Moving

Ask what keeps Jeremie inspired after a decade of weddings, and his answer is a single word before he expands on it. 

"Curiosity," he says.

I never want to feel that I have completely mastered photography. I am constantly exploring new techniques, studying light, experimenting with composition and refining my artistic eye. Fashion, cinema, architecture, design and travel all influence the way I see weddings, and I think staying curious is essential to keeping the work fresh.

There's a quieter reason too. "There is also something much simpler that continues to inspire me: knowing that the photographs I create will become part of a family's history," he adds. "Every couple gives me a new story, new personalities and new emotions to translate into images. That never becomes routine."

Knowing When the Photographer Should Disappear

Over the years, that curiosity has settled into a specific working philosophy. 

"One thing that has become increasingly important to me over the years is finding the right balance between creating and observing. I love creating sophisticated, editorial portraits and carefully composed images, but I also believe couples should be able to truly experience their wedding rather than spend the entire day posing for photographs. My goal is to know when to direct and when to disappear." 

As he puts it, "I want my couples to enjoy their celebration completely, while I quietly preserve everything around them - the beauty they carefully created, the people they love, the unexpected moments and the emotions they may not even have noticed on the day. In the end, I want the photographs to be beautiful, of course, but above all I want them to bring people back to how that day actually felt."