Saskia Marloh Photography was established almost 10 years ago. Saskia has made a name for herself internationally and has become a sought-after female photographer in Abu Dhabi to provide evocative and timeless photography and cinematography for weddings.

With an exclusively female team, Saskia works for high-end Emirati clients and international clients, that include the Royal family in Abu Dhabi as loyal customer, government officials and celebrities internationally.

Emirati and international brides throughout the UAE, GCC and globally love her unique signature style.

 

2022 Saskia is named Associate Photographer by Portrait Masters, USA,

2020 shortlisted by BRIDE Dubai as best wedding photographer and called

top female wedding photographer by Arabia Weddings and Heiraten Rhein-Main,

Saskia’s work has been seen in over 100 publications internationally in print and online.

 

Saskia is being booked for unforgettable weddings and celebrations

from Saadiyat island to Lake Como, Abu Dhabi to Doha,

Paris to Johannisberg, Florida to Latin America, and everywhere in between.

 

 

Interview with Arabia Weddings

Q1 How can you describe your photography style?

Timeless. Unique. Sophisticated. Editorial. Playful.

Photographs that look like your day really felt.

Honoured to share in one of the most important events of your life, I am creating unique pieces of art.

My aesthetics and understated elegance are visible in each facet of my work. In my images you feel my deep love for each and every one in front of my lens. I draw on my years of international experience in Europe and overseas, my background in fashion and visual arts to capture photographs that are evocative, playful, candid and stunning.

Deeply honoured to being recognised as the number one sought-after Abu Dhabi female photographer for high-end weddings, I cover Emirati weddings, Indian weddings and mixed weddings in the UAE, GCC and Europe.

Other studios do not offer my unique, European and modern approach paired with my outstanding service for mixed cultures and international markets and clients, and consistently resulting in outstanding, evocative and timeless work for weddings across many different continents and clients.

Saskia Marloh Photography is synonymous for images that immortalize your wedding day experience and that stand out from other studios.

Combining technical expertise, innovation & international fine art, to create images, that stand out from standard wedding photography & surpass short-lived trends.

I am constantly evolving, my inventive style is a product of extensive experience in editorial fashion photography and the ability to capture the priceless, fleeting moments of a wedding day.

My keen understanding of lighting and composition, along with a calculated, photojournalistic approach have set my images apart. I take a hands-on approach that exhibits expertise, leadership, and passion for my craft.

Q2 When shooting a wedding, do you prefer to capture candid moments or do you prefer posed shots? Why?

My tailored and luxury wedding collections are a mix of timeless, candid, natural photographs – that show how your day really felt – and editorial and sophisticated, posed images.

As a wedding photographer, I take great pride in having the honour and responsibility of capturing some of the most intimate and important moments of a couple’s new life together.

We practice a balance of discretion, guidance, and quick thinking to ensure a positive, memorable experience and stunning photos and videos a couple will cherish forever.

My team and I are fully invested in every couple’s special day and take the time to build an excellent history with each client and their families.

Our broad skillset and dedication make this possible. Through the years, I have built long-lasting friendships that have extended well beyond the wedding day.

My experience in working with high-end markets and clients across many different cultures and continents is the foundation for my outstanding skill to fullfill different creative directions.

Alongside me works a talented team of photographers and videographers, that support my creative vision.

 

Q3 What trends do you see fading away in 2023 but were big in the past few years?

Tiny (mini-) weddings and elopements that were big during the pandemic years are fading and short-lived vintage color style presets will be outdated soon.

Guests are filling venues, dance floors are returning, and brides and grooms are travelling, once again, to far-off locations to tie the knot. The shores of Lake Como have been immensely in vogue, along with the panoramic beaches at the coastlines of Bali and Los Cabos.

The Pantone colour of the year will be front of mind for many brides. Bright blues and pink are dominating. As life returns, so do colors: bold and true photos are being requested.

Don’t mistake maximalism for ostentatiousness, however. Couples in 2023 will plan ceremonies that are immersive and unapologetically vivacious, many ceremonies will continue to be intimate, if not increasingly personal—that means smaller guest lists, curated menus, and locations that turn the wedding into a weekend getaway. Think Lake Como shores or Bali, just to name a few.

In 2023, I believe that the overall mood will shift forward a more joyous, relaxed yet elevated wedding, minimal yet luxurious.

In 2023, brides will be downsizing their bouquets: petite understated bridal and bridesmaids’ bouquets, will take centre stage, paired with grand arrangements for the locations: bigger is better. Grand ceremony florals are back and will peak in 2023.

Weddings aren’t just a spectacle—they’re an experience, and ideally one that’s as enjoyable for the guests as it is for the couple.

We still see small guest lists. Downsized yet having more venue and destination, more luxury for a smaller number of guests. To make the wedding even more memorable. The couple likes to really spoil their favorite people.

Destination weddings: A relaxed yet unexpected location makes for a fun and memorable getaway for couples and their guests, often making it at least a long weekend celebration.

 

Q4 What are the top wedding photography trends we will be seeing in 2023?

As life returns, we will see more of joyous, colorful, evocative, playful, candid shots where all the fun at the wedding is captured!

Brides request as “trend of the coming year” Instagram worthy, social media friendly short yet amazing bridal photographic reels, highlight reels of wedding ceremonies, destination shoots, and larger-than-life photography. This has already changed the face of wedding photography and videography and continues to do so in 2023.

Short compiled high-light videos, that can be shared with family and friends. Gone are the days that all sit together and watch hours of video of a recent function.

In videography the trend of the year is the creation of highlight reels of wedding rituals that are suitable for social media. These videos are also a unique method to connect with guests who couldn’t attend your wedding and share the memorable moments.

The one trend that we are seeing emerging is realistic video edits that are infused with real voices and sound from the actual wedding day along with music. Such additions bring in the raw element of the celebration as well as emotions into your candid wedding film, which couples are loving more these days.

Editorial style couple portraits that withstand the test of time.

Candid and authentic couple´s portraits that capture the day how it really felt and look natural and unstaged, yet sophisticated.

Dreamy veil shots will never go out of fashion and are the new romantic trend for the coming season. They not only look stunning but reflect grace and elegance which makes them a favourite amongst the brides as well.

Black and White Photos that already became quite popular in 2022 will continue to do so in 2023.

Black-and-white photography is like poetry and its strength lies not in what is stated but in what is omitted, unlike colour photography which spells out everything in detail.

Pre and post-wedding shoots have becoming more popular. Sometime before or after the wedding festivities, the bridal couple get some stunning pictures taken. These images give the couple more freedom to enjoy the day with their guests.

That “First Look or Reveal” shots, not surprisingly, this style has also made it to my list of 2023 wedding photography trends, but with a slight variation. The photographer takes photographs and video of the bride and groom’s initial reactions to each other.
The entrance of the bride and vidai is undoubtedly the most emotional moment in the wedding. It is the most vulnerable moment for the bride, the groom and the father.

Drone wedding shots (when allowed) In the past, drones were only used to record videos. However, brides and grooms have given drones a new task: capturing beautiful wedding images. Wide angles are covered by drones from a greater height, enhancing the images’ opulence and attractiveness. Drones also capture elaborate pre-wedding photos, which ties into the next trend of 2023 wedding photography.

Wedding photography trends for 2023 are quite diversified and have something to offer everyone. Weddings are romanticised and joyous. 2023 wedding photography is mostly concerned with capturing timeless, stunning and emotional moments.

Wedding albums!

Q5 How do you incorporate these trends in your weddings while adding your own photography style?

In that respect I have probably all those years already set the trends, as this has always been a main part of my skillset and photographic style. Since my years as film student I was drawn to editorial yet playful and stunning fashion photography, as well as art-full and candid (black and white) photography.

My videography style is more of a cinematic experience with original soundtrack mixed with favorite music tracks and snippets of people´s statements in conjuncture with the spur-of-the-moment personal Instagram story and reel.

I have been booked by agencies, clients and Emirati brides alike for my evocative, playful, sophisticated and timeless style that withstands short-lived trends and presets.

These beautiful trends in wedding photography will make you want to remarry your partner, if you are already married. And if you aren´t and are looking for the best and most trusted team in Abu Dhabi to capture your wedding, you should definitely request a consultation with Saskia Marloh Photography.

 

Q6 What advice can you give a couple looking for the perfect wedding photographer?

For all the bridal couples that are in the demanding process of planning their wedding, I have 3 thoughts of advice, when looking for their perfect wedding photographer.

1 If you have found a photographer that resonates with your style, request to see one or two full weddings from beginning to end. Naturally due to the high personal privacy standards in many countries this cannot be any highly confidential wedding, so consider a wedding that has been shot at a location abroad and of different nationality.

Many no-name or amateur photographers that advertise on social media over-use heavy-handed editing and photo presets and filters for just one shot, you would never know, if he missed others or his camera failed on the more important shots of the entrance, or the candid shots.

Looking at a full gallery gives you an insight on the photographer´s consistency in style and quality. If high standard and skill is visible throughout the wedding, then you know the photographer will deliver what you want.

2 Request to speak about the equipment they use. Should this be outdated and not to highest standard the risk of card failure or else is higher. Imagine the drama of losing images of your most important life event?

I myself always work with the latest 2 or 3 highly professional NIKON cameras that have 2 card slots each. If one should fall or fail, I always have a backup. All other equipment such as lights and lenses have extensive backup too.

3 Request a personal or a Zoom consultation to get to know her. Beyond artistic vision and technical mastery, I believe that the relationship between clients and their chosen photographer is essential.

A couple´s wedding is one of the most important, yet intimate days in their life. The photographer will be being part of some of your most private moments, sometimes such as the getting ready, this requires that you feel comfortable and at ease around her.

The most important emotion that you as the bridal couple should feel is Trust. If you feel you can trust her to follow your confidentiality requirements, that she genuinely loves you and your both families, that she shares the same values, respect and humour. That you can laugh and share.

If you trust her, you will feel relaxed and enjoy the day.

That makes for incredible and playful photographs and creates stunning memories.

See what my clients say about working with me.