About Ufniak Photography
Meet Michal – relaxed wedding photography without the awkwardness
Your wedding should feel like a wedding, not an all-day photoshoot.
I’m Michal, the photographer behind Ufniak Photography. I’m there to capture the laughter, nerves, happy tears, questionable dance moves and all the little moments happening while you are busy enjoying yourselves. You won’t be expected to perform for the camera or spend hours being moved from one pose to another. Most of the time, I’ll blend into the flow of your day and let everything happen naturally. When a little guidance would help, I’ll give you clear, relaxed direction without making things feel forced.
Relaxed, natural coverage
Calm guidance when needed
Prepared for real wedding days
Your experience
What having me at your wedding actually feels like
Most couples do not want their wedding to revolve around photography. You want to see your friends, hug your family, eat the food you spent months choosing and have a proper celebration with the person you have just married. That is exactly how it should be.
For most of the day, I work quietly around what is already happening. I’m watching for the reactions you might miss: your partner taking a deep breath before the ceremony, a parent trying not to cry, friends laughing at something completely inappropriate and grandparents proudly taking everything in.
These unscripted moments are often the photographs that become more valuable as time goes on. My approach is based around natural, documentary wedding photography, but that does not mean I stand in a corner and hope for the best. I pay attention to the light, the people around you and how the day is moving. I anticipate moments rather than constantly interrupting them.
When it is time for portraits, I’ll help you find somewhere with good light and give you enough direction to feel comfortable. We can create beautiful photographs without disappearing for two hours while your guests wonder where you have gone. My job is to fit the photography around your wedding—not fit your wedding around the photography.
Camera-shy couples welcome
Think you’re awkward in photographs? You’re in very good company
One of the most common things couples tell me is, “We hate having our photograph taken.” It is usually followed by concerns about not knowing how to stand, where to look or what to do with their hands. Completely understandable. Very few people spend their everyday lives posing romantically in a field at sunset.
You do not need to arrive knowing what to do. Rather than putting you into a series of stiff positions, I keep things moving and conversational. I might ask you to walk together, turn towards one another or take a quiet minute away from the crowd. These simple prompts give you something natural to focus on instead of wondering whether you are “doing photos properly”.
You are not auditioning for a perfume advert. There is no perfect pose you need to master. The aim is to create photographs that still feel like the two of you. That could mean gentle and romantic, loud and playful, or somewhere happily in between.
“Given we both hate having our photos taken, you made us both feel at complete ease.”
Jen and Lyle
The right balance
Natural does not mean leaving you on your own
There is a difference between relaxed photography and giving no help at all. You can enjoy an unobtrusive approach and still receive useful direction whenever it makes the experience easier.
Real moments stay real
During the ceremony, drinks reception, speeches and dancing, I mostly observe and document what is happening. I will not ask you to repeat reactions or interrupt a conversation because I missed something.
Portraits without the guesswork
When we create your couple portraits, I’ll help you find flattering light, suggest simple movements and keep an eye on the details you should not have to think about. You will not be left staring at each other in silence.
Family photos kept efficient
Before the wedding, we can agree on a sensible list of the groups you genuinely want. On the day, I’ll organise them as efficiently as possible so everyone can get back to the celebration.
Reliability without the technical lecture
Calm, prepared and ready for real wedding days
Weddings rarely run exactly to the minute. A button refuses to cooperate, the weather changes its mind, someone disappears just before a group photograph or the speeches start forty minutes later than planned. That is not a disaster. That is simply a wedding.
Part of my role is to remain calm, adapt and keep photographing without adding more pressure. I prepare before the day, learn what matters to you and make sure I understand the important people, locations and timings.
I normally work with two cameras and keep another camera body available as a backup. That means your photography does not depend on one piece of equipment behaving perfectly from morning until night.
The technical side is my responsibility, not yours. You should not have to worry about camera settings, changing light or whether a little Yorkshire weather has appeared over the horizon. You can concentrate on getting married. I’ll concentrate on making sure the story of the day is safely photographed.
A trusted second pair of eyes
Meet Monika
Monika is my wife, my trusted assistant and, when selected as part of your coverage, my second photographer.
Having two photographers can be particularly useful for larger weddings or when preparations are happening in different locations. While I photograph one side of the morning, Monika can cover what is happening elsewhere. During the ceremony and reception, having another viewpoint also allows us to capture more reactions without moving around unnecessarily.
It might mean photographing your entrance and your partner’s reaction at the same time, or catching the laughter on the opposite side of the room while everyone else is focused on the speeches.
More importantly, Monika brings another calm, friendly presence to the day. We know how each other works, communicate without creating a fuss and share the same goal: giving you varied, natural coverage while letting the wedding unfold properly. Not every wedding needs two photographers, so we can talk honestly about whether it would add something useful to yours.
Away from weddings
A little about me when I’m not photographing weddings
Away from weddings, I’m a husband to Monika and dad to our two energetic boys. “Energetic” is the polite version. “Small people who rarely stop moving” may be more accurate.
We enjoy getting outdoors together, whether that means exploring the Peak District, heading into the Yorkshire Dales or travelling further afield to Scotland and Wales. Fresh air, open landscapes and family adventures are a big part of life when I am not carrying cameras around a wedding venue.
Travelling has shaped the way I look at places. I notice changing light, interesting backgrounds and the small details that give somewhere its atmosphere. Family life has also taught me plenty about being patient, adapting quickly and accepting that carefully made plans sometimes last approximately three minutes—all surprisingly useful skills for a wedding photographer.
More than anything, these are the people who support me behind the scenes and make it possible for me to do work I genuinely care about.
Explore Ufniak Photography
See more than a highlight reel
A few photographs can show you my editing style, but exploring complete weddings and hearing from real couples will give you a much better idea of what you can expect.
Wedding photography portfolio
See portraits, ceremonies, speeches, family photographs and wonderfully unpredictable moments from weddings across the UK.
Reviews from real couples
Read what previous couples thought about the experience, including those who felt nervous or uncomfortable in front of a camera.
Complete wedding stories
Follow real weddings through the preparations, ceremony, celebrations and dance floor rather than judging the photography from a handful of favourite images.
Ready when you are
Tell me what you’re planning
You do not need to have every timing confirmed, every supplier booked or the complete colour scheme safely stored in a spreadsheet before getting in touch.
Tell me your date, where you are getting married and a little about the kind of celebration you are planning. I’ll let you know whether I am available and help you understand which photography coverage might suit your day. No hard sell and no awkward sales routine—just a friendly conversation about your wedding and what matters to you.
