A MADEIRA ELOPEMENTMónica & Nuno

July 27, 2026

Mónica and Nuno live on Madeira, and that is where we met: Funchal, before sunrise, a town square still dark. We spent one afternoon driving the island and photographing as we went, and by evening I was on a plane home. There was fog up on the ridge and sun down on the coast inside the same hour, which is normal for Madeira and part of why I keep going back. Thanks to Mónica and Nuno for giving me their afternoon.

Mónica and Nuno on the black-and-white cobbles of a Funchal square, MadeiraCouple on the patterned pavement of a Funchal square in black and white
Empty street in Funchal old town, Madeira, in black and white
Black and white bridal portrait in Funchal, MadeiraBride and groom walking a Funchal street in black and white
Sunlight through the trees at Parque Florestal das Queimadas, MadeiraBacklit couple among the trees at Queimadas, Madeira, in black and white
Bride and groom small among the laurel trees at Parque das Queimadas, Madeira
Black and white bridal portrait in the forest at Queimadas, MadeiraCouple in the laurel forest at Parque das Queimadas, Madeira

Black and white, straight out of camera

I shoot in black and white. It is my preference, and it is what you are looking at here: the photos the way they came out of the camera, unedited.

Terraced hillside in the Madeira interior in black and white

There is a name for this, straight out of camera. The camera saves a JPEG, I hand it over as it is, and that is the photo. No editing, no retouching. It is close to shooting film.

Bride on a ridge in the hills of Madeira in black and white

For the couples who want it, I can hand over the black-and-white photos the same day. Not everyone cares about that, and that is fine. And in case you are wondering, the camera also saves a RAW file for every shot, which can be turned into colour, so if you ever want one converted from black and white to colour, that is an easy fix.

Couple among the laurel trees at Queimadas, MadeiraBlack and white embrace in the forest at Parque das Queimadas
Bride and groom above a Madeira hillside in black and whiteCouple with the Madeira hills behind them in black and white
Thatched house at Parque Florestal das Queimadas, Madeira, in black and whiteBride and groom by a thatched Queimadas house in Madeira

Across the island

Madeira is small enough to cross in an afternoon and varied enough that it does not feel like it. We started in Funchal, drove up to the laurel forest at Parque Florestal das Queimadas, stopped at the Miradouro do Boqueirão on the north coast, and finished out on the peninsula at Ponta de São Lourenço as the sun went down.

Close black and white portrait of Mónica and Nuno at QueimadasBride and groom cheek to cheek in the Queimadas forest, Madeira
Bride with her dress and veil among the trees at Queimadas, MadeiraBridal portrait in the forest at Parque das Queimadas in black and white
Madeira north coast above the sea in black and white Bride on a green headland at Miradouro do Boqueirão, Madeira
Couple at Miradouro do Boqueirão on the Madeira north coast, black and whiteBlack and white portrait of an eloping couple at Miradouro do Boqueirão
North coast of Madeira from Miradouro do Boqueirão with a couple on the cliffs
Bride and groom at a clifftop picnic on the Madeira north coast in black and whiteCouple close together above the Madeira coast in black and white
Green headland and the Atlantic at Miradouro do Boqueirão, Madeira

The wind was up out on the point, and the light did not last long.

Bride at Ponta de São Lourenço, Madeira, at golden hour in black and whiteBridal portrait on the Ponta de São Lourenço peninsula, Madeira
Boats below the cliffs at Ponta de São Lourenço at sunset in black and white Sun setting over the sea at Ponta de São Lourenço, Madeira, in black and white Bride's dress spinning at Ponta de São Lourenço at sunset, Madeira Bride and groom embrace at Ponta de São Lourenço at sunset in black and white

Book a session in Madeira

If you are getting married or eloping in Madeira, or you want a few hours of photographs while you are on the island, get in touch. I photograph full weddings and elopements too. If you are still planning, my guide to getting married in Madeira covers the practical side.

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