The human bit
About me
My name is Chris Freer and I live in Cockermouth, on the edge of the Lake District, with my wife Rachel, our two young sons and our ex-racing trail hound, Jazz, who still thinks every walk is a training session.
I was born in 1972 near Nottingham, but spent most of my childhood and early twenties in South Lincolnshire. In 1999, I moved to Cockermouth and somewhere along the way it quietly became home. It is where I built my life, met the love of my life and where we are now raising our family.
The Lake District is not just where I work. It is part of who I am. The weather, the light, the hills and the slightly unpredictable nature of it all have shaped the way I photograph weddings.
In short, I photograph weddings calmly, naturally and without turning the day into a photo session. Most of the time I am watching for real moments. When portraits are needed, I keep them relaxed, quick and properly guided.
Before weddings
My story, the short version
After leaving school, I pursued a 20 year career in motorsport, a world that shaped me in ways I still carry today. I began with an apprenticeship at a race car manufacturer and, over ten years working alongside talented and respected professionals, became a craftsman fabricator.
I later joined the Ford World Rally Team and spent the first year working behind closed doors on a multi-million-pound project that became the Ford Focus WRC. Once that project was ready, I moved to Cumbria to join the rest of the WRC squad.
That career gave me opportunities I could never have imagined. I worked alongside highly skilled engineers, many quietly operating behind the scenes yet deeply respected within the sport, while also working alongside motorsport heroes such as Colin McRae, Carlos Sainz and Petter Solberg.
Motorsport years
As part of the testing and development team, I travelled extensively, spending weeks abroad in demanding environments. Scandinavia remains especially memorable, particularly winter testing in northern Sweden, surrounded by snow, ice and vast frozen landscapes.
I eventually relocated to the team’s headquarters here in Cumbria, managing the fabrication department. It was fast-paced and high-pressure, teaching me discipline, precision and the importance of getting the details right.
If you have ever wondered why I am calm when weddings get a bit lively, this is probably part of the reason.
What motorsport gave me: calm decision-making, attention to detail and the ability to stay focused when everything is moving quickly.
Photography and people
How photography became the main thing
Photography had always been there. I received my first SLR camera at 13, which I still own, and I remember the anticipation of waiting for film to be developed. Somewhere in those early experiments, a lifelong passion began.
After moving to Cumbria, I fell in love with the landscape, the light, the scale and the atmosphere. Over time, I realised it was not just scenery I enjoyed capturing, but emotion and the quiet in-between moments. That same approach now defines how I photograph weddings.
Experience without fuss
Weddings, trust and empathy
I am now more than 20 years into working as a professional photographer and have photographed more than 1,500 ceremonies. While I have been fortunate to receive industry awards and recognition, what matters most is the trust couples place in me on one of the most important days of their lives.
My early career taught me professionalism and attention to detail. Life has taught me empathy. Both are equally important at a wedding, especially when Uncle Dave starts helping with the group photos.
I am grateful to have built close working relationships with many of the finest wedding venues in the Lake District, relationships built on trust, consistency and knowing how a wedding day actually feels from the inside.
Still learning
Training, craft and always learning
Over the years, I have trained with world-class photographers including Chris Chambers, Edmond Terakopian, Brett Harkness and Jeff Ascough. More recently, I have worked alongside Sony Imaging Ambassadors such as Terry Donnelly. I hold an MPA Diploma and am a registered member of The Guild of Photographers.
Continuous learning has always been important to me, partly because the craft matters and partly because I am happily nerdy about light.
While weddings are my first love, I also work freelance for international media and corporate clients including Bentley, M-Sport, the National Trust, Pirelli, Azione Sports Clothing and Cumbria Tourism. Media commissions have included the BBC, ITV, The Times and The Irish Independent.
Away from weddings
Life outside work
Although photography was my hobby long before it became my profession, I was determined to keep that original curiosity intact. I still photograph purely for myself, often returning to motorsport or capturing low-flying jets over the Lake District. It keeps the spark alive.
Away from work, family life grounds everything. Whether it is a city break, a quiet getaway with Rachel, music gigs or time outdoors, we try to make the most of every spare moment and occasionally succeed.
Sport has always played a role in my life. I raced karts as a teenager before moving into rallying, and I was also a rally driving instructor for a brief time. In more recent years, I have competed in marathons, duathlons and triathlons across the UK and Europe.
In 2018, I was proud to represent Great Britain as part of the GB Age Group Triathlon Squad at the European Championships. I am also a qualified British Triathlon coach. Ironman 70.3 events have been personal highlights, particularly Mallorca, probably one of my best races ever.
More recently, I have been enjoying a lot more mountain biking, an interest I share with my two sons. Heading off around the country for a campervan adventure and a bit of MTB’ing with my lads really is something special for me.
Photography has never just been about taking pictures. It is about noticing, understanding people and recognising the small, fleeting moments that grow more meaningful over time. I still feel incredibly lucky that this is what I get to do.
A few moments from the journey
A small mix of motorsport, endurance sport, family, hills and the things that have shaped how I work. A photographer’s bio, but with fewer staged desk portraits and more mud.
Useful next steps
If you are planning a wedding in the Lake District
These are the most useful places to go next if you are trying to work out whether I am the right fit, what the photography feels like, or how the planning side works.
My style of photography
How I work on the day, from natural moments to relaxed portraits and family photos that do not take over.
Prices and packages
A straightforward place to look through coverage, options and the bits you may or may not need.
Wedding gallery
A broader look through real wedding photography from the Lake District, Cumbria and beyond.
Reviews from couples
A helpful read if you want to know what it feels like to have me around on the day.
Supplier guide
Local Lake District wedding suppliers I am happy to recommend, from florists and hair to videographers.
Planning advice
Calm, practical wedding advice for couples who want less pressure and a day that feels like them.
Get in touch
Tell me what you are planning
Whether it is a full wedding day, an intimate elopement, or something quietly brilliant in between, I would love to hear about it.