About Chris Freer
A Cockermouth-based photographer with a calm documentary style, a motorsport background and a deep dislike of making people feel awkward in front of a camera.
The short introduction
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.
Calm, natural and without turning the day into a production
Most of the time I am watching for real moments. When portraits are needed, I keep them relaxed, quick and properly guided. The photographs matter enormously, but the experience of the day matters too.
I am naturally observant and quite happy being close enough to notice what is happening without needing to become the centre of it. That balance probably explains a lot about both the way I work and the things I photograph for myself.
Twenty years in motorsport
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.
Pressure, precision and frozen landscapes
I was part of the testing and development team and travelled extensively, sometimes 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.
Think clearly while things move
Motorsport taught me to assess what is happening quickly without adding to the noise.
Small things matter
The difference between nearly right and properly right is often found in details nobody else notices.
Anticipate, then react
Fast cars and weddings share at least one quality: some moments happen once and do not wait for you.
“What motorsport gave me: calm decision-making, attention to detail and the ability to stay focused when everything is moving quickly.”
From a first SLR at thirteen to a life spent noticing
I received my first SLR camera at 13, which I still own, and 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.
How weddings became the main thing
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 photographs.
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.
Craft matters — and I am happily nerdy about light
Continuous learning has always been important to me, partly because the craft matters and partly because curiosity is the thing that keeps a long career feeling alive.
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.
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.
Family, endurance sport, hills and a bit more mud
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.
From representing Great Britain to campervan adventures with my sons
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 photographer’s bio, with fewer staged desk portraits
A small mix of motorsport, endurance sport, family, hills and the things that have shaped how I work.
A few quiet places to continue
This page is about who I am. These pages explain how that background and way of thinking translate into wedding photography.
How I photograph a wedding
The calm, documentary approach and where I step in with gentle direction.
Read about my styleReal wedding galleries
A broader look at the people, weather, landscapes and moments that make each day different.
Explore the galleryLife and weddings in the Lakes
Venue knowledge, planning advice and practical help gathered from more than 1,500 ceremonies.
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