Expand Your Creative Vision with MPB

At Way Up North, we believe in providing photographers better access to the tools and knowledge that help them evolve their craft. This is why we’ve partnered with MPB, Europe’s trusted camera gear reseller for photographers who want to buy MPB Approved gear or sell with peace of mind. With MPB, wedding photographers can sustainably upgrade their equipment while exploring new creative possibilities—something our upcoming Berlin presenter Joy Zamora knows well.

Joy Zamora: Capturing the Mediterranean Spirit Through Cinematic Storytelling

Joy Zamora is a destination wedding photographer whose work beautifully blends cinematography and editorial styles, creating images with a dreamlike, mysterious aura while maintaining authenticity. Based in Spain and specializing in Mediterranean weddings, Joy has evolved from focusing on dramatic landscapes to capturing organic moments and subtle gestures that tell deeper stories.

In this interview, Joy shares how his approach has transformed over the years, the equipment he relies on to achieve his distinctive style, and his journey from acclaimed photographer to passionate educator. With influences ranging from filmmakers Terrence Malick and Denis Villeneuve to photographer Cartier Bresson, Joy reveals how travel, curiosity, and resilience have shaped both his creative process and business philosophy.

How do you achieve your particular mix of cinematography and editorial style photography? Can you share any tips or techniques to capture these moments?

To be honest, there isn’t a specific intentionality behind everything I do. But I’m glad that my work is perceived that way. For me, as I believe it is for most photographers, light is another character in the scene. And I give it a lot of importance. Sometimes, when I’m shooting, I focus more on how the light interacts with my subjects than on the subjects themselves.

On the other hand, the power of storytelling is essential to me. I feel very empty when I simply tell my couples how to pose. I need to create a situation that feels real—at least as much as possible. To achieve that, I need to truly understand the person in front of me. That’s why I take the time to dig deep into who they are, especially their personalities and those little traits that make them unique.

With all that information, I recreate new situations—sometimes they’re absurd, sometimes inspired by a movie, or even a moment from their own lives that we bring back to life. This process is incredibly valuable to me, and most importantly, it puts them in a mindset where everything flows naturally. In the end, all that’s left for me to do is observe and maintain that energy while I shoot.

Keeping your cinematic approach to photography in mind, what are the most important pieces in your kit bag for capturing those dreamlike, mysterious moments at weddings? Are there any tools you absolutely couldn’t work without? Why?

I’m a photographer with simple tastes because I highly value my freedom—both in movement and in feeling comfortable while I shoot. Honestly, beyond the obvious importance of the camera, I’d say it’s really the lens that gives me the versatility I need.

For the past two years, I’ve been using Canon’s 28-70mm f/2 zoom, and I don’t think I’ve ever been this in love with a lens. It allows me to capture a huge variety of shots from the same position, which is something I truly appreciate.

Aside from that, flash has recently become an essential tool for me, giving me more creative options. And when the situation calls for it, I randomly use diffusion filters, Pro-Mist, and other similar effects to enhance the mood of the shot.

Your approach has become more organic and focused on small gestures and movement. What is it that fascinates you about these moments? Why did your style change?

I’m a big admirer of a very famous Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami. One thing that has always fascinated me about his books is that what made them feel real to me were the small details he described—like the way a character cooks, or the landscape unfolding before someone as they walk.

I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer, and I love daydreaming. Sometimes, I feel that when it comes to weddings, we place too much emphasis on the obvious moments. But there are so many more layers. Some of them are hidden precisely in the details. It’s like a story within a story—one that expands our creativity and the way we interpret what we’re creating.

I changed my approach simply to avoid getting bored with this job and to keep myself continuously inspired. There are so many subtle, almost imperceptible details happening right in front of us that it would feel dishonest not to notice them. Plus, they help me tell my clients’ stories with an extra layer of depth.

Are there any pieces of gear you’re thinking of selling or upgrading soon to better support this evolution in your style?

As I mentioned before, I’m pretty simple when it comes to gear. I’ve just made the jump from the Canon R6 to the Canon R6 Mark II because I feel like I need a bit more speed and a slightly larger sensor. Lately, I’ve been cropping a lot of my photos (sometimes almost at a molecular level, haha), so having more resolution is always a good thing.

On another note, I’m thinking about investing in a new point-and-shoot film camera. I haven’t completely decided which one I’ll go for yet, but that’s probably where my next big purchase is heading.