Couple standing on rocky outcrop at a safari bush wedding, South Africa — Ben Viljoen Photography Wedding ceremony, Johannesburg — Ben Viljoen Photography Safari bush wedding, South Africa — Ben Viljoen Photography Karoo wedding landscape — Ben Viljoen Photography
Documentary & Safari Wedding Photographer · South Africa

Weddings,
observed.

Documentary & Safari Wedding Photographer · South Africa

Weddings,
observed.

Natural, unposed wedding photography for couples marrying in South Africa — from the African bush to the Cape and destinations beyond, including many who travel in from abroad to celebrate here.

I photograph weddings with a documentary approach, quietly and honestly, often paying special attention to the moments that happen around the edges of the wedding, where no one is trying too hard and things are perhaps just a little less performative.

I have been photographing weddings across South Africa and around the world since 2008, and I've found that it's often the quieter, unforced images that endure. I work throughout the country and travel widely, from safari lodges and Cape Town to Gauteng, the Free State grasslands, the Karoo, the mountains, and destinations both within and beyond Africa.

Every wedding has its own energy. My approach is simply to be present, to watch closely, and to make photographs that feel like a true reflection of the day.

More about Ben

A selection
of my work

Full portfolio
Documentary wedding portrait
Documentary Moments
Wedding ceremony, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Safari bush wedding, South Africa
Safari Weddings · South Africa
Candid wedding moment
Candid
Bush wedding landscape
African Bush
South African wedding landscape
South Africa

Documentary first, travel second.

I photograph weddings across South Africa and beyond. My approach is always the same though, observational and honest.

01

Safari & Game Reserve Weddings

Greater Kruger · Welgevonden · KZN North Coast Reserves

The African bush is one of the most extraordinary places to photograph a wedding. It's the light, the space, the sense of vast wilderness beyond the edge of the frame. I work as a safari wedding photographer across different game reserves throughout South Africa and beyond.

Safari weddings →
02

Cape Town & surrounds

Cape Town · Winelands · West Coast · Overberg

Mountain backdrops, wine estates, fynbos and extraordinary light. From Cape Town itself to Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, the West Coast and the Overberg — the Cape offers some of the most beautiful wedding settings anywhere in the world, and it's a region I'm increasingly drawn to as a Cape Town and Winelands wedding photographer.

Cape Town →
03

Johannesburg & Pretoria

Gauteng · Cradle Country · Highveld

From intimate city venues and beautiful garden estates to the open Highveld countryside, Gauteng offers a different kind of setting — closer to home for many of the couples I work with, whether or not the wedding itself happens here.

Johannesburg & Pretoria →
04

Dullstroom & Surrounds

Mpumalanga Highlands · Waterval Boven · Lydenburg

Rolling highveld grasslands, cold-water streams, misty mornings and a landscape that feels entirely its own. Dullstroom and the Mpumalanga Highlands are a natural fit for couples who want something a little quieter and more remote.

Dullstroom →
05

Clarens & the Drakensberg

Free State · Eastern Drakensberg · Golden Gate

The sandstone cliffs of Clarens and the dramatic landscapes of the Drakensberg foothills make for some of the most visually compelling wedding environments in the country. Especially good for documentary work — the landscape does the heavy lifting.

Clarens & Drakensberg →
06

Africa & Destinations Worldwide

Mozambique · Botswana · Zambia · Kenya · Beyond

Travel is always welcome. I have been photographing weddings globally since 2008 — across Africa and beyond. If your wedding is somewhere extraordinary, I would love to be there.

Enquire about travel →

From the
couples.

What they say

"You are a genius at capturing the emotion and atmosphere of the day."

Jessica & Duncan

"Ben has a special talent for capturing moments in a unique way. Our wedding photos are stunning. He went the extra mile for us."

Natasha & Reuhl

"Ben is the absolute best. He doesn't just take photos, he creates art. His skill, style and attention to detail is absolutely amazing."

Stefan & Moniki

Recent
wedding stories

All stories

Let's talk about
your wedding.

I take on a limited number of weddings each year. If my approach resonates, I'd love to hear from you — even if your date is still some way off.

Send an enquiry
Email
connect@benviljoenphotography.co.za
Phone / WhatsApp
+27 76 120 2556
Based in
South Africa
Available for
South Africa · Africa · Worldwide