8 Years of This is Reportage: 2018 – Pedro Vilela’s Story Award
A masterclass in storytelling — from calm to chaos
When This is Reportage launched in late 2017, the goal was simple: to celebrate storytelling in its purest form. Not just one great moment, but the way a photographer sees and connects a whole day together. Few early Awards captured that spirit quite like Pedro Vilela’s (Portugal – TiR profile / website) — one of only three photographers to win a Story Award in our first Collection.
Pedro’s sequence is a perfect example of documentary storytelling at its finest. It begins quietly on a misty beach — fishermen at work, gulls circling, smoke drifting into the fog. The scene feels cinematic, timeless; an opening chapter that grounds us in place and tone before we’ve even glimpsed the couple.
As the day unfolds, the pace quickens. We see groomsmen laughing, the bride’s morning filled with family warmth, a toddler’s curiosity, sunlight spilling across yellow walls. Pedro captures it all with remarkable fluidity — each frame visually distinct yet emotionally linked. His compositions are bold and instinctive: vast skies that balance tiny human gestures, humour balanced with tenderness.
And then, the crescendo — the trampoline, the speeches, the dance floor exploding into joyous chaos. Shirtless guests, laughter, energy, life. By the end of the series, we feel like we’ve lived the entire day ourselves — every shift in tone, every beat of emotion.
What’s so special here is not just the moments Pedro noticed, but how he wove them together. His storytelling rhythm — when to hold back, when to lean in — turns twenty images into a living, breathing narrative. It’s a reminder that documentary wedding photography isn’t just about presence; it’s about perception.
This Story Award remains one of the greats — a vivid example of why authenticity, humour, and heart never go out of style.
Here’s a selection from Pedro’s Story; view the full set on the Collection One awards page.
