ABOUT POPPY
The eye behind the photographs. The calm presence beside you.
The Poppy is a Philadelphia wedding photography studio led by June Whitaker, creating film photographs that feel artful, unhurried, and deeply personal.
THE STUDIO
A wedding should still feel like a wedding.
At Poppy, we believe the photographs should come from the day, rather than pull you away from it.
June watches for the gestures, glances, and quiet exchanges that make a celebration feel like yours, then offers calm direction when a portrait needs a little shape. There is room for beauty without turning every moment into a production.
The result is a collection of photographs rooted in the people, place, and pace of the day. Images meant to be lived with now, then returned to years from now.
She notices the things most people miss.
Meet June
June Whitaker is the photographer and founder behind Poppy. She is drawn to weddings for the same reason she is drawn to film: both ask you to pay attention.
On a wedding day, that means watching for the small things. A hand resting at the small of your back. Your grandmother fixing your veil. The look across the table after the room has gone loud.
June photographs with a quiet presence and gives direction when it helps. Her goal is simple: to make photographs that feel beautiful because they are true to the people in them.
THE POPPY DIFFERENCE
A thoughtful way of working, from the first conversation to the final frame.
Difference 1:
The day comes first
Full-day and multi-day coverage, from the quiet of getting ready through the last slow song after dinner.
Difference 2:
Direction when it helps
You will never be left wondering what to do with your hands. June steps in when a little guidance is useful, then gives the moment back to you.
Difference 3:
Film with purpose
Film is part of the way June sees. It gives color, skin, light, and movement a softness that feels true to the day.
Difference 4:
A smaller calendar
June accepts a limited number of weddings each year so each one receives her full attention before, during, and after the celebration.
THE STUDIO
A small team, with a shared eye for the details that matter.
June Whitaker
Founder + Photographer
June leads every wedding with a calm presence, a sharp eye, and a deep respect for the people in front of her camera.
Clara Bennett
Studio Manager
Clara keeps the details organized behind the scenes, from first emails to final album approvals.
Second Photographer + Film Assistant
Mae Collins
Mae joins June for larger celebrations, photographing and filming the parts of the day unfolding elsewhere.
As seen in
OUTSIDE THE WEDDING DAY
Life beyond the viewfinder
Old art books
Especially the ones with notes in the margins.
35mm film
There is almost always a roll in her bag that has nothing to do with work.
Fresh flowers
Usually something loose, seasonal, and a little imperfect.
Dinner that runs long
Good wine, good bread, nowhere else to be.
An extra day abroad
She is rarely in a hurry to come home.
Free Guide
The Unrushed Wedding Day
A sample timeline you can shape your own day around, paced so the whole day feels calm and unhurried. So you're present for it, and the photographs feel that way too.
