Vendor Plug-in Vincent van den Berg
Hello everyone, welcome to this Vendor Plug-in featuring Vincent van den Berg—the incredible photographer who captured my wedding 12 years ago. Vincent will be taking over my Journal for the next two weeks. This first week is all about getting to know the man behind the lens, so I asked him a series of fun and thoughtful questions to dive into his world.
When I first met Vincent 14 years ago, I was immediately captivated by his work. Even then, there was something different about the way he saw and captured moments. Since then, his talent has only continued to rise—most recently being ranked the number one wedding photographer in the world, and the number one photographer in Mexico for 2024 and 2025 by One Eyeland, among other awards
Let’s dive in!
As an award-winning photographer, what are your top 3 favorite award-winning images, and what’s the story behind them? How did you create such magic? I'm sure my readers want to replicate such gorgeous results!
These three images still move me every time I see them.
The first is an underwater split-level moment in the ocean — the couple kissing while the turquoise water meets the sky, a lighthouse standing quietly in the distance and a seabird soaring above. We slipped into the sea at dawn with no agenda. I simply kept my heart open, eyes wide, and let the light and the moment do the rest. The magic happened when they forgot the camera entirely.
The second is a silhouette kiss inside a dramatic space filled with glowing woven lanterns hanging like stars. The warm light wrapped around them and the whole room felt alive with presence. Again, no posing — just two souls meeting in the soft glow. I stayed rooted, breathing with them, until the image revealed itself.
The third is a misty cenote kiss at golden hour. The jungle mist caught the light, the water was mirror-still, and their embrace felt timeless. We had walked there together earlier that morning with open hearts. The photograph became the memory itself.
The magic is never forced. It arrives when I surrender to the light that is already here, when I let go of what I hold and simply come home to the moment that is whole. That is when an image stops being a photo and becomes a living feeling couples can return to for the rest of their lives.
Why did you name your company Pixan Photo?
Pixan is the ancient Mayan word for soul — alma in Spanish. Pixel + soul. We don’t pose love. We meet it. My passion has always been freezing the precise instant hearts open and eyes go wide, so couples can close their eyes years later and still feel the song in their soul.
Do you prefer working directly with clients or alongside a wedding planner? And how does that dynamic impact the experience? In other words, do you prefer direct contact with the couple?
The most beautiful weddings happen when the couple and every guest are filled with gratitude, fully present, and having the time of their lives. That only occurs when the day flows without friction. A skilled planner removes every small bump so the energy stays pure and the moment can unfold naturally. I love direct connection with couples, yet the best results bloom when we are all on the same team — planner, couple, and photographer — allowing the light to do its quiet work.
How many weddings does your company photograph in a year, and how is your team structured behind the scenes?
We photograph 30 to 50 weddings per year across Cancun, Riviera Maya, and Xcaret venues. I am the lead photographer, but my second photographer Ed and lead videographer Fabian have walked beside me for over a decade. They are deeply talented, experienced, and share the same reverence for presence. Together we have captured more than 100 Xcaret weddings and 500 destination celebrations.
Do you prefer shooting in locations you know well, or do you enjoy the challenge of new venues?
Both bring me joy. Familiar places let me guide couples deeper into the beauty I already love. New venues keep my eyes wide and my heart open. In either case, the goal is the same: images that bring you back to exactly how you felt — rooted, whole, and surrounded by light — so the feeling lives on for years, even inspiring others who see it.
What do you love photographing outside of weddings? And can we see some examples of your passion outside of romance travel.
As a holistic practitioner, I am drawn to adventure, travel, and the wisdom of other cultures. I also deeply cherish photographing the tender, unposed moments with my own family — those pure bursts of laughter and connection that remind me why presence matters most. And I find the same alive energy in sports like skiing and surfing, where the mountain or the ocean becomes my moving sanctuary. Photography has taken me around the world capturing ethnic minority groups, sacred festivals, and spiritual gatherings. It becomes a living meditation for me — my purest doorway into flow and presence, a surrender to the light that guides me home. I feel most alive when I connect with the environment and people who are also expressing the best version of themselves in the moment. The energy is electric.
What do you consider the ideal number of hours for full wedding day coverage? And if you want to talk about your favorite package to sell.
The ideal coverage flows with the rhythm of your day — the number of guests, the schedule, the celebration itself. What I always recommend, and what couples say they cherish most, is adding a private pre- or post-wedding adventure shoot. A day or two before or after the wedding we slip away to a secluded beach, jungle path, or cenote. No timeline pressure. Just you, the light, and the land. These are the images that feel like coming home to the love you’ve always been — the ones couples frame large and return to whenever they want to remember exactly how it felt to say “yes” in paradise.
Top 10 finalist Photo Contest One Eyeland 2024
Before we close this week’s Vendor Plug-in, I have to share something that felt really special to me. I had no idea until yesterday, but Vincent told me that one of my wedding photos—the one we’re ending with here—was actually a Top 10 finalist for an award in 2024. I love that. It makes the moment feel even more meaningful.
This photo was taken as Mike and I were being introduced as husband and wife, surrounded by our best friends holding sparklers. You can see it in my face—the pure joy of that moment—and the way Vincent captured it is exactly why his work has always stayed with me. I love everything about it, and I’m so glad he chose to submit it.
Vincent, thank you for your candor, your trust, and for sharing your art with all of us. Your work—especially your cultural and travel photography—feels like a window into the world, and I can already feel it sparking a need to travel somewhere amazing.
Stay tuned for next week, where we’ll dive into the passion behind what made me work him in the first place… and of course, the trash the dress session.