Xavier Merchet-Thau: St Barth's Cinematic Wedding & Portrait Photographer
A Colombier-based 'dream catcher' with 15+ years turning fleeting island moments into heirloom images.
Why Go
Xavier Merchet-Thau doesn't so much take photographs as coax them out of you — a Colombier-based photographer who calls himself a 'dream catcher' and has been quietly shaping the way St Barth remembers itself since 2007. He's the person hotels, magazines and love-struck couples call when they want the light of the island to look the way it actually feels: golden, unhurried, and a little bit private.
The Experience
Booking Xavier begins with a conversation, not a contract. He insists on a proper chat before any shoot so the day itself feels like being photographed by a friend rather than a stranger with a long lens. Sessions unfold wherever the island cooperates — the wind-carved cliffs above Colombier, the terrace of your villa, a hidden cove at sunrise, or the polished interiors of Eden Rock. He shoots barefoot weddings on Shell Beach, editorial portraits for magazines like Polo, family reunions that turn into laughter behind palm fronds, and boudoir sessions in whitewashed hotel rooms with the shutters half-drawn. The through-line is his refusal to pose you: he coaches, jokes, waits for a real breath, then presses the shutter. The result is a St Barth that looks less like a postcard and more like a memory you'd almost forgotten you had.
What to Try
For couples, the signature is the multi-hour wedding coverage that flows from bridal prep through the ceremony to a golden-hour 'day-after' shoot at Colombier or Anse du Gouverneur — the softer, quieter session where his natural style really sings. Solo travelers and returning regulars book portrait or lifestyle sessions along the north-shore cliffs, or a villa-based family shoot timed to the last 90 minutes before sunset. Fashion brands and jewelers commission his editorial and product work (his gastronomy and jewelry portfolios are worth a scroll). If you're staying long enough, ask about a two-part shoot: an interior 'boudoir' or portrait morning followed by a beachside afternoon.
Insider Tip
Reach out at least three to six months ahead for high-season weddings (December–April) — Xavier is one of a very small handful of resident pros on an island that hosts a lot of very private ceremonies, and his calendar closes early. Email him directly at photostbarth@me.com rather than going through concierge middlemen; he prefers a real conversation and it usually gets you a better rate and a more personalized shot list. Also: don't over-style. Come with clean, uncluttered outfits in linen or off-white and let the Caribbean light do the heavy lifting.
The Practical Stuff
Based on Route de Colombier, 97133 Saint-Barthélemy — the quiet, cliff-hugging north-west corner of the island, about 10 minutes from Gustavia and 15 from Saint-Jean. Shoots are location-based rather than studio-based, so there's nothing to 'visit' at the address; contact is by appointment only. Email: photostbarth@me.com. Portfolios at xaviermerchet-thau.com and merchet-thau.com. Also active on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Rates are quoted per project and vary by scope, deliverables and season — expect resort-island pricing commensurate with 15+ years of editorial-level experience.
Pair It With
- 1493 Lodges St Barth Guide — Xavier's closest neighbor in Colombier — a discreet, design-forward stay that photographs beautifully and makes an ideal base for a getting-ready session before a nearby north-shore ceremony.
- 6e SENS MASSAGE Wellness Beauty Saint Barth Guide — Book a pre-shoot bridal facial or couples' massage here so you arrive in front of Xavier's lens relaxed, glowing and camera-ready.
- Absolute Hot Yoga Guide — A dawn class in Gustavia is a quiet way to steady the nerves the morning of a wedding shoot — and it pairs naturally with Xavier's slow, breath-led coaching style behind the camera.
- Abyss Restaurant Guide — An intimate post-shoot dinner spot to celebrate the wrap of your session or ceremony without leaving the north-west side of the island.
