2023 Winners Gallery

Congratulations to all winners!

GRAND WINNER

 Tara Lilly – Tara Lilly Photography

Canada

Romantic imagery meets epic landscapes.

Mikaela + Mitch held an intimate mountaintop wedding in Whistler, Canada, on the unceded territory of Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh & L̓il̓wat7úl First Nations⁣⁣⁣. We took 4×4 jeeps up to an alpine meadow, home to a number of animals including whiskey jacks. (If you’ve visited Whistler in the winter, you may have seen these small birds entertain skiers waiting in the lift line by landing on their ski poles held in the air.) Just as Mitch began his vows, a curious whiskey jack swooped in and landed directly on top of Mikaela’s head. Mikaela’s shock, surprise and laughter were not enough to dissuade this bird from his perch. “I’m Snow White!” Mikaela laughed.

About Tara Lilly Photography

Tara (she/her) is an international wedding photographer based in Whistler, Canada. Tara Lilly Photography, founded by Tara and her husband Steve, showcases their gift for capturing human connection. They have been full-time wedding photographers for fifteen years, documenting love stories around the world.


Romantic imagery meets epic landscapes. In January 2020, Tara and Steve launched Whistler Elopements. A passionate venture born out of their love for crafting intimate experiences and the awe-inspiring mountains they call home. With a focus on inclusivity and environmental impact, Whistler Elopements crafts bespoke elopements and intimate weddings tailored to each couple’s desired adventure level. From helicopter tours to alpine sunsets and glamping adventures, they marry couples in Whistler’s breathtaking backcountry.

RUNNER UP 

Carmelo Ucchino

Italy

An almost surreal place where emotion comes to life through the bride and groom.

Such a sweet and in love couple that involved me passionately. The simplicity of a refined wedding in Sicily with many facets, from the very romantic one between the two spouses to the very exuberant one in the post-prom party. In this photo, water actually falls from the roof in an almost surreal context, it is a dance floor where the bride and groom do their first dance together. I remember with amusement the slippery floor after prom. A few slips and lots of laughter to liven up the story of this wedding even more.

About Carmelo Ucchino

Since I was young I have loved photography, immersing myself in the photographic reality that surrounded me. I grew up with the old and beloved film, living a lot of time in the darkroom. I attended a professional photography school, the IED in Rome, where it is from an intense and creative working period began for all of Italy. Photographic exhibitions, cinematographic works and wedding photographic services From 2006 onwards I dedicated myself specifically to the Wedding sector, returning to Sicily and creating “Studio 58” a few years later, a reality that I still manage today. I have always liked comparing myself with others, to grow and improve… to know new, alternative points of view. Telling emotions is fundamental for me. Today my photographic work is reportage style. The photographic stories I tell are a set of visual sensations that fascinate me and that I love to immortalize in a photo. I am part of the most important Italian and international wedding photography associations in which I have obtained many important awards.

COUPLE PORTRAIT

Aimée Flynn

I am outrageously fortunate to call this my job and have much of the Western United States to be my “office”.

When you get a little bit of weather and combine it with off the charts stoke, magic can happen. Not 40 minutes before this photo was taken we were all being pelted with rain, sleet, and snow. The nice thing is that in places as wide open as the desert, you can see often see weather approaching… *and* you can see when that weather will clear, making for the prettiest and moodiest sunset ever. There was so much joyful shrieking as this couple scrambled over the rocks, wind whipping their hair and clothes. It was chilly and windy, but these two had the time of their lives embracing their (very epic) wedding day.

DANCE FLOOR

Carmelo Ucchino

An almost surreal place where emotion comes to life through the bride and groom.

Such a sweet and in love couple that involved me passionately. The simplicity of a refined wedding in Sicily with many facets, from the very romantic one between the two spouses to the very exuberant one in the post-prom party. In this photo, water actually falls from the roof in an almost surreal context, it is a dance floor where the bride and groom do their first dance together. I remember with amusement the slippery floor after prom. A few slips and lots of laughter to liven up the story of this wedding even more.

THE “I-Do” CREW / GROUP SHOT

Jeff Tisman

When I document weddings, my most important thing is not only telling the couples stories, but giving them an experience. Wedding photos don't have to be boring. They could be so much more.

The funny thing about this photo is that I did it once before with another couple at this particular venue. The first time the photo had eight people. This couple wanted the same shot and said Jeff do you think you could fit all 16 of us?
I said there is only one way to find out. “You all get in and we’ll find out”. And in they went!

BLACK & WHITE

Fabio Mirulla

I always try to put order to the “chaos” of the world through the lenses of my camera, sometimes through geometries and this is certainly one of the photographs that I love the most.

I remember very well that day, it was a very hot summer day and the couple was walking in Siena (Tuscany), in one of the most interesting streets, with ancient buildings and narrow streets that lead to Piazza del Campo, which is perhaps one of the most beautiful squares in the world. We were talking just right before starting the photo session when I turned around and saw that there was a cone of light projecting this very strong shadow against Palazzo del Rettorato. I immediately took the chance to play with frames to create something different, a strong geometry totally in contrast and discontinuous with the usual aspect of the city which is a purely medieval town with its typical bricks. The success of a photo sometimes is being in the right place at the right time and this was definitely the case.

ENGAGEMENT / NON WEDDING

Julian Zeman

On the day of the shoot, we were greeted with a bit of wind, which made the waters a tad choppy. Determined to get the perfect shots, we decided to venture further out than usual.

Steph and Matt are both marine biologists’ and got married in the Cook Islands it was only fitting they merge their passion for the ocean and their love for each other with an underwater photoshoot. On the day of the shoot, we were greeted with a bit of wind, which made the waters a tad choppy. Determined to get the perfect shots, we decided to venture further out than usual. My mate John, who owns the fishing boat we went out on, took us to one of the fishing fads – a spot with crystal-clear waters, perfect for our shoot but definitely not a spot for anyone scared of deep water. There’s always a bit of a current and naturally on a windy day we’re dealing with it being choppy but Steph and Matt were incredibly graceful.

EPIC LOCATION

Aimée Flynn

I love this job in absurd excess, but when I’m not criss crossing the western United States for work, I’m often hiking, reading, cooking, rock climbing, trying my hand (and often failing) at making a fancy cocktail, or watching Lord of the Rings for the thousandth time.

Being huge climbers, it was super important for these two to climb in celebration of their elopement. In this moment I was turning around to find a new vantage point for photos when I heard, “Oh, Spiderman style!” from behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw, well, this, and then frantically started taking photos. It’s wild to think I had very little to do with the set up of this photo and that this was genuinely just the two of them having fun.

FROM ABOVE

Ben Lane – Tinted Photography

Creatives at heart, we've been photographing side-by-side for over a decade. We are Sirjana Singh and Benjamin Lane, and we are Tinted Photography.

We started our day super early with Marianne and Jeremy to catch the sun rising across Lago Di Braies. Later, they would say their vows to each other, surrounded by the indescribable peaks of the Italian Dolomites. But in between was this moment. We had the jetty to ourselves; the lake was dead calm, the row boats still in their moorings. It was a perfect time for these two to take a moment and just relax with each other.

SINGLE CAPTURE

Tara Lilly

Tara Lilly Photography, founded by Tara and her husband Steve, showcases their gift for capturing human connection.

Romantic imagery meets epic landscapes. In January 2020, Tara and Steve launched Whistler Elopements. A passionate venture born out of their love for crafting intimate experiences and the awe-inspiring mountains they call home. With a focus on inclusivity and environmental impact, Whistler Elopements crafts bespoke elopements and intimate weddings tailored to each couple’s desired adventure level. From helicopter tours to alpine sunsets and glamping adventures, they marry couples in Whistler’s breathtaking backcountry.

SOLO PORTRAIT

Shankhesh Jariwala

Photography has been my passion since I was a child and getting a recognition for that is like a dream come true

There is a very interesting story behind this picture.
So while capturing bride solo portrait I saw this painting on the wall which was hanging little higher I instantly created the story in my mind about the painting.
I asked bride if she can stand on the little table with those high heels on and she trusted my vision and agreed to do for her perfect bridal portrait Heads off to her That’s how we captured this beautiful portrait of her.

BREAK THE RULES

Traci – Adventure & Vow

I adore this shot because it fully represents what I love to photograph and how I love to do it.

When planning with Gillian + Josh it was clear how much climbing was a part of their relationship. Their first date was on a multi pitch trad route and they got engaged on an epic sport route in Moab. The main things they wanted to be a part of their day: warmth, time to enjoy, climbing, beer and star gazing.

Immediately, I started thinking about how can we create epic star photos that could also embody more of who they are and what they want out of their elopement experience. I pitched the idea to them for a night time hanging rappel down the middle of an arch for star gazing. They loved it!

Logistically, photography wise, this wasn’t going to be easy. Hanging rappels, no matter how hard you try, there is lots of subtle movement. With practice, holding our breathes and some help from passing cars we pulled it off – a night time hanging rappel under the stars – captured for years to look back on and remember the moment, the stars, the hanging in the air with each other before becoming married.

LIT

Van Middleton

I've always enjoyed wedding photography more than most other genres, mainly because it covers a broad gamut of styles and a lot of genuine candid moments to capture.

I was fortunate for this image in that a lot of things aligned. There was a full moon that was tracing a line right between two beautiful big old trees near the wedding venue, I had a couple that was super excited to be involved in a few outdoors night-time creative photos (while their friends were partying hard inside!) and I was also sharing the day with a videographer James Alexander, who was running with a large LED spotlight that I begged and borrowed. I didn’t think my speed lights would be quite right for this type of shot, because I needed something steady and more controlled that I could also light up the trees a bit with. This shot was taken at Worrowing Estate, an amazing venue with beautiful forests all around, which was another stroke of fortune!