The International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards allows photographers from across the globe to showcase and enter their work in a wide variety of categories. When entering, the Photographer will select the category they believe best suits the image being entered. The image will be judged based on its merits within that category.
The International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards is open to all photographers, Professional and Amateur.
Regular Entries – Close Monday 7th November 2022 11.59 UTC-11
Late Entries – Close Thursday 10th November 2022 11.59 UTC-11
Judging Rounds 1 & 2 – Mid November 2022
Results Announced – February 2023
The 15 Highest scoring entries from each of the 10 Categories will then be re-judged by the 6 judges as a new collection and the Winner of the International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards will be the highest scoring image from those 150 entries.
The Runner Up will be the 2nd Highest scoring image from those 150 entries.
All Winners and Finalists will be listed on the website and receive official result watermark badges to utilise to
promote their winning / finalist entries on their websites.
A portrait of any singular person attending the wedding, taken on the wedding or elopement day. This might be one of the individuals who is being married, but it may also be a member of the bridal party or a guest from the day. Previous winning entries have included portraits of the bride up close, a flower-girl in the bride’s shoes, there’s no telling what will win this year!
A single capture image (reportage) that’s seen, not created by intervening with the scene. Post production can include contrast, colour adjustments, dodge & burn and any process that does not involve the physical cloning or masking/removal of content from the image.
A black and white photograph from the wedding or elopement with no colour – just black, white and every shade of grey in between. A strong black and white image generally shows control and tonal range within the image. It can include any scene from the wedding or elopement. The entry does not have to include the married couple, it can include any individual(s) attending the event. (although it could also be just a thing, not necessarily a person/people)
LIT! is all about the addition of a human-made light source to an image (on & off-camera flash, LED, Sparklers, tungsten etc) We’re celebrating our new sponsor GODOX and the creative sprinkle some extra lighting can bring to a scene by introducing this exciting new category. Are you the LIT master this year?
A photograph taken from the perspective ‘from above’ the subject within the photograph – this can include photographs taken by drones as well as hand held cameras. It also includes from fixed wing aircraft and helicopters (or trees, off the side of buildings, rooftops, building, ladder etc.) imagination and gravity are the only limitations.
It can be a struggle to create a unique and memorable perspective with the whole Bride Tribe / Bridal Party so this category is all about the Bridal Party. This consists of the wedded couple with their attendees (bridesmaids and or groomsmen). It does not have to include them all, it may be only the bride and her maids or the groom and his groomsmen, but needs to be more than the bride and groom only.
A wedding or elopement photograph that you feel fits the bill of Epic. The image will reflect a moment that is Epic in nature, this could include, but is not limited to a scene that is adventurous and grand with awe inspiring scenery, but it might also just be epic because it’s so beautiful, emotive, awesome inspiring in another way.
A couple portrait includes bride & groom, bride & bride or groom & groom together in the same image. There is no boundary on whether it is a close up of the couple or a wide landscape with them within it, it just needs to be “the couple” who’s wedding day is being celebrated.
An Engagement shoot or Non-Wedding day shoot of a real client or couple photographed pre or post wedding day or at an Engagement Session (models hired for styled shoots or workshops not valid for any category in the Awards)
This category is all about the party! the dance, the fancy reception and everyone celebrating an epic wedding day. It can include any part of the reception, from sparkler exits to dance floor antics, anything goes.
Photo by Kim Burrows