Wedding Photos of Light

The following “Light” images were created by documentary wedding photographers from the WPJA, who regularly submit their best candid moments, artistic portraits, details, and scene setters for review by our WPJA competition judges.

WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS + ARTISTIC PORTRAITS & DETAILS + ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS

Some of the “Light” marriage photography samples below may have come from the getting ready events, the actual wedding ceremony, the reception after-party, an engagement session with the couple, or possibly be artistic portraits or detail shots.

FINE ART WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: Our Artistic Guild award winners take a more creative approach to wedding day Portraits and use their innovative skills to capture the Details of each couple’s special day. The Artistic Guild’s Scene Setters are some of the most notable and breathtaking from within the artistic WPJA contest categories. Playing with light and shadow, special effects, and post-production editing, these images embrace the artistic component of wedding photography.

PRE-WEDDING ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY: The story of every couple starts long before the wedding day, and the engagement marks one of the most important milestones in their story. Engaged couples often want to celebrate the occasion and announce their upcoming wedding with a photoshoot. Pre-wedding portraits of an engaged couple can be just as moving and compelling as the images taken on the wedding day. Engagement portraits can win a Diamond Award, an exclusive WPJA award whose winner is selected from the best engagement photography in the world.

Engagement Photos from Barcelona - Image contains: sitting couple, parked bikes, light, depth of field

Engagement Photography for Medina de Rioseco - Portrait contains: light, profiles, mirror, reflection, sign, couple

profiles mirror light couple valladolid Portrait Medina de Rioseco

Engagement photo session in Lincoln Park, Chicago with warm light

light sunshine Chicago pre wedding portrait Lincoln Park Chicago engagement photo Chicago shadows

Engagement shoot couple facing the sunlight during dumbo portrait session

formal shadows brick wall Dumbo pre wedding portrait Dumbo light Dumbo engagement photo

Almería - Spain Pre Wedding Portraits for a Couple with Movement

public places city photos street photography shadows city scene Spain

Nailsworth, Gloucestershire Wedding and Engagement Portraits - Couple against wall with vert stripes and great light.

light silhouette great light Gloucestershire wall vert stripes

Hoi An Photographer for Weddings and Engagement Portraits.

Hoi An wedding couple sunshine silhouette light Hoi An pre wed shadows

Cape Town engagement portrait of couple using shadow to create a contrast

posed couple light Cape Town Cape Town engagement session sunshine formal wear

Ouro Preto, MG Engagement Session - Couple holding each other in the afternoon sunlight

shadows MG wedding couple afternoon light MG Ouro Preto

Brazil engagement session with lovely couple late in the day

brazil wedding couple Brazil Brazil pre wed silhouette light shadows Brazil engagement session

Krabi engagement session in the shadow in the blue

silhouette Krabi pre wed Blue Krabi engagement session shadow light Krabi

Manhattan Apple Computer Shoot - Engagement session in Grand Central, Manhattan, NYC

Manhattan Apple Computer Engagement session in Grand Central, Manhattan, NYC

Grand central Manhattan Apple Computer shadows Manhattan engagement session nyc Manhattan

Cape Town portrait of the engaged couple using the light and architecture of the place

light shadows Cape Town engagement session Cape Town wedding couple Cape Town Cape Town pre wed sunshine

Naples Florida Engagement Photo Shoot at Night under a Light

Florida Naples pre wed Night light Naples engagement session Naples wedding couple

A sunset engagement shoot at the water with a light

Valencia light evening engagement lake dock sunset portrait still water Valencia Engagement Photography

Padurile Regale Wedding Photography - People dancing during the reception party

People dancing under dj lighting during the reception party

reception party wedding guests dj Corbeanca dancing

The bride and groom kiss beneath a light covered with long streamers in this photo by a Paris, France wedding photographer.

The bride and groom kiss beneath a light covered with long streamers in this purple photo

bride and groom Ronan Jégaden Paris france wedding purple France kiss

Zhejiang Wedding Day Portrait Photography | The light from the window illuminates the bride.

Zhejiang Wedding Day Portrait Photography as The light from the window illuminates the bride

wedding photography window wedding day light Bridal beauty special day zhejiang photography

The sun has set but the couple is illuminated by a light on the dock in this prewedding photoshoot in Siracusa

light illuminated dock Siracusa sun

A couple in O Butia, Alegre is cast half in light, half in shadow during their pre-wedding photoshoot by a Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil photographer.

A couple is cast half in light, half in shadow during their pre-wedding photoshoot

O Butia Alegre light shadow

The bride walks up a flight of stairs into the light in Caracas in this image created by a documentary-style Venezuela wedding photographer.

The bride walks up a flight of stairs into the light in this image

bride walks light Caracas stairs flight

Peneda Geres National Park - Portugal Portrait of the couple on the light

A National Park Portrait of the couple in the light before their wedding

Peneda Geres National Park light Portugal

baker beach san francisco engagement shoot at night with a light

San Francisco baker beach engagement Baker Beach CA Night light

Engagement photo using light and shadow to make it appear as though the bride is dancing in the groom's heart in Kuliang Mount.

umbrella light shadow groom Kuliang Mount engagement photos Henry Xu engagement photo

Magic Village Drave - Arouca, Viseu - Portugal Engagement Photography with the light window

Engagement Photography with the light window silhouetting the couple

light Viseu Portugal window Magic Village Drave Arouca

Pré-wedding couple portrait session with a light, an umbrella, and graffiti mural art on the wall

graffiti mural art Diablo Pub umbrella wall Goiás engagement session light

Greenwich, UK portrait session at the park with trees and a light

Night portrait session at the park with trees and a light

Greenwich light uk engagement photographer trees UK park

Tacoma, Washington engagement portraits of a Couple holding hands on dock | shadows and lines frame this engaged couple showing the light and darkness they came through to be together

light holding hands Washington Tacoma WA darkness Washington engagement

Oaxaca City, Mexico wedding photographer | outdoor Wedding ceremony moments with warm afternoon light

Oaxaca City, Mexico image from an outdoor Wedding ceremony with warm afternoon light

Oaxaca City light afternoon Oaxaca City weddings Mexico outdoor wedding ceremony

Tokyo American Club wedding venue photography | Hard Light, Soft Bride Portrait in Good Light

A beautiful portrait of a bride at Tokyo American Club was created with contrast and light

hard light contrast bride Tokyo American Club light good light beautiful portrait

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WPJA contest judges have been recognized by their industry peers, winning top awards as staff picture editors, staff photojournalists, and newsroom mentors while working for these and other leading publications and journalism organizations.