2026 Lifestyle Engagement Photography - Diamond Awards

For two decades, the Wedding Photojournalist Association has been presenting awards to documentary photographers who showcase style, creativity and passion during their engagement portrait sessions.

Pre-wedding portrait shoots have become increasingly popular in recent years, with more couples being interested in having images to cherish from this special time in their lives. The best engagement photographers know that the environment for these portrait sessions is critical, as it plays a pivotal role in the story that is told. While on location, photographers need to have a creative eye — they should always be searching for details that can be incorporated into the portrait or a landscape that will set the mood. When the photographer works with the couple to uncover the perfect location, the couple will feel relaxed, happy and completely natural in that space. The end result is a set of breathtaking images that highlight their relationship in an artistic and expressive way.

From playful portraits on the beach to formal, black-and-white images, the WPJA Diamond Award winners below showcase the spectrum of possibilities that lie in the engagement portrait category. Here, you will find inspiration for an original engagement portrait session.