Top 22 Creative California - Northern Wedding Portrait Photographers for 2024

Page Updated: January 31st, 2024

Wouldn’t you just love to hire a top creative California - Northern wedding photographer to create artistic portraits on your big day? The Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association is here to help! Wedding photojournalists are, first and foremost, photographers — creative artists, in other words. In the AG contests, WPJA members exhibit their skills at digitally enhanced California - Northern couple portraits.

Four Artistic Guild contests for California - Northern wedding portraits are held annually, entered and judged separately from the regular WPJA competitions of moments. After each creative photo contest, we add another collection of award-winning portraits to our member profile galleries.

Want to have a top California - Northern creative wedding photographer take some unique and artistic portraits? In a portrait (for these purposes), the photographer has staged the couple, the bridal party, or other participants or groups — such as family, friends, or children — on the day of the wedding. One distinguishing feature of portraits is that the subjects are aware of the camera and are maintaining their positions for the sake of the photograph.

Marla Manes, a PNW ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER in Seattle WA

Seattle-based wedding photographer Marla Manes excels in artistic detail shots and scene setter images for adventurous couples. Emphasizing environmental sustainability, she prioritizes creating a comfortable space for all clients with her expertise in wedding photojournalism and portraiture.

Wedding and elopement photography by Will Tee - SW Wedding Photo Studio

Will Tee is an artistic wedding photographer known for his creative portrait sessions and artful detail imagery. He is skilled at using symmetrical framing and creating perfectly balanced images.

Northern CA, Wedding Photography by Joyce Perlman, serving Carmel and Big Sur

Joyce Perlman, a US-based wedding photographer, stands out for her unique approach to capturing weddings through a combination of contemporary and documentary-style photography. With a background in fine art and visual design, Joyce's artistic eye shines through in her portrait sessions, often taking advantage of natural settings like trees, the wilderness, and the golden hour to create stunning images.

Capture beautiful moments on your special day with the talented wedding photographer Chris Werner in Northern California's stunning Lake Tahoe.

Chris Werner is a highly experienced artistic wedding photographer with a career spanning over 25 years. He has a remarkable ability to capture the love and individuality of engaged couples using his distinct and creative style. Chris began his photography journey with black and white film in 1994, which has since evolved into a fine art approach.

Engagements, Weddings and Elopement Photographer Lucy Schultz

Lucy Schultz is an artistic wedding photographer known for her unique style and ability to create eye-catching imagery. With her off-camera lighting skills and love for night shots, she brings a touch of artistry to every wedding she captures. Lucy's clients appreciate the fun and comfortable atmosphere she creates, allowing them to be their authentic selves in front of the camera.

Northern California wedding photography by San Jose-based Steve Kpa

San Jose wedding photographer Steve Kpa, known for his diverse style, celebrates individuality and creativity in capturing romantic, dream-like images. With a focus on sunset lighting, he specializes in fine art wedding portrait sessions.

Kevin Sawyer for Elopements and Weddings and Engagement Photography

Kevin Sawyer is an acclaimed wedding photographer known for his captivating and vibrant images. His signature style combines bold and colorful compositions with photojournalistic storytelling, resulting in stunning artful photographs. With expertise in off-camera lighting techniques, Kevin masterfully captures the beauty of night portraits with dusk lighting. His keen eye for graphic lines, bold designs, and geometric shapes...

USA hiking, rock climbing, Adventure Wedding Photographer Traci Edwards

Traci Edwards, an artistic wedding photographer, focuses on fine art wedding portraits and creative wedding details. Celebrating diverse styles, she captures authentic images with a soft, romantic feel.

San Jose wedding and elopement photography by Jipeng Han of Northern California

Jipeng Han, a Bay Area CA photographer, specializes in playful portraits of couples, from relaxed sessions, and often includes buildings and architecture.

Adventure weddings and elopement photography by Lauren Lindley

Lauren Lindley is a traveling wedding photographer with a specialty in capturing memorable wedding moments. She has a knack for making people feel at ease in front of the camera and enjoys shooting in unique locations such as the beach or in nature, including trees and wilderness. Additionally, she is known for her artistic portrait sessions in the snow, creating captivating and artful images.

Studio portrait of wedding photographer Tanushree Vaidya

Tanushree Vaidya is a photographer who specializes in creative wedding day images. She has traveled to 14 countries to capture weddings, bringing her skills in commerce, hair artistry, portraiture, and graphic design to her work. Tanushree enjoys capturing the details of wedding traditions in bold and colorful images, as well as working in black and white.

CA Engagemen, Wedding and Elopement Photography by Tyler Vu

Tyler Vu is a Northern California wedding photographer who seamlessly combines his background in graphic design with his passion for capturing life in its most authentic form. Using his keen eye for composition, Tyler excels at immortalizing the unique details and emotions that make each wedding unforgettable. With his artful approach and love for bold and bright colors, he expertly incorporates graphic lines, elements, and...

Shaun Baker - Wedding Photographer and Couple Portrait Professional

Shaun Baker, a USA-based photographer, transitioned from videography to pursue his passion for photography. In 2009, he shot his first wedding and has since specialized in unique and artistic wedding day portraits. Shaun excels in capturing the beauty of sunset, late afternoon, and golden hour lighting. He is also skilled in using off-camera lighting techniques for night shots, particularly in the dusk lighting he favors.

Engagement Photo Shoots and wedding photography by Darren Hendry

Darren Hendry, an unconventional and alternative wedding photographer, showcases his unique storytelling abilities through natural, emotive, and honest portraits. Drawing inspiration from his background in architecture, he captures stunning wedding stories with a bold, colorful, and striking vision. His use of contrast, silhouettes, and expert play with light creates visually balanced and graphically impactful images.

Denver wedding and elopement photography by Caroline Robert of the CO WPJA

Caroline Robert is a highly experienced wedding photographer with 12 years of experience in the Rocky Mountains. With a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art, she has combined her creative vision and technical skills to capture moments and create unique compositions. Her photography style incorporates bold designs and a mix of varied styles, making her a well-rounded artist in the field.

Adventure marriage images by Nicky Byrnes of Nemus Wedding Photography

Nicky Byrnes is a wedding photographer who has been capturing moments with her camera since she was young. She studied photojournalism and has her work featured in various magazines. She is known for her ability to create artistic and emotional wedding day portraits and enjoys working in black and white.

Weddings by Chris Shum, Life Photographer

Chris Shum, a professional photographer since 2007, combines his lifelong passion for art with his expertise in capturing artistic portraits and details. With a focus on destination weddings, he creates eye-catching and unique imagery in beautiful environments and scenic landscapes, such as beaches. Chris also excels at close-up shots, artfully filling the frame.

Adventure wedding and elopement photography by Kimmi Cranes

Kimmi Cranes is a creative and fine art wedding photographer from Lake Tahoe, specializing in capturing couples' portraits on their special day. She brings a unique artistic touch to her photography, influenced by her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Northern California wedding photography by Drew Bird - Creative Storytelling

Drew Bird is an experienced wedding photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He specializes in capturing authentic and unscripted expressions of beauty, love, and connection through his photographs. His creative vision is particularly drawn to shooting in natural settings, such as woods and woodlands, where he excels at capturing artistic portraits of brides and wedding couples on their special day.

Logan Westom is an experienced wedding photographer who has been capturing special moments for over ten years. With a background in photojournalism, Westom brings a unique perspective to documenting wedding day stories. Known for his creative approach, he adds an artistic touch to every couple's portraits, utilizing silhouettes, shadows, bold contrast, and graphic elements to create striking and bold images.

Wedding photography and elopements by Ray Iavasile of Michigan

Ray Anthony Iavasile is a Michigan wedding photographer known for his talent in capturing the perfect moment. He has gained recognition as one of the top wedding photojournalists globally and is highly regarded in Michigan. His signature couple portrait style includes creative sunsets and shooting at dusk, incorporating artistic techniques to create visually stunning images.

Ron Storer is a photographer focused on capturing and preserving wedding memories through bold and colorful images. His portfolio showcases his talent for creating unique designs and utilizing graphic elements. He is particularly skilled at capturing artistic and vibrant detail shots of couples' rings.