Meet Wedding Photographers Of The Year!

Icelandic photographer Bettina Vass takes the crown as the 8th International Wedding Photographer of the Year!

Her breathtaking shot (below) outshone thousands of entries from around the world.

Over All Winner, Emerging Artist Winner and Epic Location Categories -- Winner Bettina Vass

This photo was captured inside one of the icy tunnels of Katla Glacier, which is also an active volcano in Iceland, just 10 minutes before the couple's ceremony atop the glacier.

Engagement, Non-Wedding Winner: Ben Lane -- Tinted Photography

We had been adventuring with our couple all day for their engagement shoot, and they invited us to join them for a BBQ and a few beers.

A 'few' beers later, the stars were out, and we all thought it would be fun to take some shots with the night sky to complete their engagement adventure with us.

To get away from the street lights, we set up near the edge of the town where we were staying, incidentally, by the side of a long highway.

Off in the distance, we could see a bright light heading our way, so we set up for this shot and waited for the truck to roll on past! 30-second exposure, with one off-camera flash. 

Black and White -- Winner Kemran Shiraliev

I shot the bride with her grandmother and took some casual photos.

I always think about keeping the photography interesting not only for my clients, but also impressing other photographers, so that it can be considered art.

My vision made this shot possible, the hands of an elderly grandmother on the young face of the bride. There is something symbolic about it.

Break the Rules Winner -- Ted Kim

While photographing this couple's wedding, I noticed their deep love for nature and how they found comfort in constant touch -- holding hands, hugging, and simply being close.

Their connection taught me an important lesson about capturing meaningful moments: Focusing on touch and intimacy.

I aimed to reflect their unique bond -- their love for nature and their tender gestures -- in a single photograph.

My goal was to tell their story authentically, creating an image that truly embodies the love they share.

Couple Portrait Winner -- Andri Tei

The photograph was taken at teamLab Future World at the Singapore Art Science Museum.

Those who have been to this gallery know that it's extremely difficult to get a clean shot here with all the crowd, and to top that off the timing of the lighting has to be just right to have all the right elements fall in place to create that magic.

I was glad to be able to make it happen on that special day with this memorable couple.

Dance Floor Winner Ewelina Puk

I caught this moment during the couple's first dance after the sun had set.

I wanted to show not just the couple, but also the whole magical evening.

Half the room was the lit-up dance floor, and the other half was tables with candles.

To emphasize the contrast, I divided the frame in half and used a 35mm lens to show how big the space was.

From Above: Winner: Angel Yamil Calderon Tellitud

The place is a hotel boutique in the middle of the forest, the couple love Asian culture so it was the perfect spot for them.

I-DO Crew Winner: Christopher Perkins

When Alex and Bridget approached me to be their wedding photographer, they told me about this cute old theatre they had found in a small town called Dungog in the Hunter Region of NSW that they had fallen in love with.

They straight away had the idea to use the theatre for their Wedding and to create a day and experience for their guests that was totally unique.

They already had the idea for a group photo straight after their ceremony with everybody wearing 3D glasses and them eating popcorn but just weren't sure how well it would photograph technically in such a dark space.

When I arrived at the theatre, I found that the little light that was available was obviously pointing towards the stage and so wouldn't illuminate the guests.

I decided to place two flashes at the back of the auditorium to add some theatrical ‘pop', to separate the subjects from the background and to enable me to get more of the guests evenly lit and in focus. I was really happy with the way it came out.

LIT Winner: Kemran Shiraliev

I was shooting the bride's gathering and the groom was running late, so we had plenty of time to experiment.

Knowing how to work with light sources is one of the most important skills of a photographer.

I shot this shot at a slow shutter speed using a “mixed-light” technique where I use both constant light and flash.

Solo Portrait Winner: Hollie Mateer

The bride crosses the road on her wedding day. An ordinary road transformed into an extraordinary scene -- the wind catching the dress with the bride in full flight.

Confidence and joy on her face, as she calls back to her new husband, who is just out of shot.

The bride transforms the scene, filling the ordinary street with her energy, and her style.

Capturing it was all about anticipating what was happening, running ahead into the road (the road was unusually quiet), getting into position and waiting for the moment to develop, waiting for the wind to catch the dress. It all happened naturally, in a second or two. 

Single Capture Winner: Hollie Mateer

I used perspective and scale to tell a joke with this photograph -- waiting for the exact moment I needed to bring the different elements together.

Whenever I've shown this image to other people, they've always laughed. So I knew this was an image that resonated – but to win this, it's mind-blowing.

To win the Single Capture category is especially meaningful. The Single Capture category celebrates documentary photography and that's exactly what I specialise in.

Published with kind permission from International Wedding Photographer of the Year.

Photographs curated by Rajesh Karkera. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva