Peter + Dori Engagement Session at Smithsonian American Art Museum
Sunday - Fun day with Peter and Dori at Smithsonian American Art Museum. Cannot wait to share their wedding images already!
Junebug Best Engagement Photography Of The Year Award
Wohooo!!!! I'm So happy to announce that this year three of my images was selected The Best of the Best Engagement Photo Contest as winners 👏🏻🤓
These collections of the world's best engagement photos were chosen by the Junebug Weddings team for their quality, beauty, technical excellence, and distinctive personality. They raise the bar for wedding photographers and inspire photo aficionados everywhere, while celebrating the true art of wedding photography. Enjoy each and every one and stay tuned for more in the year's ahead. The stunning work featured above was photographed by Gabe McClintock, MANSANO FOTOGRAFIA, Nordica Photography, and Andreas Feusi.
The 2016 Best of the Best Engagement Photo Collection
The 2016 Best of the Best Engagement Photo Collection – Honorable Mention Winners
Curating the top 50 best engagement photos in the world is close to impossible, which is why we love curating our honorable mention images almost as much as the collection itself. Getting to recognize a few additional images on top of our set 50 is not only fun but rewarding. Our honorable mention winners this year showcase the creativity, emotion, and technical skill that make up a truly compelling engagement photo, and we cannot wait to show them off! A big thank you to our star judges Phil Chester, Samm Blake, and Hendra Lesmana of Cheese N Click Photography for helping us to curate this year’s collection. Enjoy!
TOP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS GIVE THEIR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE TO BEGINNERS
With experience comes wisdom along your journey in photography and life; You’ll make mistakes. You’ll learn from them, grow from them, and your work will be better for making them. Hopefully, one day, you’ll pass along these parcels of earned wisdom to someone who can learn from them as well.
We’ve turned to some of the top wedding photographers in the world to share with us their best piece of advice for a beginner photographer and here’s what they had to say.
To see our entire list of Top 100 Wedding Photographers from the U.S. and Canada and our Top 150 Best International Wedding Photographers, check out these articles:
1. MANTAS KUBILINSKAS OF MANTAS KUBILINSKAS PHOTOGRAPHY
Mantas’ Best Piece of Advice: Many beginners make the same mistake I did when I started my photography business, we get very excited about everything photography and begin buying things we will rarely use. We buy new gear without mastering whatever already we have.
My biggest piece of advice is to become a guru of your gear. Get one camera, two lenses and one flash. Once you master those, then begin adding new things to your camera bag. If you buy two cameras, ten lenses, and ten flashes right from the start, I believe it will take eight times longer to become an amazing photographer.
See more of Mantas’ work on his website: www.mantasphoto.com
2. ANDREA BAGNASCO OF ANDREA BAGNASCO FOTOGRAFIE
Andrea’s Best Piece of Advice: Be prepared to work hard and never give up, even when it seems like the obvious thing to do.
3. VLAD LODOABA OF VLAD LODOABA WEDDING PHOTOJOURNALISM
Vlad’s Best Piece of Advice: Find photographers you trust and respect, reach out and offer to assist/second shoot for them. You will likely get told “no” a lot (don’t take it personally), but you will eventually find someone. Learn from their experiences and their mistakes. Assisting allows you to get a good feel for some of the challenges of a wedding day, and second shooting allows you to improve your technique or experiment without the stress that comes with being principal photographer. Then when you shoot your own weddings, you will have valuable practical experience and be better prepared to do a great job.
4. GARY EVANS OF GARY EVANS PHOTOGRAPHY
Gary’s Best Piece of Advice: You can do all the planning you want prior to the wedding but there are things that can blindside you, including the weather. Don’t be afraid of things you can’t control, embrace them and go with it.
5. YVES SCHEPERS OF YVES SCHEPERS PHOTOGRAPHY
Yves’ Best Piece of Advice: Reach out. Reach out to the wedding photography community in your area/country and create a network around you. Start to see them as colleagues instead of competitors. Whether it is to get honest feedback on your work, to share jobs when you’re overbooked, to get some support when you’re going through a rough patch, or just to hang out and have some fun, it will help you get your business going so much faster.
6. KEN PAK OF KEN PAK PHOTOGRAPHY
Ken’s Best Piece of Advice: Put your personality into the frame. Get closer to the subject; balance between mundane, untraditional angles, and compositions. Don’t be afraid of experiment. Look out for the unpredictable, and serendipity will find you! Enjoy your learning process.
7. JESSE VAN KALMTHOUT OF JESSE VAN KALMTHOUT PHOTOGRAPHY
Jesse’s Best Piece of Advice: Confront your inner demons and fight them. Every single wedding photographer makes a ton of errors for every great shot or award. It’s about failing and then failing better. So infuse your personality and keep going, because there is no way around failure, only straight through it.
8. NICOLA TONOLINI OF NICOLA TONOLINI PHOTOGRAPHER
Nicola’s Best Piece of Advice: Get it out of your head that this is the easiest job in the world. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you have to work, work, work, work, work!!!!
9. DALLAS & SABRINA KOLOTYLO OF DALLAS KOLOTYLO PHOTOGRAPHY
Dallas & Sabrina’s Best Piece of Advice: Keep your love for photography and your creativity flowing by maintaining balance in life. If you love what you are doing, you are naturally going to put your heart and soul into it and you will end up producing work that has soul, and that you love. When you are producing work that you really love, it will attract like-minded clients and at the same time give you the opportunity to continually refine your craft.
10. CHRISTINA OF CHRISTINA ZEN PHOTOGRAPHY
Christina’s Best Piece of Advice: It’s in our nature to follow other photographers. We look at them and get inspired, but don’t just follow and try to emulate. Don’t just fawn over how they shot something. Instead, dissect their work. Study it critically to see where their light it, how their pose is in the minute details. Look at and break it down so that you see the components of the images you admire, not just an overall look you want to copy.
Doing this helps you bring those components into your own work without mimicking, and allows your personal aesthetic to come alive. Take those ideas and do the same with your own work too. Break down what you did well and what you struggled with, and fix it. The best photographers are the ones that never stop learning or striving for better.
11. WAYNE LA OF WAYNE LA PHOTOGRAPHER
Wayne’s Best Piece of Advice: Don’t pigeonhole yourself into particular styles and techniques at the beginning; learn everything. Be a natural-light ninja but advance your flash lighting. Train to pose like a master painter but learn to see moments before they happen. You’ll find your authentic voice soon enough, but you won’t know until you’ve sung many songs.
12. DAVE PAEK OF DAVE PAEK PHOTOGRAPHY
Dave’s Best Piece of Advice: Don’t be afraid to get your feet wet. I’m not necessarily referring to underwater portraits here but more about taking shots that take you beyond your creative comfort zone. The more “fall back” shots and gimmicks you rely on, the more you’ll become complacent in what you do and, in turn, you will stunt your own creative growth. If you shoot safe all the time, inevitably, photography will become more of a mechanical chore rather than something that inspires you.
13. NICOLE CHAN OF NICOLE CHAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Nicole’s Best Piece of Advice: Never stop learning. Create a multi-faceted educational plan for yourself with specific tasks and timelines. Learn through podcasts, books, YouTube tutorials, webinars, workshops, and magazines. Also, don’t forget about non-traditional learning – assisting other photographers, 2nd shooting, personal projects, etc!
14. CRYSTAL STOKES OF CRYSTAL STOKES PHOTOGRAPHY
Crystal’s Best Piece of Advice: Take the lens cap off……just kidding. Continuing education is undoubtedly the best investment you can make as a new photographer, or as an experienced photographer! This is often overlooked or dismissed because we want to spend money on the tangible; a fancy new DSLR or a lens or lighting equipment. However, if we aren’t equipped with the information we need to give our clients our absolute best, those shiny new toys won’t matter nearly as much! Invest in YOU!
15. MARIUS TUDOR OF PHOTOCHIC
Marius’ Best Piece of Advice: Always be ready for the most intimate moments. Being ready means to be there all the time even when ‘nothing’ is happening.
16. ALESSANDRO IASEVOLI OF ALESSANDRO IASEVOLI PHOTOGRAPHER
Alessandro’s Best Piece of Advice: Be focused. Figure out where you want to go, where you want to be in 3-5-10 years from now. Define your goals and never let the day by day workload distract you from them. Do not take any job just to make money, but always try to define and target the clients you want to work with, the ones for which you think you can be unique, and look for them only! You may need to say ‘no’ many times, but it will pay off in the end.
Full Article: https://www.slrlounge.com/top-wedding-photographers-give-best-piece-advice-beginners/
BEST LENSES FOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY ACCORDING TO 13 TOP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS
BEST LENSES FOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY ACCORDING TO 13 TOP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS
It’s all subjective of course, the question of which are the “best” lenses for wedding photography. Aside from different camera systems and different glass, everyone has a different shooting style. But like with their children, everyone secretly has a favorite (just kidding), and we’ve polled SLR Lounge’s Best 100 Wedding Photographers to see which are the absolute best lenses for wedding photography. There was one lens (and focal length) that came up more than once; can you guess which?
Here’s what a few of them had to say.
1. MANTAS KUBILINSKAS OF MANTAS KUBILINSKAS PHOTOGRAPHY
Check out more of Mantas’ work on his website.
Manta’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: My favorite lens at the wedding is Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art. I love this lens, because it makes me and my clients feel that you are there at that moment, in that image. Working with this lens is so fun and it pushes you to be as close as possible to your clients. The closer you are with your subject, the better the image you will get. Do not be afraid to step in and you will be rewarded.
2. KENNY KIM OF KENNY KIM PHOTOGRAPHY
Kenny’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens – This is an essential lens for all wedding photographers. I see so many wedding photographers trying to get away without one, and you can see the quality difference. It probably gets used only about 20 mins during the wedding day, but it will separate the quality of your work from others.
It’s perfect for capturing studio-like quality detailed photos for your clients. The body is extremely light for an L-series lens, and it can also be used for shooting portraits. This is a very affordable L lens offered by Canon. My second shooters have seen the difference that it makes, and I know some of them went out and bought one for themselves the very next day.
3. DAVE PAEK OF DAVE PAEK PHOTOGRAPHY
Dave’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: My single favorite lens for wedding photography is the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G for its size, weight, and cost. However, I found myself using the Sigma 24-35mm f/2 more and more because of its versatility, fast AF, and sharpness – especially in tandem with my Nikon D810, which resolves beautifully. Firstly, the 35mm is my favorite focal length not just because it’s a “storytelling” focal length but because I think photographically in terms of 35mm as my base focal length.
For the above scene, I used the Sigma 24-35mm. I wanted to have the ability to go wider as it was shot in a small and shallow lap pool. Since space was a bit constricted, as this pool was only about four feet deep on the shallow end (which is where we were standing), I decided to go in closer at 24mm to create the illusion of a deep and dark abyss with some help from an off-camera strobe. Lastly, I love the way this lens’ contrasts and the way it renders color – although those are highly subjective points.
4. SEAN LEBLANC OF SEAN LEBLANC PHOTOGRAPHY
Sean’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: One of my favorite lenses for wedding portraits is the Nikon 200mm F2. The lens offers incredible compression, razor sharp images even at F2, lightening fast autofocus, smooth bokeh, three-dimensional look to my images.
5. ASHLEY FISHER OF ASHLEY FISHER PHOTOGRAPHY.
Ashley’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: My favorite lens is the Nikon 85mm f1.8. It’s inexpensive, lightweight, fast focusing, and creates beautiful portraits. If I could only have one lens without a huge budget, it’d be this guy.
6. CHRISTINA BLANAROVICH OF CHRISTINA ZEN STUDIO
Christina’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: I love my 80mm Zeiss lens for my Contax. I shoot with it for 80% of the day. I love the intimacy I can achieve with it and the bokeh; the way this lens creates such depth is to die for. My images are very much about the emotions of the couple on a wedding day, so this lens allows me to get close enough and still maintain a softness that draws the viewer in.
7. JD LAND OF TWISTED OAKS STUDIO
JD’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: I absolutely love my Sigma 35mm Art. It is super versatile for me on a wedding day. It allows me to be in close with my couples and not have to worry too much about distortion on the edges of my frame. It is also wide enough to allow me to step back and tell a more complete story with my composition. In a bind, I could shoot an entire wedding with this lens.
8. SCOTT & MELISSA HOPKINS OF HOPKINS STUDIOS
Scott & Melissa’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: I love my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L IS II. The focal range has always been my favorite; it allows me to remove myself from the scene so I don’t interfere.
9. JAY & SANDI CASSARIO OF TWISTED OAKS STUDIOS
Sandi’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: I like to stick to just 3 prime lenses on the wedding day, the Sigma 35mm, Nikon 85, and my favorite lens that I tend to shoot throughout most of the day is the Nikon 58mm f/1.4G. I love the 58mm focal length; it’s perfect for how I see things, and the bokeh from this lens is just ridiculous. Jay likes to shoot a little wider, so the 58 is also a nice compliment to how he shoots.
10. EASTON REYNOLDS OF LUREY PHOTOGRAPHY
Easton’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: The Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 is one of my favorites. It’s so versatile and I love not having to move to get the perfect crop. It allows me to capture the exact comp I have in my head without having to reposition myself. This is key for me to make sure I am not missing moments.
11. CRYSTAL STOKES OF CRYSTAL STOKES PHOTOGRAPHY
Crystal’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: My fave is the Sigma 35 Art. I believe it’s the lens that is the closest to how we see the world with our eyes. However, it is when we step in close to our subject that it truly shines. It allows us to share a very unique version of an otherwise ordinary perspective, and invites the viewer into the moment.
12. TREVOR DAYLEY OF TREVOR DAYLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
Trevor’s Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: I love the Canon 90mm Tilt-Shift because I can create some interesting effects, drawing the viewer’s eye to certain areas of the image.
13. CHRIS LIN OF LIN & JIRSA PHOTOGRAPHY
Chris’ Pick for Best Lens for Wedding Photography: This is a tough question because I love different lenses for different scenarios. I love wide lenses for stunning beach scenes and sunsets; 50mm and 85mm primes for intimate portraits, and 100mm Macro lenses for jewelry and rings. But If I had to choose one, I would go with the Canon 70-200mm f2/8 II.
This lens allows me to stay unobtrusive throughout the day for great candid moments. It’s also consistently my reliable lens when it comes to sharpness and focus performance. The compression and bokeh when you’re fully zoomed in at 200mm is difficult to duplicate with any other lens.
What are the 6 MUST-HAVE lenses for wedding photography? Check out this article to find out.
If you are a SLR Lounge Premium Member, be sure to check out our Wedding Workshop for more wedding tips.
Martin + Mariela Session Georgetown Washington DC
Martin and Mariela are such fun coupe. Besides making each other laughing throughout the session, made me laugh pretty hard too. I had such nice time with the two of them in Georgetown. Congratulations on your engagement.
Georgetown Engagement Session in Washington DC
A Romantic Love Story in the Heart of the City
An engagement session in Georgetown, Washington DC is the perfect choice for couples who love timeless architecture, charming streets, and an elegant city atmosphere. With its historic townhouses, cobblestone roads, and waterfront views, Georgetown offers a romantic and cinematic backdrop for engagement photos.
Alex and Kiran’s engagement session took place in Georgetown, one of the most picturesque neighborhoods in Washington DC. The area’s old-world charm combined with modern city energy created a beautiful contrast that perfectly reflected their relationship.
An Engagement Session That Feels Natural and Authentic
The best engagement photos are never about stiff posing - they are about connection. Alex and Kiran spent the session walking through Georgetown’s quiet streets, laughing, talking, and simply enjoying being together. My role as an engagement photographer in Washington DC was to guide them gently while allowing their genuine emotions to unfold naturally.
From spontaneous laughter to quiet moments of closeness, every frame told a part of their story. Georgetown’s relaxed pace made it easy for them to feel comfortable, resulting in images that feel real, intimate, and timeless.
Why Georgetown Is Perfect for Engagement Photos in Washington DC
A Georgetown engagement session offers incredible visual variety within a small area, making it ideal for couples who want diverse images without changing locations.
Georgetown is perfect because it offers:
Historic brick townhouses and classic facades
Cobblestone streets full of texture and character
Tree-lined paths and hidden corners
Waterfront views along the Potomac River
Soft, flattering light in the late afternoon and evening
This variety allows engagement photos to feel dynamic while maintaining a cohesive, romantic aesthetic.
A Relaxed Approach to Engagement Photography
Many couples worry about not knowing how to pose - but posing is never the focus. During an engagement session in Washington DC, I encourage movement, conversation, and interaction. Walking hand in hand, sharing quiet moments, or simply standing close can create the most powerful images.
Alex and Kiran trusted the process completely, which allowed their personalities and connection to shine through. This trust is what transforms a photo session into a meaningful experience rather than just a photoshoot.
The Best Time for an Engagement Session in Georgetown
The ideal time for an engagement photoshoot in Georgetown DC is late afternoon, leading into sunset. The soft golden light enhances skin tones, adds warmth to the historic architecture, and creates a romantic glow that’s perfect for engagement photography.
Weekdays are also a great option, as Georgetown tends to be quieter, allowing for a more relaxed and intimate experience.
Engagement Photography in Washington DC That Tells Your Story
An engagement session is more than a milestone - it’s a chance to slow down and celebrate your relationship. Georgetown provides a timeless setting that ensures your photos will never feel dated.
If you’re looking for an engagement photographer in Washington DC and dreaming of a Georgetown engagement session, this neighborhood offers everything needed to tell your story beautifully - romance, history, and atmosphere.
Your engagement photos should feel like you: honest, emotional, and unforgettable.
Caleb + Pilar engagement session Los Angeles California
This was the perfect summer day for Caleb and Pilar engagement session in LA Downtown. The urban session is a great reflection of their everyday routine. These two are so sweet together. Congratulations on your engagement!
Alexander + Kathleen Session In Washington DC
I am so behind on the blog, so I will be brief… That was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon. A super fun engagement session with Alexander and Kathleen at the Washington DC Mall.
P.S. Their wedding session is already on my blog.
Woodberry Kitchen Wedding - An Elegant, Unscripted Celebration in Baltimore
Woodberry Kitchen weddings stand apart because they feel real. The space is intimate but grounded, historic without being stiff, and designed around people rather than spectacle. For couples who care about atmosphere, conversation, and honest moments, Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore offers something increasingly rare - a wedding day that flows naturally.
This wedding embraced exactly that spirit. Nothing forced. Nothing overproduced. Just a warm, elegant celebration shaped by the people in the room and the rhythm of the space itself.
Why Woodberry Kitchen Works So Well for Weddings
Woodberry Kitchen is located inside a restored 19th-century mill, and that history shapes the entire experience. Exposed brick, heavy wooden beams, and soft window light create a setting that feels lived-in rather than staged.
Unlike large ballroom venues, Woodberry Kitchen encourages proximity. Guests are close enough to hear laughter during dinner. Conversations overlap. The energy builds organically rather than being dictated by a schedule.
From a photography perspective, this matters. Moments unfold instead of being manufactured.
Ceremony and Reception Flow at Woodberry Kitchen
Most Woodberry Kitchen weddings are designed as a single, cohesive experience rather than segmented events. Guests transition naturally from ceremony to cocktails to dinner without hard resets.
This creates:
Fewer interruptions
Less waiting
More candid interaction
For couples, it means the day feels shorter and fuller at the same time. For guests, it feels immersive rather than performative.
Natural Light and Interior Atmosphere
Light inside Woodberry Kitchen changes subtly throughout the day. Earlier moments are filled with soft, directional window light. As evening arrives, the space shifts into a warmer, candlelit atmosphere that feels intimate without being dark.
This is one of the venue’s biggest strengths and one reason images from Woodberry Kitchen tend to perform exceptionally well in Google Image Search. The environment already does much of the visual work.
Key visual characteristics:
Neutral tones that age well
No harsh overhead lighting
Consistent texture throughout the space
A Wedding That Prioritizes Connection Over Production
What stood out most about this wedding was how present everyone felt. There were no long gaps, no unnecessary staging, and no moments designed solely for the camera.
Instead:
Conversations carried through dinner
Speeches felt personal, not performative
Movement through the space stayed fluid
This is where Woodberry Kitchen excels. It rewards couples who value experience over spectacle.
Food as Part of the Wedding Experience
At Woodberry Kitchen, food is not an afterthought. It is part of the identity of the day.
Meals are served thoughtfully, paced well, and designed to be enjoyed together rather than rushed through. This changes the emotional tone of the reception. Guests settle in. They stay engaged. The evening feels intentional rather than scheduled.
This is one of the strongest differentiators compared to many Baltimore wedding venues and something competing articles rarely explain clearly.
Photography Approach for Woodberry Kitchen Weddings
Woodberry Kitchen favors a documentary approach. The space does not need heavy styling or dramatic direction. The most successful coverage comes from observing rather than controlling.
This wedding was photographed with that mindset:
Minimal interruption
Emphasis on real interaction
Attention to light and timing rather than posing
The result is imagery that feels grounded and timeless rather than trendy.
Who Woodberry Kitchen Is Best For
Woodberry Kitchen is ideal for couples who:
Value intimacy over scale
Prefer conversation to choreography
Care about food and atmosphere
Want their wedding to feel like themselves, not a production
It is less suited for highly scripted timelines or large, high-energy dance-focused receptions. Understanding this distinction is key when choosing the venue.
Planning Considerations
A few practical notes couples should know:
Guest counts are naturally limited by the space
Flow matters more than rigid timelines
Lighting improves as the day progresses
The venue rewards simplicity rather than over-decoration
Couples who lean into these qualities get the most out of the space.
Related Venue Guides Couples Often Compare
Couples exploring Woodberry Kitchen often also look at venues with very different personalities. These guides help place Woodberry Kitchen in context:
Each offers a distinct atmosphere, and understanding those differences helps couples make confident decisions.
Final Thoughts on Woodberry Kitchen Weddings
A Woodberry Kitchen wedding is not about impressing a room. It is about creating a space where people feel comfortable staying present.
For couples who value warmth, authenticity, and experience over scale, it remains one of the most compelling wedding venues in Baltimore.
Graham + Barbara fun and energetic engagement session in Washington DC
I really enjoyed being a part of Barbara and Graham’s engagement session in Washington, DC. Their new apartment in town, with the company of their charismatic puppy Scobey, created a casual atmosphere in which the couple felt comfortable and relaxed. Congratulations, guys!