The 100 Best Wedding Photographers in the World: 2016
Introduction
See the 2018 list here: School of Wedding Photography
I'm Nicholas Purcell, a wedding photographer based in Australia. This annual list of the 100 Best Wedding Photographers in the World is now in it's fourth year. It is becoming a, somewhat infamous, tradition. The list spikes comment and criticism and yet now, as ever, it is intended to honour and recognise artists who devote their creativity to other people's weddings. It's not meant to be scientific in any way, and obviously I don't include myself in the list (because that would be just too silly).
The starting point in compiling this list was reaching out to a handful of wedding photographers I respect and asking them to anonymously nominate others . Then I spent time looking at their work and a thousand other portfolios I've come across (if you think I should consider you or someone you know for the 2017 list please follow me on Instagram AND leave a comment at the bottom of this post along with a link).
Talent is a basic requirement, a sign of individuality is what will get someone on this list. Ideally the work identifies the photographer immediately.
Pictures were kindly supplied by the photographers. The Where tells you their studio location (though few don't travel) and the Why attempts to explain why I think they're artistically worthy of being on this list.
Obviously there are hundreds more excellent photographers than are just on this list. It could easily have been a 1000 Best.
And so, Nicholas Purcell Studio is happy to present, in alphabetical order...
The 100 Best Wedding Photographers in the World: 2016
2 Brides
Where: Sweden
Why: Elegance, style and masterful use of light. Doesn't just capture beautiful things, gets the emotions down too.
Where: Calgary, Canada
Why: Skilled shooters who can tell a story with one, usually very beautiful, image.
Where: Austin, USA
Why: Assured, minimal, comic and great timing. Great photojournalism.
Where: Cornwall, UK
Why: Raw image making, almost as if the photographer was an invisible presence on the day.
Where: Barcelona, Spain
Why: Beautiful use of tone in his predominantly black and white images. Anticipates moments.
Where: Minneapolis, USA
Why: A gift for beautiful, relaxed imagery with a light touch.
Where: Porto, Portugal
Why: Light is treated so respectfully. Simplicity is too simple to describe his work, André intentionally puts beautiful space in his images.
Where: New York, USA
Why: Seeks unusual compositions and trusts her instinct with out of the ordinary ideas.
Where: Philadelphia, USA
Why: Beautiful, art, noir. Timeless.
Where: York, UK
Why: In the tradition of the best photojournalists, anticipates moments and can convey worlds through one image.
Where: Cheshire, UK
Why: A talent for grabbing moments, with a natural affinity for seeking beautiful light. Lovely work.
Where: Venice, Italy
Why: Excellent photojournalism with a really beautiful sense of artistry.
Where: Auckland, New Zealand
Why: Beautiful, consistent and technically adept shooters. Check out their stop motion videos!
Where: Newcastle, Australia
Why: Relaxed, personal, fun and consistent image maker.
Ben Blood
Where: Seattle, USA
Why: There's a really beautiful stillness in Ben's work. Quiet and painterly.
Where: Seattle, USA
Why: Storytelling in nature. A real gift for putting people in a landscape to get something beautiful out of both.
Where: Austin, USA
Why: One of the more unique wedding photographers out there. Like Martin Parr his work is striking, penetrating, witty.
Where: Dallas, USA
Why: Beautiful, quiet image making full of artististry.
Where: Brasilia, Brazil
Why: Such an original eye. Graphic, photojournalism, new ideas and ever so slightly off-beat.
Where: Toronto, Canada
Why: Artistic, noir, photojournalism. Marches to his own drum beat.
Where: Brisbane, Australia
Why: Sensitive. Grounded. Uses his lens to pause time. Seeks to tell a universal story, weddings as part of life.
Where: Monterrey, Mexico
Why: Relaxed, fun, personal and intimate. Uses colour to as part of this style.
Where: Phoenix, USA
Why: Striking images that pare things back until it's just emotion.
Shawn Connell from Christian Oth Studio
Where: New York, USA
Why: Casually captures beauty and not-to-be-repeated moments with an equal sense of style.
Where: London, England
Why: Evocative. A flash-back, old memory feel to her images.
Where: Cancun, Mexico
Why: Rich, gentle images that aren't afraid to tell a story through the absence of light.
Where: New York, USA
Why: Refined, elegant and technically assured. A skilled, consistent shooter.
Where: Milan, Italy
Why: Brave and conceptually strong images.
Where: Auckland, New Zealand
Why: Thoughtful and soulful images with lots of calm reflection.
Where: Canberra, Australia
Why: Tells a story with a painter's approach to colour and tones.
Where: Montreal, Canada
Why: Striking images made by embracing colour, unusual composition and strong ideas.
Where: LA, USA
Why: Edgy, fine-art (in the wedding and traditional sense). Enjoyable photography.
Where: London, England
Why: There's a lovely peacefulness to Ed's images, he's not afraid to step back for a restful portrait or focus on a detail that adds a pause to the story.
Where: California, USA.
Why: Softness and tenderness through subtlety of colour, light and emotion.
Where: California, USA
Why: Impeccable taste, style and a romantic's sensibility.
Where: Virginia, USA
Why: Photojournalism at its finest. Senses and records beautiful moments of art.
Where: California, USA
Why: Stylish, very high quality editorial approach. Softly lit, timeless beauty.
Where: Monterrey, Mexico
Why: Dreamlike images and striking portraits that don't scream wedding.
Where: Melbourne, Australia
Why: Eric doesn't photograph weddings, he photographs the life thats happening at a wedding, there's a difference.
Where: Melbourne, Australia
Why: Beautifully blend modern and classic and the worlds of fashion and hip.
Where: Argentina
Why: An excellent photo essayist who uses minor details to give a sense of the day - like the shot of rain soaked suit shoulders.
Where: Mexico
Why: Fer says he's "the crazy guy" who treats every wedding as an "experiment". His photos are alive. His compositions and ideas go to the limits of his creativity. But he never forgets the couple is the heart of the photo. Love without the kisses.
Where: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Why: Distinctive. Real talent for blending the environment into the couples story.
Where: Paris, France
Why: Strong colours, compositions, concepts and reflexes. A master of technique.
Where: Denver, USA
Why: Powerful, often dark, images. Sees things others would miss, Hardy's not afraid to shoot anything if it adds to the story.
Where: Southern California, USA
Why: Intimate, spacious images that pause and breath. Peaceful.
Where: Toronto, Canada
Why: Peaceful, quiet, assured image making.
Where: Durham, England
Why: Absolutely fearless in capturing the reality of the day, with a twinkle in his lens.
Ingrid Nelson from Myrtle & Marjoram
Where: California, USA
Why: Such a sensitive approach to people, to taking their picture, and to light. Intersperses a handful of detail shots amongst a huge number of beautiful, close-up portraits - I've not seen these anywhere else. It's non-formulaic, wonderfully alive, and makes for powerfully human wedding photography.
Ira Lippke from Ira Lippke Studios
Where: New York, USA
Why: The refined, tasteful, elegant image maker.
Where: Sydney, Australia
Why: There's a tenderness to James' work, he has a gift for befriending people, they let him in and it shows.
James Moes
Where: Seattle, USA
Why: Understated, natural images that capture a sense of the individuals being photographed.
Where: California, USA
Why: Taste and editorial sensibility. Elegance but with a twist of Vogue.
Where: New York, USA
Why: A strong fashion style that focuses on fun and beautiful light. The Testino of weddings.
Where: Toronto, Canada
Why: Peaceful, quiet image making, more likely to evoke a feeling than tell a story.
Joao De Medeiros & Pamela Leite
Where: Portugal
Why: Exquisitely gentle, sensitive photography. Great use of light and moment.
Where: Bristol, UK
Why: Continues a tradition of fine British photojournalism but has a disctinct skill for capturing the emotion and joy of the day.
Where: Byron Bay, Australia
Why: The ultimate storyteller. Takes a story and nails it to the wall.
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Where: California, USA
Why: Stylish and elegant but with an eye for seeing quiet emotion.
Where: California, USA
Why: The absolute master of style and taste. Superb editorial judgement.
Where: Houston, USA
Why: Fantastic at using light to convey mood and emotion.
Where: Tucson, USA
Why: Strong, quirky, distinctive imagery that doesn't miss the emotion of the day.
Where: Canberra, Australia
Why: Honest and impartial storytelling with a twinkle.
Where: Wiltshire, England
Why: Excellent photojournalistic instinct, perfect timing.
Where: Seattle, USA
Why: Quiet, human, documentary.
Where: Los Angeles, USA
Why: Edgy, cool, experienced image making with great consistency and energy.
Where: Denver, USA
Why: Intimate, emotional and generous.
Where: Zaragoza, Spain
Why: Brave photojournalism that pursues great ideas and moments with equal measure and technical skill.
Where: Melbourne, Australia
Why: Elegant, minimal, quality work.
Where: Bucharest, Romania
Why: Fun, lively, technically assured photojournalism.
Where: Sydney, Australia
Why: Muted, gentle, organic, sensitive and warm, intimate photography.
Where: New Zealand
Why: Whimsical, creative, technically assured and psychological image making.
Where: London, UK
Why: Creative photojournalism with great technical skill.
Where: London, England
Why: Capturing the day in a relaxed, natural, unobtrusive way.
Nirav Patel
Where: San Francisco, USA
Why: A master observer, sees small but significant details others would miss. I don't mean cufflinks, I mean amazing shots like one of light creeping through a church door.
Where: San Diego, USA
Why: There is a genuine nostalgia to Noa's imagery. Her personality is in her art.
Where: Stockholm, Sweden
Why: Talented at capturing and evoking a sense of place along with sensitive approach to the feeling of the day.
Where: Melbourne, Australia
Why: Quiet, thoughtful photos that reflect the story rather than tell it.
Where: New York, USA
Why: A beautiful blend of formal, modern, classic, and sensitive within a photojournalist's approach.
Where: Canary Islands, Spain
Why: Intimate, tight framing and original ideas.
Where: Zarazoga, Spain
Why: There's something generous about Pedro's images, the space he gives people, the time he focuses on small details.
Where: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Why: Thoughtful, quiet, unobtrusive image capture.
Where: Denver, USA
Why: Edgy images done with taste and style.
Where: New Jersey, USA
Why: An experienced newspaper shooter, Ron can tell multiple stories in a single image.
Where: Seattle, USA
Why: There's a lovely clarity to Ryan ideas, composition and use of light.
Where: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Why: Quality, vibrant documentary photojournalism with a passion for capturing happiness.
Where: Derby, England.
Why: Images with a great depth of feeling.
Where: Yorkshire, UK
Why: Strong use of colour and original composition that in no way detracts from the power of the image making.
Savo
Where: Ireland
Why: Unusual eye for moments. Consistent.
Where: Spain
Why: Personal image making full of intimacy and original focus.
Where: Seattle, USA
Why: Perfectly blends classic and hip. Can tell a larger story in one image.
Where: New York, USA
Why: There's genuine wistfulness and yearning for memory in these beautiful images by Spencer Lum.
Where: Pennsylvania, USA
Why: Complex images that evoke a sense of time. Beautiful.
Tanja Lippert
Where: San Francisco, USA
Why: A gentle mix of fine art, art and editorial. Tender too.
Tec Petaja
Where: Nashville, USA
Why: Exquisite, natural, organic, quiet and calm. Truly beautiful.
Where: France
Why: Profoundly intimate witnessing. Beautiful.
Where: Calgary, Canada
Why: Technically expert photographers they bring a sense of humour and vitality to their image making.
Where: Hasselt, Belgium
Why: Relaxed, personal image making with beautiful application of light.
Where: Pennsylviania, USA
Why: Contemporary, sharp and elegant. Doesn't shy away from intensity.
If you think I should consider you or someone you know for the 2017 list please follow me on Instagram AND leave a comment below along with a link. Thank you.