Photography contests are great because they tend to attract the best of the best to submit their amazing photos. The International Society Of Professional Wedding Photographers, for example, holds a quarterly competition among their members that collects their best wedding photos for the world to see.
There are 20 different categories that highlight all the different features that can turn a simple wedding photo into a stunning picture – from lighting and composition to dynamic movement or raw emotion. The ISPWP's website highlights what it is about wedding photography that makes it so challenging and so special: “You have to get it right the first time, every time. You have to be a professional photographer and know your gear so well that you can make adjustments on the fly, without thinking or hesitating. And you have to do it for 8, 10, or 12 hours in close quarters with clients who have put their trust in you to get it right.”
Check out some of their best photos from this year's photo contest below!
More info: ispwp.com (h/t: mymodernmet)
1st Place in All About Light, Winter 2013, Taipei, Taiwan
Photo credits: Chris Huang
1st Place in Pure Art, Fall 2014, New York City, New York
Photo credits: Emin Kuliyev
1st Place in Framing The Subject, Summer 2014, Vigo, Spain
Photo credits: Paula Boto
1st Place in The Decisive Moment, Summer 2014, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Photo credits: Dennis Berti
1st Place in Ceremony, Spring 2014, Zaragoza, Spain
Photo credits: Nacho Mora
1st Place in Emotional Impact, Spring 2014, Phoenix, Arizona
Photo credits: Tina Wright
1st Place in Family Love, Fall 2014, Canton, China
Photo credits: Allen Ko
1st Place in The Decisive Moment, Fall 2014, Zaragoza, Spain
Photo credits: Victor Lax
1st Place in Bridal Party Portrait, Fall 2014, Nanping, China
Photo credits: Xiang Qi
1st Place in All About Light, Winter 2013, Taipei, Taiwan
Photo credits: Matous Duchek
1st Place in Engagement Portrait, Summer 2014, Singapore
Photo credits: Raymond Phang
1st Place in Venue Or Location, Summer 2014, Cracow, Poland
Photo credits: Szymon Nykiel
1st Place in Ceremony, Winter 2013, Frankfurt, Germany
Photo credits: Raman El Atiaoui
1st Place in Venue Or Location, Spring 2014, Wiesbaden, Germany
Photo credits: Dennis Jagusiak
1st Place in Emotional Impact, Fall 2014, Florence, Italy
Photo credits: Andrea Corsi
1st Place in Pure Art, Winter 2013, Paris, France
Photo credits: Dan Petrovic
1st Place in Kids Will Be Kids, Spring 2014, Hong Kong
Photo credits: Nick Chang
1st Place in First dance, Summer 2014, Canmore, Alberta
Photo credits: Erika Mann
1st Place in Reception, Winter 2013, Ubeda, Spain
Photo credits: Aurora Lechuga
1st Place in First Dance, Fall 2014, Zwolle, Netherlands
Photo credits: Peter van der Lingen
1st Place in Emotional Impact, Summer 2014, Jakarta, Indonesia
Photo credits: Tito Rikardo
1st Place in Wedding Details, Spring 2014, Brussels, Belgium
Photo credits: Ivo Popov
1st Place in Kids Will Be Kids, Winter 2013, Cinque Terre, Italy
Photo credits: Julian Kanz
1st Place in Family Love, Winter 2013, Boston, Massachusetts
Photo credits: Masao Okano
1st Place in Framing The Subject, Winter 2013, Novorossiysk, Russia
Photo credits: Ruslan Myts
1st Place in Pure Art, Spring 2014, Denver, Colorado
Photo credits: Nathan Welton