Top 30 Creative United States Wedding Portrait Photographers for 2024

Page Updated: January 31st, 2024

Wouldn’t you just love to hire a top creative United States 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 United States couple portraits.

Four Artistic Guild contests for United States 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 United States 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.

Studio portrait of engagement, wedding and elopement photographer Scott Josuweit

Scott Josuweit, a wedding photographer, is known for his unique and authentic approach to capturing important moments. He excels at using off-camera lighting, especially during dusk and at night, to create beautifully balanced and symmetrical images. He also loves using off-camera flash during daylight to enhance the subjects and bring a creative touch to his portraits.

Elopements by Top Wedding Photographer Justin Edmonds

Justin Edmonds is a seasoned photojournalist with 14 years of experience. He has worked with renowned clients such as Getty Images, The New York Times, and Sports Illustrated. Justin specializes in unique wedding couple portraits, using off-camera lighting techniques to capture stunning shots at night or during the enchanting lighting at dusk. He also enjoys using off-camera flash to fill in subjects during daylight,...

At-work portrait of USA-based wedding photographer Liam Gordon

Liam Gordon founded a photography business in 2017 focusing on creative fine art portraits for couples. Specializing in capturing intimate moments and artistic wedding day details, he cherishes diversity in his work.

Mid-west wedding, engagement and elopement photography by Madi Ellis

Madi Ellis, a wedding photographer, brings acting skills to create authentic and unique love stories through her photography. Known for symmetrical framing and capturing intricate details in portraits, she excels at representing couples. Off-duty, she enjoys exploring new places through travel.

Wedding elopement photography by Bryan Aleman - L'amour Artistic Wedding Media

Bryan Aleman is a wedding photographer with a romantic and natural approach to capturing emotions. He specializes in wedding, engagement, and elopement photography, showcasing his talent through symmetrical, balanced, and artistic shots. Bryan's love for black and white photography adds a timeless touch to his details work.

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.

Studio portrait of John Ryan, wedding photographer of J&J Studios, LLC

John Ryan is the owner of J&J Studios in Philadelphia and has been capturing weddings since 2011. He offers photography, video, aerial, and live streaming services. John is known for taking striking wedding portraits with creative lighting techniques in beautiful outdoor locations.

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.

Adventure weddings + mountain engagements and elopement photography by Bonnie Sizer

Bonnie Sizer is a wedding photographer with a background in art and a passion for creating beautiful portraits. She studied art at Colorado State University and specializes in capturing unique landscapes and beautiful natural places. With her creative vision and expertise in off-camera lighting, Bonnie excels in crafting stunning wedding day portraits, including spectacular night shots.

Samantha Pastoor wedding photography

Samantha Pastoor is a skilled wedding photographer who discovered her passion for art early in life. She specializes in capturing intimate and romantic moments between couples through creative portrait sessions. Her unique black and white photography highlights the love and tenderness shared by the couples she works with.

Engagement, Wedding and Elopement Photographer for New England, Andy Madea

Andy Madea, a New England wedding photographer, combines his passion for adventure and the outdoors with his creative vision. Drawing inspiration from his experiences exploring mountains in coastal Maine and New Hampshire, he captures stunning wedding day portraits. With a knack for off-camera lighting and a preference for dusk lighting, Andy excels at capturing memorable night shots.

Colorado engagements + wedding and elopement photography by Sean Lara

Sean Lara is a Rocky Mountains-based photographer known for his distinctive style in capturing weddings. He excels at utilizing beautiful landscapes and mountain settings to take creative and storytelling portraits. Sean's expertise lies in off-camera lighting, particularly in night shots and dusk lighting, and he enjoys using off-camera flash to enhance his subjects in daylight as well.

Colorado Elopement and Wedding Photography by Trent Gillespie

Trent Gillespie is a Colorado wedding photographer with a Journalism degree from the University of Northern Colorado and experience in photojournalism. He specializes in creative portraits of couples, often taking advantage of natural mountain and rustic barn settings. Trent is skilled in off-camera lighting techniques, capturing beautiful shots at dusk and in low-light situations. He also has a talent for using flash in...

Studio Portrait of Wedding Photographer Kate Crabtree

Kate Crabtree is a wedding photographer from Maine who captures beautiful photos of couples on their special day against the backdrop of stunning landscapes. She specializes in creating unique portraits near water, such as the ocean or docks, and loves working with the soft, warm light of the sunset and golden hour. Kate is known for her symmetrical framing and creating balanced images.

Couple engagement portraits by wedding photographer Joshua Grasso

Joshua Grasso is a professional wedding photographer, as well as a loving husband and father. He has a unique eye for capturing stunning and artistic portraits during weddings, using techniques like silhouette, contrast, backlighting, and shadow to create beautiful shapes and contours. He especially loves shooting during the golden hour, when the sun is setting and casting a romantic light. Joshua also has expertise in using...

BW studio portrait of adventure wedding photographer Eliza Slobodzian

A wedding photographer, Eliza Slobodzian captures authentic portraits embracing creativity in nature. Eliza captures romance in unique portraits in picturesque, mountain landscapes.

Wedding, engagement and elopement images by Mark Creery of Colorado

Mark Creery is a skilled wedding photographer in the Rocky Mountains, specializing in artistic portrait sessions. He enjoys capturing romantic images against beautiful landscapes and dramatic skies. With two decades of experience, Mark's photos are known for their unique and creative touch.

Studio portrait of USA wedding photographer Cindy Brown

Cindy Brown is a well-educated wedding photographer who travels across the globe to capture weddings with a keen eye for detail and a focus on portraying emotion and sensitivity. Her unconventional approach to photography results in energetic and emotive images, with a creative vision that embraces balanced and symmetrical framing. She particularly enjoys working in black and white, adding a timeless touch to her images.

Adventure elopement and wedding photography by Mike Kory

Mike Kory is a wedding photographer who utilizes his Mechanical Engineering background to create unique artistic portraits. He specializes in capturing night shots using off-camera and dusk lighting techniques. Known for his symmetrical framing, Mike has a talent for making his subjects feel relaxed and joyful during their photo sessions.

Engagement sessions and wedding photography by Alex Gordias of New England

Alex Gordias is a well-known wedding photographer on the East Coast. With his creative vision, he captures unique and beautiful landscapes during weddings. He particularly enjoys taking night shots and loves working with the natural dusk lighting outside of the wedding venue.

Self-Portrait of Nicolas Bastien, a Marriage Photographer

Nicolas Bastien, a 30-year-old from Quimper, is a travel enthusiast turned photographer specializing in artistic adventure portraits for daring couples. Inspired by values of sharing and humility, he captures unique moments in weddings and landscapes.

Lexus Reynolds Wedding Photographer

Lexus Marquise Reynolds, a professional photographer with 12 years of experience, specializes in creating artistic and stylized portraits for couples. Reynolds is also known for boudoir, weddings, high school seniors, and family photography, capturing over 300 weddings and boosting confidence levels through boudoir sessions.

Engagement, Wedding and Elopement Photographer Dennis Crider

Dennis Crider is an artistic wedding photographer who specializes in capturing authentic moments that reflect the unique personalities and styles of each couple. He has a talent for using light and composition to create striking and emotive images that evoke a dreamlike quality. His close-up shots and clever use of shadows and contrast add a touch of mystery and excitement to his work, resulting in captivating and dramatic...

Portrait of Corey Butler, a documentary wedding photographer

Corey Butler, a wedding photographer from New England, is inspired by nostalgia and his background in photojournalism. He aims to capture genuine and authentic moments for couples on their wedding day. Corey especially enjoys shooting in the trees and creating artistic and captivating portraits. He also has a knack for capturing the romance and passion between couples, as well as playful and fun bridal party portraits.

Portrait of Paolo Blocar, Wedding and Elopement Photographer of Aria di Foto

Paolo Blocar is an experienced wedding photographer who grew up in a family of photographers. Based in the city, he is passionate about technology, cinema, and traveling. Paolo particularly enjoys capturing the beauty of the golden hour and the soft, natural lighting during sunset and late afternoon. He takes pride in his ability to create unique and intimate portraits of wedding couples and also often focuses on tight...

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.

Engagement, elopement, and wedding photography by Andrew Morrell

Andrew Morrell is a professional wedding photographer who sees things in a different way. He combines his love for music with art and technology, bringing a unique touch to the weddings and elopements he captures. His clients are playful, cheerful, and love bright and bold colors.

Studio portrait of wedding and elopement photographer Erica Dietz

Erica Dietz is a wedding photographer who captures candid and heartfelt moments using her artistic eye and mastery of light. Having previously worked as an intern for Valley News Dispatch, she has honed her skills in creating stunning portraits that make couples look and feel relaxed and beautiful on their special day. Erica's passion for photography extends to capturing intimate and romantic shots, as well as...