Wedding Photos of Dappled Light

The following “Dappled Light” images were created by documentary wedding photographers from the WPJA, who regularly submit their best candid moments, artistic portraits, details, and scene setters for review by our WPJA competition judges.

WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS + ARTISTIC PORTRAITS & DETAILS + ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS

Some of the “Dappled Light” marriage photography samples below may have come from the getting ready events, the actual wedding ceremony, the reception after-party, an engagement session with the couple, or possibly be artistic portraits or detail shots.

FINE ART WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: Our Artistic Guild award winners take a more creative approach to wedding day Portraits and use their innovative skills to capture the Details of each couple’s special day. The Artistic Guild’s Scene Setters are some of the most notable and breathtaking from within the artistic WPJA contest categories. Playing with light and shadow, special effects, and post-production editing, these images embrace the artistic component of wedding photography.

PRE-WEDDING ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY: The story of every couple starts long before the wedding day, and the engagement marks one of the most important milestones in their story. Engaged couples often want to celebrate the occasion and announce their upcoming wedding with a photoshoot. Pre-wedding portraits of an engaged couple can be just as moving and compelling as the images taken on the wedding day. Engagement portraits can win a Diamond Award, an exclusive WPJA award whose winner is selected from the best engagement photography in the world.

A creative lifestyle couple engagement portrait in Anglet, France. The black and white image showcases the couple in a forest setting, with dappled light and a center-framed composition.

ANGLET AFFECTION: Romantic Black and White Forest Portrait with Creative Couple

A couple about to get married pose for their engagement portrait session outside City Hall in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. The photo captures a sweet pose, with the soft dappled light and their shadows adding to the overall romantic feel of the image.

A Love Blooming Amidst the Urban Charm: An Engagement Portrait Session at Columbus City Hall

black and white Dappled Light Columbus Columbus City Hall romantic feel Downtown Columbus light and shadows

Engagement portrait of a couple at Castello del Nero, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Firenze, Tuscany. They sit on a bench against a warm toned wall, enveloped by dappled afternoon lighting. Captured by a creative Tuscany wedding photographer.

Capturing Love at Castello del Nero: A Romantic Engagement Portrait in Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Firenze, Tuscany

Florence symmetrical portrait Dappled Light Castello del Nero sitting on bench Florence engagement session Tavarnelle Val di Pesa

Engaged couple poses during a pre-wedding photo session in Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey. The Istanbul Wedding Photographer captures their relaxed pose under the arche, bathed in soft, dappled afternoon light.

Sultanahmet Love: Enchanting Engagement Portraits in Istanbul, Turkey

framed Istanbul Istanbul Engagement Portrait afternoon Light Turkey Dappled Light sultanahmet

This wedding photo was taken at Ritratti - Oasi Fior di Loto - Novi di Modena - Modena - Italy. It showcases the bride's stunning dress and bouquet in dappled light.

Dappled Delight: A Captivating Glimpse at Nuptial Elegance at Ritratti - Oasi Fior di Loto - Novi di Modena - Modena - Italy

bridal dress Dappled Light Modena Wedding Photography Oasi Fior di Loto Ritratti bouquet Italy

A sunlit prewedding photoshoot in the streets of Parrys, India, saw a couple posing in front of a beautiful wall in a narrow lane, creating a stunning memory before their special day

Sunlit Parrys, India: Prewedding photoshoot creates stunning memory for couple

India PreWedding Session Dappled Light painted wall India Parrys couple sitting

Montpellier engagement session in the woods with a couple in dappled light

In Montpellier woods, an engaged couple basked in dappled light, in love

montpellier engagement photography Montpellier forest engagement wooded Dappled Light

The couple's Trecchina, Basilicata, ITA picture session showcased the beautiful contrast of their faces illuminated by the dappled lighting under the trees, marked by the shadows of ferns

Capturing the contrast of two faces illuminated by dappled light under trees, framed by the shadows of ferns

fern shadows Basilicata Potenza Dappled Light Trecchina Potenza Engagement Photography

A Cortona Couple Portrait in Tuscany Under Shade Trees With Dappled Light

Tuscany couple posing under trees in dappled light

under the trees Cortona shade trees Dappled Light Tuscany Tuscany photographer

This picture captures the grooms in front of a sun-dappled wall in Paris, France

Paris, France: Grooms in front of sun-dappled wall

Paris France Dappled Light minimalistic portrait Paris photographer

The couple were in an intimate and romantic setting as they shared a tender kiss near the dappled wall of Giritli Meyhanesi Restaurant in Fatih, İstanbul, Türkiye

Fatih, İstanbul, Türkiye: Near the sun dappled wall of Giritli Meyhanesi Restaurant, a couple shared a romantic kiss

Giritli Meyhanesi black and white romantic setting Istanbul photographer restaurant Fatih Istanbul

In Shanghai, China, a bride and groom stood underneath the trees, their faces illuminated by the harsh dappled lighting and shadows

In Shanghai, a bride and groom stood beneath trees, lit by dappled light and shadows

sunlight and shadows Shanghai Artistic Photographer Shanghai Dappled Light

Brooklyn post proposal portraits from a New York couple engagement session at the park under trees with dappled light

Brooklyn couple walking NYC Park Portrait new york couple Dappled Light Brooklyn Photographer

Portmán lifestyle portrait photography for a Spain couple who are engaged and posing in dappled light

Spain engagement photographer Spanish couple Portman Dappled Light

A stunning Cosenza wedding image in Italy showing the hand of the bride on her shoulder outdoors in dappled light

Italy Dappled Light Italy bridal hand IT bride shoulde

A picturesque setting for a Cape Cod wedding in Massachusetts with The photo taken during the ceremony

Cape Cod weddings church ceremony Massachusetts wedding photo Massachusetts Dappled Light church

An esteemed Florence bridal portrait session at an Italy wedding with the bride against a wall with tree shadows and dappled light

wall Florence bridal portrait Italy wedding bride tree shadows Florence

An alternative Cortona wedding portrait of the Tuscany bride and groom in Italy in Dappled Light coming in through the trees

Italy Cortona Dappled Light Tuscany bride and groom Tuscany trees

A California portrait session captures the joy of an engaged couple in the Sacramento woods

This portrait session captures the joy of an engaged couple in a beautiful forest setting, with warm tones, enhanced by the tree bark texture and dappled light

forest setting Sacramento Engagement Portrait Dappled Light tree bark texture California Sacramento warm tones

WPJA contest judges have been recognized by their industry peers, winning top awards as staff picture editors, staff photojournalists, and newsroom mentors while working for these and other leading publications and journalism organizations.