Wedding Photos of Dramatic

The following “Dramatic” 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 “Dramatic” 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 first rate Lacuna Loft wedding image from an on location Chicago couple portrait session resulting in a dramatic bride and groom portrait

Pre-wedding engagement image-session at Calle del Chorro in San Miguel de Allende showing the red color of the streets and the shadow of the sun to make this dramatic photograph

Red color Dramatic Calle del Chorro Pre wedding San Miguel de Allende shadow Calle del Chorro sun

View this dramatic and stylish Beijing wedding portrait of The bridegroom chatting with the groomsman which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in China

groomsman bridegroom China photographer stylish China Beijing wedding portrait Dramatic

View this dramatic Traverse City wedding image of A colorful backlit portrait of the bride and groom in front of a fountain which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Michigan from the WPJA

Michigan wedding photography Traverse City wedding image Michigan fountain Michigan photographer backlit portrait Dramatic

View this dramatic Blagoevgrad wedding image of Bride prep in BW which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography at the Orbita SPA Hotel from the WPJA

bw Orbita SPA Hotel wedding photography Blagoevgrad wedding image framed window bridesmaids

View this dramatic Alblasserdam City Hall wedding image showing The bride is walking up the stairs towards the wedding venue, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Netherlands from the WPJA

Alblasserdam City Hall Netherlands bride Dramatic walking NL wedding image wedding venue

View this dramatic Sofia wedding image from The end of the day with bride and groom running into the sea water, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Bulgaria from the WPJA

dramatic Sofia wedding image from The end of the day with bride and groom running into the sea water, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Bulgaria

sunset Sofia photographer drone Sofia wedding image sea water bride and groom running end of the day

View this dramatic Scotland wedding image of Bride and groom backlit under a large tree, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography from the WPJA

dramatic Scotland wedding image of Bride and groom backlit under a large tree, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography

backlit bride and groom Dramatic wedding photography night shot lit Scotland

dramatic Gelnhausen wedding image of the Groom and the dress in BW, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography

Gelnhausen wedding image bw groom dress germany wedding photography Germany Gelnhausen

View this dramatic Baden Baden wedding image of a bride and groom with sun and shadows, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography from the WPJA

dramatic Baden Baden wedding image of a bride and groom with sun and shadows, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography

shadows city Dramatic germany wedding photography dusk sun Lights

View this dramatic Perth wedding image of The bride and groom walking together near the outdoor ceremony location, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Western Australia from the WPJA

dramatic Perth wedding image of The bride and groom walking together near the outdoor ceremony location, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Western Australia

outdoor Ceremony location Perth wedding image AUS wedding photography bride and groom walking Dramatic Perth photographer

View this dramatic Les Vergers du Roy Bride and groom during a night shooting at their wedding, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in France from the WPJA

dramatic Les Vergers du Roy Bride and groom during a night shooting at their wedding, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in France

Jean Baptiste Chauvin Blue lit spot light Les Vergers du Roy silhouettes Dramatic

View this dramatic La Spezia wedding image of the bride, using a shadow portrait of the groom, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Teller, Lerici from the WPJA

dramatic La Spezia wedding image of the bride, using a shadow portrait of the groom, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Teller, Lerici

warm tones Portrait of the groom Teller shadow sunlight Dramatic Teller wedding photography

View this dramatic Allegro Buffet wedding image of a toast with purple lighting, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Brazil from the WPJA

dramatic Allegro Buffet wedding image of a toast with purple lighting, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Brazil

glasses wedding photography hands Dramatic Allegro Buffet Brazil purple lighting

View this dramatic Lafayette image of A bride and groom embracing for a kiss at sunset, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Colorado from the WPJA

dramatic Lafayette image of A bride and groom embracing for a kiss at sunset, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Colorado

Dramatic Lafayette wedding photography Colorado adventure photographer Lafayette wedding image bride and groom embracing Colorado kiss

View this dramatic Estes Park image of The bride and groom stating their vows during an outdoor wedding ceremony, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Colorado from the WPJA

dramatic Estes Park image of The bride and groom stating their vows during an outdoor wedding ceremony in Colorado

Sky Colorado Dramatic vows chairs outdoor wedding ceremony bride and groom

View this dramatic Ely image of Guests and couple around camp fire at night in the dark trees, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Minnesota from the WPJA

dramatic Ely image of Guests and couple around camp fire at night in the dark trees in Minnesota

Dramatic trees Minnesota dark guests camp fire Ely wedding image

View this dramatic Tenuta Serradesca portrait in BW showing the couple might fly away with the veil, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Italy from the WPJA

dramatic Tenuta Serradesca portrait in BW showing the couple might fly away with the veil in Italy

veil tenuta Serradesca bw Tenuta Serradesca couple portrait Dramatic Italy couple lecco photographer

View this dramatic Abbazia di San Galgano image showing the Bride and Groom are coming, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Italy from the WPJA

dramatic Abbazia di San Galgano image showing the Bride and Groom are coming in Italy

guests shadows Italy bride and groom ceremony church Abbazia di San Galgano

View this dramatic Poplar Springs Manor dramatic seated wedding couple portrait on a vintage sofa which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Warrenton, VA from the WPJA

Poplar Springs Manor dramatic seated wedding couple portrait on a vintage sofa which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Warrenton, VA

Warrenton Dramatic seated Poplar Springs Manor Warrenton wedding photography wedding couple portrait

dramatic Netherlands wedding image saying - With a building like this you have to make some magic

lit Dramatic dusk NL wedding image Overijssel photographer Netherlands building

View this dramatic Telluride wedding pic showing The couple stands in front of their venue as a rainbow sets up behind them, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Colorado from the WPJA

dramatic Telluride wedding pic showing The couple stands in front of their venue as a rainbow sets up behind them, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Colorado

trees standing rainbow Dramatic Summit County photographer Colorado CO wedding photography

dramatic Celebrations at the Bay wedding pic of the Reflection of the couple

lit wedding pic reflection Waterfront Wedding MD couple MD Maryland

View this dramatic France wedding day pic of the Bride and groom during dinner, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography at Nomades Lodge from the WPJA

dramatic France wedding day pic of the Bride and groom during dinner, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography at Nomades Lodge

Jean Baptiste Chauvin bride and groom France wedding day pic France wedding photography versailles photographer dinner Dramatic

View this dramatic Buena Vista Colorado wedding reception pic showing The couples first dance framed by their barn reception venue, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography at the The Barn at Sunset Ranch from the WPJA

barn Sunset Ranch Colorado Buena Vista wedding photography Dramatic The Barn at Sunset Ranch Lucy Schultz framed

View this dramatic Allenspark wedding pic of couple as they share a last dance in the dark, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography at Wild Basin Lodge from the WPJA

Allenspark wedding Colorado Dramatic wedding photography lodge co couple Wild Basin Lodge

View this dramatic Bonn marriage pic of Wedding lights, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Germany from the WPJA

Lights Bonn marriage pic Germany Dramatic Monique De Caro wedding photography Germany Bonn

View this dramatic McCormick Ranch Golf Club Scottsdale wedding veil blowing in wind during ceremony image, which was a featured picture among the best wedding photography in Arizona from the WPJA

McCormick Ranch Golf Club venue wedding photography wind Scottsdale wedding AZ ceremony image Arizona

Deidesheim wedding couple artistic image session for a dramatic, urban night time portrait

artistic image session Deidesheim urban Dramatic Night Time Portrait Deidesheim wedding couple

Calle del Chorro couple e-session in San Miguel de Allende using an external flash, The light was used intentionally to also give light to the bougainvillea and cause a dramatic effect to the photo

San Miguel de Allende light San Miguel de Allende engagement Calle del Chorro couple Dramatic Jorge Alcala Goded bougainvillea

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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.