The International Wedding Photographer of the Year (IWPOTY) has revealed the winners of its 2024 competition. More than 2,000 entries were submitted by 450 photographers from 63 countries, vying for a prize pool of cash and prizes worth over $20,000 (£15,800 / AU$31,000).
The competition has 12 categories, including the Emerging Artist award, which is new for 2024 and is open to professional wedding photographers who have had five years or less in the industry. The prizes are customized for each category, but all include a trophy and IWPOTY membership. The overall winner, selected from the winners of each category, gets an additional prize package worth $6,500 (£5,140 / AU$10,200), while a runner-up gets $2,000 (£1,580 / AU$3,140) worth of goodies.
Luke Simon, International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards Curator said: “The wedding photography industry is just brimming with excitingly talented photographers. The 8th International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards highlights to us just the tip of the iceberg. We’re grateful that this year is the largest to date and we had an 50% increase in the number of photographers submitting entries, and a 25% increase in the number of entries overall."
The International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards has its sights set on becoming the benchmark in wedding photography awards globally and continues to evolve and grow with the ever-changing landscape of the wedding industry. The Awards exist to support, reward, celebrate and promote exceptional wedding photography worldwide.
The image at the top of this page is the winner of the Solo Portrait category and was taken by Hollie Mateer, who explained how she got the shot: "The bride crosses the road on her wedding day. An ordinary road transformed into an extraordinary scene – the wind catching the dress with the bride in full flight. Confidence and joy on her face, as she calls back to her new husband, who is just out of shot. The bride transforms the scene, filling the ordinary street with her energy, her style. Capturing it was all about anticipating what was happening, running ahead into the road (the road was unusually quiet), getting into position and waiting for the moment to develop, waiting for the wind to catch the dress. It all happened naturally, in a second or two."
Andri Tei took the top prize for the Couple Portrait category, saying: "The photograph was taken at teamLab Future World at Singapore Art Science Museum. Those who have been to this gallery know that it’s extremely difficult to get a clean shot here with all the crowds, and to top that off the timing of the lighting has to be just right to have all the right elements fall in place to create that magic. I was glad to be able to make it happen on that special day with this memorable couple."
The winner of the I Do Crew category was Christopher Perkins, who explained: "When Alex and Bridget approached me to be their wedding photographer, they told me about this cute old theatre they had found in a small town called Dungog in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, that they had fallen in love with. They straight away had the idea to use the theatre for their wedding and to create a day and experience for their guests that was totally unique. They already had the idea for a group photo straight after their ceremony with everybody wearing 3D glasses and them eating popcorn but just weren’t sure how well it would photograph technically in such a dark space. When I arrived at the theatre, I found that the little light that was available was obviously pointing towards the stage and so wouldn’t illuminate the guests. I decided to place two flashes at the back of the auditorium to add some theatrical ‘pop’, to separate the subjects from the background and to enable me to get more of the guests evenly lit and in focus. I was really happy with the way it came out."
On winning the Single Capture category, Hollie Mateer said: "I used perspective and scale to tell a joke with this photograph – waiting for the exact moment I needed to bring the different elements together. Whenever I’ve shown this image to other people, they’ve always laughed. So I knew this was an image that resonated – but to win this, it’s mind-blowing. To win the Single Capture category is especially meaningful as it celebrates documentary photography, and that’s exactly what I specialize in."
Angel Yamil Calderon Tellitud won the From Above award, commenting: "The place is a hotel boutique in the middle of the forest, the couple love Asian culture so it was the perfect spot for them"
Kemran Shiraliev took the gong for the Lit! category, saying, "I was shooting the bride’s gathering, and the groom was running late, so we had plenty of time to experiment. Knowing how to work with light sources is one of the most important skills of a photographer. I shot this shot at a slow shutter speed using a mixed-light technique, where I used both constant light and flash."
The Break the Rules award went to Ted Kim: "While photographing this couple’s wedding, I noticed their deep love for nature and how they found comfort in constant touch – holding hands, hugging, and simply being close. Their connection taught me an important lesson about capturing meaningful moments: focusing on touch and intimacy. I aimed to reflect their unique bond – their love for nature and their tender gestures – in a single photograph. My goal was to tell their story authentically, creating an image that truly embodies the love they share."
The winner of the Engagement category was Ben Lane of Tinted Photography, who said: "We had been adventuring with our couple all day for their engagement shoot, and they invited us to join them for a BBQ and a few beers. A ‘few’ beers later, the stars were out, and we all thought it would be fun to take some shots with the night sky to complete their engagement adventure with us. To get away from the street lights, we set up near the edge of the town where we were staying, incidentally, by the side of a long highway. Off in the distance, we could see a bright light heading our way, so we set up for this shot and waited for the truck to roll on past! It was shot with a 30-second exposure, with one off-camera flash."
On winning the Black & White category, Kemran Shiraliev explained: "I shot the bride with her grandmother and took some casual photos. I always think about keeping the photography interesting not only for my clients, but also impressing other photographers, so that it can be considered art. My vision made this shot possible, the hands of an elderly grandmother on the young face of the bride. There is something symbolic about it."
Ewelina Puk won the Dance Floor category, and also took the runner up prize, commenting: "I caught this moment during the couple’s first dance, after the sun had set. I wanted to show not just the couple, but also the whole magical evening. Half the room was the lit-up dance floor, and the other half was tables with candles. To emphasize the contrast, I divided the frame in half and used a 35mm lens to show how big the space was."
Bettina Vass of Iceland was the overall winner of the competition for her image that took the top spot in the Epic Location category. She said: “As a photographer, I have had the privilege of capturing some of the most unique and breathtaking moments in people's lives. But when Mauli and Christian reached out to me with their idea of getting married on top of a glacier in Iceland, I knew this was going to be something truly special. The Katla Ice cave, nestled in the stunning surroundings of Vik on the south coast of Iceland, is a place like no other. Named after the volcano beneath the Kötlujökull glacier, this ice cave is a sight to behold. To reach it, you must embark on a hike and descent led by a trained glacier guide. After their photos in the ice cave, we hiked to the top of the glacier where Mauli and Christian exchanged their vows against the backdrop of the setting sun, it was a moment of pure joy and beauty.”
The image also won the Emerging Artist award, and Bettina added: “It is especially tough in the first four or five years of business to generate enough reach and awareness of your brand with potential clients, and with the broader wedding and elopement industry. Many of us have had to juggle other vocations (myself as a kindergarten teacher) to subsidize our income while our business grows. The introduction of this new category is a superb way to help to highlight and promote these newcomers to the industry. I’m blown away to be amongst so many other incredibly talented Emerging Artists, all of whom I also congratulate on their own success as finalists."
Luke Simon, International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards Curator explained the reason behind the new award: “This year we are also excited to announce The Emerging Artist Award – created to highlight the talent of wedding photographers with five or fewer years in the industry. Our aim is always to support the industry and operating a small business is tough at the best of times, but especially tough in those first few years. So we expect this award recognition will help!"
Bettina also produced a video of the happy couple making their way to the ice cave and exchanging vows.
If you fancy your chances in next year's competition, the Ninth International Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards opens for entries on January 1, 2025. But before you do, be sure to check out the best cameras and best lenses for wedding photography, and don't miss our top wedding photography tips.
