WPJA winning images

Here are our winning images from the 2006 WPJA competitions. For those who don't know, WPJA stands for the Wedding Photojournalist Association. You can visit the organization's website HERE. We are privileged to be a among such a great and talented group of shooters from around the world! You can read some of the judges comments below the pics.

JUDGES COMMENTS: This image captures the energy of the cooks and shows that this wedding pulled out all the stops for the food. The color, light and composition are all perfect. Great moment and I love the way the one guy's face peaks out of the sparks. The people in the foreground frame the whole scene very well.
Not exactly sure what is going on here, maybe some kind of flambé? Looks like they are having a good time putting on quite a show. The photographer has captured a very dramatic and fiery image at the peak of the action.

JUDGES COMMENTS: The repeated patterns---shape of her head, bustier of the dress, arcs of the chairs, and placement of hands---create a visual resonance that reinforces the bride's contemplative pose.

JUDGES COMMENTS: I like the graphic simplicity and cleanliness of this image. A nice portrait of a man that shows his distict features well. The white background and black hat and clothing contrast perfectly.

JUDGES COMMENTS: Again simple and amazing colors. This is a piece of art on it's own.

JUDGES COMMENTS: Tight joy, presented in black and white where the groom is bending the bride over and she is in absolute bliss makes this image jump out of the crowd. I wonder how it was shot, clearly it’s a long isolating lens, but its emotion and joy are expressed perfectly in the faces and the body language.
This is a really nice, clean image, and the emotion is clear and obvious and real. The light is nice, and it looks like the photographer had to be quick to get this image.

JUDGES COMMENTS: The man on the right really anchors the whole group but it is so much fun following everyone’s expression and body language.

JUDGES COMMENTS: The walking umbrellas is a picture full of little pictures. In a way, it is the opposite of the simple photo of the bride being carried up the stairs. I want to keep looking; the hand on the shoulder, the head flung back in laughter, the forward anticipation of the man on the right. Full of mystery. I love it.

JUDGES COMMENTS: This is a very intriguing and non-conventional wedding portrait. The tight cropping and serious expressions take it beyond the expected and make it a photograph that can stand on its own.

JUDGES COMMENTS: This image a timeless quality, the composition fills the frame communicating information in an utterly artful way. The movement in the tie adds a lovely element of serendipity. Only the man in the right background staring at the photographer detracts from an otherwise lovely image.