Image by Amanda Vaelynn
Imagine you had ten photographers, all equipped with the same gear, gathered in one spot. Despite being in the same location and using identical tools, the outcomes would be incredibly different. That’s the magic of photography. There’s no end to what photographers can create, regardless of their experience level or what’s in their camera bag.
That’s why each month, we give photographers the opportunity to showcase work they’re proud of. These images can transport us to exotic locations, show off creative new techniques, or even just moments full of raw emotion—all the things you’ll see in the Top Pics of August 2023.
Top Pics of August 2023
Image by Hasan Bawafi
Image by Grzegorz Wasylko
“It was my first wedding session in Iceland. A truly beautiful views and an amazing atmosphere. Our couple got married in May, and that’s when they decided that we had to do the session in Iceland. For four days we drove over 2000 km, practically exploring the entire island. In addition, it was the polar day, so we were able to photograph for 24 hours—an amazing feeling. When we got to Skógafoss, there were a lot of tourists, but when they saw the bride in a white dress, they immediately moved aside so we could do a quick session, and the effects exceeded our wildest expectations. From the whole session, we brought over 4000 photos, 10 hours of footage, and… one big speeding ticket.”
Image by Zakas Photography
Image data: Canon 5dMKIV RAW, f/10, 1/200 shutter
“The couple was so much fun! She wore this four-piece black wedding dress, and the train was legit seven feet long which was tons of fun in our Iceland wind. They wanted a non-traditional elopement ceremony with just the 2 of them which is exactly what we did. We adventured around for 10 hours in all sorts of rad landscapes. These 2 wanted something totally private, as do all of my couples, and so they had their ceremony in an ultra-secluded area on an ancient lava flow overlooking the ocean. This photo was taken after their ceremony when they were just exploring and loving on each other.”
Image by Bootes Photography
Image by My Favourite Human
“Sue and Roy are music and travel bloggers from China, currently exploring Europe and living between different countries. They first reached out to me to shoot their elopement in Lisbon, however, their plans changed. They decided to tie the knot before coming to the capital of Portugal. We shot mostly in the Graça neighborhood, which might be a little surprising as most photographers and tourists pick the Alfama district as it’s considered the most beautiful and signature part of the old town. My choice of Graça was very intentional. I wanted to show all the magical imperfections of the city and hidden gems where I spend a lot of my time. The outcome is very dear to my heart.”
Image by Julia Wahn
Image Data: Sony A7 III with the Sigma 35 mm 1.4, ISO 100 – 35 mm, f/1.4, 1/640.
Image by Bruno Garcez
Image by Framedia Wibowo
Image by Stephanie Mckenna Photography
Image data: Canon R6, 35mm art, ISO 1600, f2.0, 1/250
“Laine and Jared rented out a bed & breakfast called Emerson House in Laporte, IN. Their original plan was to get married on the lawn surrounded by trees, but the rain never let up. They got married on the dining room table instead but they were happy to use the umbrellas and get some rainy portraits outside.”
Image by The Duo Photography
“The couple, Sotiris (the groom) and Aigli (the bride) celebrated their wedding in Cyprus this past May. They made the decision to journey to Santorini for their wedding photoshoot, seeking its picturesque views, and combining the experience with a short honeymoon escape. To capture the charm of Oia in Santorini and craft a meaningful encounter for our couple, we rose before sunrise and embarked on an enchanting photoshoot. The quiet dawn allowed us to seize the essence of the location, and the couple’s love blossomed against the backdrop of Santorini’s beauty.”
Image by J.Olson Weddings
“The most exciting thing was how the couple chose to approach the day in their own way, with plenty of walks together through the forest, plenty of time for rest and reflection, and absolutely no timeline. Much like the scenery they choose to have their wedding in, the flow of the day felt incredibly natural.”
Image by Reza Prananda
Image by Amanda Vaelynn
Image data: Canon R5 with a 50mm 1.2 lens, f/2, iso 100, and 1/640 ss
“This location was in North Cascades National Park. The couple hiked 5 miles to get to this location, and when we got up to this area, we were surrounded by at least a dozen mountain goats and baby mountain goats. It was about dinner time for them, so they were eating the vegetation around us. One of the goats kept following us and laying down close by and watched my couple take photos & exchange rings. It was the coolest experience ever. Even for their wedding ceremony/vows, they have a goat ‘photobombing’ the images in the background, which made for a very unique mountain experience. For this shot in particular, I set up my couple and hiked a bit further away to get this wide shot, and out of the blue- these three mountain goats came above the ridge line and started walking towards them (as you can see in the image). It wasn’t planned or photoshopped, it was just the magic of the outdoors and getting married in a location like this.”
Image by Ap-Art Photography
Let’s give a big shout-out to all of the featured photographers in our Top Pics of the Month for August 2023. If you’re interested in joining in on the fun next month, visit our Photobug Community Facebook group. We’ll see you in September for our unique angle photo challenge!