Epic Couples

The crisp, graphic style of this architectural photo produces instant appeal. However, it is the bride's gorgeously engineered pose that elevates the image to something truly special. With her arms raised, she is a lovely and delicate complement to the massive structures that surround her.

The photographer used a beam of sunlight to isolate the couple amidst the complex scene of gardens and architecture. While there's plenty of detail to enjoy throughout the rest of the frame, and to set the scene, our eyes always circle back to the couple's freewheeling pose and the long shadows that extend back toward us.

Shooting down across a courtyard, the photographer beautifully framed this moment of pure romance. The cool tones of the pool in the foreground and midnight-blue sky above play against the warm candlelight around the couple, enhancing the sense of love and warmth.

The light streaming down through the trees to the forest floor makes for an otherworldly glow. As if taking a break from an afternoon drive, the couple looks lost together in this secluded, magical world. The starburst sun and black & white presentation make the image a classic—and a little bit epic.

Across the canal, the couple stand perfectly framed in an archway; in the foreground, a toast is raised in their honor. The subtle repetition of red and burgundy tones in the two areas of peak interest help keep our eye ricocheting between the foreground and background.

We often hear about a bird's-eye view—but a snake's-eye view can be equally effective. Getting low - really low - lets the photographer transform the lane markers into powerful leading lines that seem to zoom our gaze right to the couple. Flanked at the outside edges of the images by terrain that slopes down toward them, they are also framed against the dark mountain in the background. The strolling bride and groom may be small in the frame, but every element is pointing at them as the stars of the image.

WHY WE LOVE THIS PHOTO: Anyone up for a giant game of Settlers of Catan? We love the abstract nature of the bold geometric shapes combined with strong lines and color in this drone photo by Marnix De Stigter. All these elements works together to draw our attention to the bride and groom popping out of the landscape.

What better contrast for a desolate landscape than true love on the ground and a rainbow in the sky? The photographer capitalized on this opportunity to full effect, perfectly framing the couple under the colorful arch.

This image is full of high-speed leading lines. You may find that your eyes zoom back and forth along the colorful train several times before alighting on the couple on the far right. Certainly, the delayed pleasure of that discovery was part of the photographer's intent. Once revealed, the couple is perfectly isolated in one window frame, looking as though they've found their own private oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of urban mass transit.

Keeping just enough detail to reveal the rustic setting, the photographer paired the existing light fixture's output with supplemental backlighting to perfectly frame the couple in the hayloft door. The warm coloration makes them stand out nicely amidst the cool tones of the evening's fading light.

This is one of the most unusual cases of wedding photobombing we've even seen. The curious cows don't seem to know what to make of the strange person with a camera crouched down in the middle of their pasture—and the quick-thinking photographer put them to great use as a funny framing element for the far-off couple.

Drone photography is increasingly popular at weddings—and this image is a great example of the creative opportunities it presents in the hands of an expert photographer. The ultra-high angle emphasized the starkness of this winter landscape and revealed the gentle S-curve of the road. The couple's stroll would not have seemed as magical in a terrestrial capture.

The beautiful lines of foliage in a vineyard make it an appealing setting for photography. Here, the photographer amplified the composition by posing the couple at the base of a valley in the field. Shooting with a wide-angle lens then transformed the descending rows of vines (flanking the photographer) into swooping diagonals that lead our gaze right to the couple. A touch of flash behind them added further emphasis and provided nice separation.

The stone work and candlelight make this image look as though it might somehow have been shot in the Middle Ages—but the final effect is decidedly modern. On their balcony, the bride and groom are delicately backlit to pop them out from the wall as they look down on the gathered guests who toast them from the lower level of the hall. It's a smart, engaging way to show all the guests and the splendor of the reception.

Pushed far off into the field, the couple enjoys a private moment together. The cool green tones in the foreground contrast beautifully with the warm hues in the sky. Lowering the perfective filled our field of view with these dancing stems and pushed the couple all the way up to the edge of the horizon.

Framing elements coming in all shapes and sizes. So if you're at the beach, why not used a family digging in the sand? Shooting through this foreground is not only humorous and effective in terms of composition, it all also filled the whole top of the frame with something more interesting than the day's flat, gray sky. Fearless Photographers are nothing if not inventive!

In a vast gold and green landscape, the photographer perfectly positioned a sphere of lens flare to encapsulate the couple in a bubble of light. Gentle vignetting keeps drawing our gaze back to their rim-lit figures and the quiet connection between them.

Hay, it's a heart! Using the latest technology - in this case a drone and a GoPro - and old-fashioned hard work the photographer created a distinctive interpretation of a familiar theme.

WHY WE LOVE THIS PHOTO: Fans of the classic Rule of Thirds would love this photo but that’s not what makes it amazing. This is a rare photo that has both art - the spot of white inside a sea of red - and feeling - the joy of the couple. We also appreciate the smart use of proportion where the couple is small enough to show the environment but not too small so we can still see - and feel - their expressions.