Emotional Moments

At weddings, people's reactions are almost as important as the events that trigger them. It doesn't much matter what the bride is hearing or seeing—the photographer captured such a perfect confluence of gesture and expression that we can all feel it to the soles of our feet. That ability to transport us into the moment is a hallmark of truly outstanding imagery.

As much as couples are excited to embark on their new life together, there can be mixed emotions about how this change also redefines their lives with their parents. Here, the photographer perfectly captured that moment of connection and release. It's hard to let go.

The clasped hands and expressions here reveal the deep emotions that underlie all the finery and ritual—feelings that connect the wedding experience across all cultures and traditions. In this subtle but powerful shot, the photographer captured the "big picture" as well.

Wedding days are classically an especially meaningful day for dads and their daughters. In this sweet exchange, the photographer captured the love in an image that will doubtless be treasured for generations.

Dads and daughters share a special bond, and it is perhaps never more pronounced than on the day he walks her down the aisle to the new man in her life. In this sweet image, we get the sense that neither of them is quite ready to let go.

Even with her eyes full of tears, the bride's gaze is locked on the groom. The photographer captured the complete flurry of emotions on her face and, thereby, the profound connection between the two. Using a shallow depth of field pushed the whole world away from this quiet, deeply felt moment.

When you think of emotional images, soft lighting and warm colors might come to mind. This image turns that expectation on its head with hard, perfectly placed edge lighting used to put both the speaker's action and the couple's reactions into stark relief. It's a gripping, expertly composed shot.

Even with her eyes full of tears, the bride can't look away from the gentleman in the foreground—and we can't stop staring into her beautiful eyes. In her upward glance, the photographer perfectly communicated some very deep human emotions that speak to us all.

Emotions are always intense and close to the surface at weddings, and these two gentlemen seem to be feeling it deeply. What makes the photo, though, is the helping hand with matching handkerchief offered by the female guest. It's a touching gesture that makes the sweet even sweeter.

A tear streams down the bride's face as she gazes up at the groom. The photographer cleverly shows us only half of his face—a big grin—keeping the attention primarily on the bride's expression of thrilled surprise. This develops a pleasing counterpoint between the two, drawing us right into the emotions.

While we all know that emotions don't strictly play favorites with genders, it's perhaps a bit more expected to see a groom comforting an overcome bride. That flip-flop alone gives this image a certain intrigue. The perfect timing in capturing the bride's sweet kiss takes it to the next level.

What bride could hope for a sweeter reaction from her groom? He's clearly taken aback by her beauty—and the photographer made that honest reaction the star of the image. Full of natural colors and light tones, the portrait feels happy yet intimate.

Brides and grooms often lose their composure on the wedding day. Even as the groom steps away, their nearly matching poses in this image add a sweetness and sense of unity to the highly emotional moment.

This photographer let the tears of joy in the pretty bride's eyes tell the whole story. A close view of the moment—no props, no fancy backgrounds, no camera tricks—was all that was needed to make us fall for this sweet image.

When a tearful smile is this open and unrestrained, there's nothing more that needs to be added—except maybe a hint of the man who is eliciting this emotional outpouring. Stripping away all the other details (even the color) puts all the attention right on her face.

Weddings traditionally have a special meaning for fathers and daughters. Here, the photographer captured that essence. Seated next to her new husband, the bride reaches out to hold her father's hand—and their locked eyes say it all. Life is changing for them both.

While emotional outpourings are no joking matter, it's hard not to see a visual reference to the Japanese story of the three wise monkeys who embody the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" principle. Like those mythical creatures, these gentlemen clearly have their hearts in the right places—and the photographer documented their reactions beautifully.

The tenderness of the bride's gesture and the subdued expressions of the reflected onlookers reveal a gentle moment. However, the squared-off pose and direct gaze of the seated woman add a little edge and introduces a level of intrigue that keeps us studying the image.

While traditions vary, signing the wedding register is a feature of many ceremonies—and the moment when the bride and groom become legally married. Couples often share this experience with just their closest friends or family members, so it's an opportunity to capture these important people while their emotions are fresh from the ceremony. Here, the photographer captured a quiet but compelling image of the special event.

While women are stereotypically cast as the more emotional gender, it's just as often the men who are overcome. Smart photographers don't forget the groom when watching for peak emotions. Here, that vigilance paid off in the form of two beautiful expressions—and a single teardrop, caught in mid-air.

This couple seems to be having more than the usual amount of fun dancing cheek-to-cheek—and their laughter is totally contagious. The photographer managed to capture these great expressions along with a graceful pose, and just enough of the onlookers' appreciation to add a bit of narrative.

The sweetness of a single tear, the groom's glance at his unseen bride, and the connection of her comforting gesture—there's a lot of emotional storytelling here. It's made all the more effective through the contrast with his rigidly traditional military attire.

Exposing for the shadows reduced the outside world to nothing. It's as though reality, for a moment, ceased to exist beyond these loving expressions and gestures. The photographer captured a perfect moment as their emotions peaked.

WHY WE LOVE THIS PHOTO: Love is seen and felt through this tender moment of connection - eye, tear, hand - of the bride and (we guess) her grandmother. The background elements - sofa and the blanket - help us understand that this is a personal private scene away from the hustle bustle of the wedding day that the bride has dedicated to her loved one. Such moments are precious and this one was captured beautifully by Matteo Carta of Italy.

WHY WE LOVE THIS PHOTO: We love that this B&W photo by Tünde Koncsol makes us feel the loving connection of the couple. Good use of the dark vignette around the groom’s intense emotion as shown by his hands partly covering his eyes and furrowed brow with the bride tenderly kissing his cheek and cradling his head in her hands. It is an intimate wedding photograph for this couple to love for years to come.

As tears stream down the bride's face, the groom lifts a hand to comfort and support her. The rawness of her emotion as she looks up at him, and the sweetness of his gesture in response—these elements tell the whole story, so the photographer smartly cropped in close and isolated those components in black & white.