Three Award Winning Images from Southport Maine and Boothbay Harbor Maine

I’m excited to have won three more awards from the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) in the WPJA 2018 v016 Photography Competition! All three of these are from the Southport Maine and Boothbay Harbor Maine area with each image representing three beautiful celebrations. This round of judges has people with achievements like: NPPA Best of Photojournalism, a professor at one of the nation’s premier photojournalism schools as well as being a national/foreign picture editor during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, the winner of two Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize winner. That’s some impressive judges and I’m honored to be recognized by them.

First up we have Christina + Jeremy’s wedding at Linekin Bay Resort in Boothbay Harbor where after she fully stepped into her beautifully laced wedding gown, her godmother couldn’t help but marvel at just how stunning she looked all dressed up and ready for her first look.

Linekin Bay Resort is such a favorite location of mine to work in with the ocean just a stone’s throw away, the casual classic camp feel of the grounds, the tucked away from the world feeling but also so close to the hustle of the downtown area, and the options aplenty of places to steal the couple away for photos. The wide bank of photos in the getting ready room is an absolute dream when it comes to photographing the wedding party as they prepare for the celebration and it means that images like these are easy for a moment based photographer to capture.

The absolute love emanating from Christina’s godmother as she beams at her is one I’m so happy I was able to capture – so much is said in the eyes, the way she’s holding her hands, and in her smile that there’s no doubt that this is some wedding day magic happening right here.

Next up is an image from Meaghan + John’s wedding in Southport Maine and this gem is the moment Meaghan’s mom greeted one of her daughter’s longtime best friends who they were unsure if he was going to be able to make it to the celebration! Moments like this are fleeting, they’re full of joy and surprise and happiness but on a wedding day, these moments happen in the blink of an eye. There’s so much happening in every pocket of the day from greeting friends you haven’t seen in a while to that quick handhold with your favorite aunt that makes it so important for me to be ready and able to photograph as many of them as possible for my couples.

It’s a wild ride being in the head of a wedding photojournalist where we’re not only dialing in the right settings on our cameras and figuring out the best angles for light but we’re also so intensely focused on anticipating and finding those reactions that truly sum up each part of the day as possible.

We’re simultaneously everywhere at all times and yet we still remain mostly unseen so as to not distract from your moments. We’re there to strengthen your memories and we’re there to make you tear up or laugh when you later look back on these all important moments. I love it every time that I click the shutter and know that what I’ve just recorded is invaluable.

And last, but most certainly not least is another gold award winning image to add to my list and this one is from Brianna + Jarid’s Linekin Bay Resort wedding in Boothbay Harbor Maine!

Oh my sweet Brianna who I just love to pieces – her emotions were so palpable all day long and when she was celebrating, she was doing it with her whole body, mind, and soul – and when something was tugging deeply at her heart she just leaned into it and let those tears fall like they are doing in this image.

Brianna’s father is toasting his newly wedded daughter out of the frame and telling stories about how he had special “keep the monsters at bay” spray he equipped his two little girls with as they were tucked safely into bed and at that moment Brianna gave into his loving stories and cried as her husband wrapped his arms around her. Again, a moment that tells so much and is so very quick because if you were to have kept watching these moments unfold right alongside me you would see that just moments later Brianna had switched to laughing at another story told by her father.

Be open and in tune to the moments happening around me, be ready with my camera settings and know them like the back of my hand to be able to adjust on the fly, anticipate the upcoming emotions, and click that shutter. It’s my mantra and it’s one that’s served me well.

Take a look at my full profile on WPJA to see the rest of my award-winning images by heading HERE!