Award Winning Image from Ellsworth Maine Wedding and Linekin Bay Resort Wedding

I’m excited to have another award from the WPJA Photography Competitions! One image is a gold award-winning image (the highest a photographer can receive in the competition) from Ali + Bryan’s Ellsworth Maine wedding and an award from Christina + Jeremy’s Linekin Bay Resort in Boothbay Maine wedding!

On WPJA’s announcement of the contest winners from this set, they had this to say: “I have to say: [these are] among the finest collection of images we’ve had, showing the full range of emotions and situations and stories. If anyone were to ask, “So what is wedding photojournalism?” I could almost just point them to this gallery of winners and they’d have a nearly complete conception. These are all excellent examples.”

HOW AWESOME IS THAT? Not only did I win two awards, but I also won gold when the submissions in this round were so very good!! I’m honored, to say the least, and I love that I’m among a ton of great photographers and their hard work.

The gold award-winning image is from Ali + Bryan’s Ellsworth Maine wedding where views of Mount Desert Island and the beautiful Atlantic Ocean decorated their wedding day. After these two had a lively getting ready surrounded by the crew they loved and loved them just as strongly, and then a clear-topped tent ceremony so that their views of Cadillac Mountain were unobstructed they had one hell of a party in a tent on a property down the road where the party was instantaneous from when they arrived until late into the night.

After toasts that brought both tears and laughter, the dance floor opened up and was packed immediately – to the point where people were spilling off the floor itself and dancing in spaces originally meant for mingling! When I’m on the dance floor taking pictures my goal is to get in as close as possible by being right in the thick of it – but it was nearly impossible to do since the floor was full of happy bouncing and dancing guests.

BUT when the hora dance started up and Ali + Bryan were lifted precariously on chairs by the massive crowd, I pushed on through and wound up snapping the image of Bryan reacting to the tipping chairs and Ali off in the corner with eyes wild with excitement and a litttttle bit of terror! I fought hard to get in there close and I am SO happy that not only did it garner me a gold award-winning image from the WPJA but that I was able to snag this moment in time for the newlyweds that perfectly encapsulates the party with their giant group of friends!

And then next up is another hora dance image, and this one is yet another award from Christina + Jeremy’s Linekin Bay Resort wedding in Boothbay Harbor Maine! As soon as Christina and Jeremy were lifted high up into the air, they quickly grasped their hands together while doing some scream laughing, and held on for the ride!

Their day was so full of emotions from the tears falling during the getting ready (and later from Christina herself) to the partying as they waited out the rain in one of the cabins where alcohol warmed up the wedding party to the absolute joy that was in the words of the ceremony and the feet of the dancers once the party began.

Thank you again to WPJA for the recognition and for anyone interested, feel free to take a look at my full profile on WPJA to see the rest of my award-winning images by heading HERE!