Winners Announced: Australasia’s Top Wedding Photographers 2021

The wait is finally over and we can reveal the Winners, Runners-up, and Top 20 placings in the region's search for the very best wedding photographers, Australasia's Top Wedding Photographers, presented by Sony. The inaugural edition of the competition showcased a diverse range of creative approaches to the art of wedding photography from across Australia and New Zealand. 

The competition was judged by some of the world's leading wedding photographers, with the task made all the more challenging as a result of the exceptionally high standard of entries. Winners, runners-up, and top finishers can feel tremendously proud having had their work recognised by such a stellar panel of judges.

And so, to the winners...  Huge congratulations to Mauro Cantelmi and Keegan Cronin for taking out top honours in the Portfolio and Single Shot categories respectively. Runners-up in the competition are Ashley Karakatsanis in the Portfolio category and Jerome Cole in Single Shot. Well done!

The Top 40 Single Shot and Top 15 Portfolio entries are published in the Feb-April issue of Capture, which will be in newsstands early next week, and available for digital download on Zinio from Monday, 21 February.

You can also see the Top 20 entries across both categories here:

•  Top 20: Portfolio category
•  Top 20: Single Shot category

Entrants who received awards will be notified by email shortly.

A huge thank you to our amazing sponsors for their support. You can check them out here: Sony Australia, BenQ, and msi. 

WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP

Portfolio winner – Mauro Cantelmi

What the judges thought
This portfolio demonstrates a light-hearted creativity and ingenuity in a seemingly effortless interplay of light/dark, silhouette/highlight, and symmetry/asymmetry interwoven with a playful organic narrative of the bride and/or groom. All of this is combined in a believable and elegant way that ensures that these images will not date, like many current fads. – Sanjay Jogia

I enjoy the alternation of dark versus light throughout this portfolio, used in different forms and fashions. A sense of mystery and anticipation is often present in the photographs with solid use of leading lines and graphic shapes. Nice to see strong portfolios like this one! – David Edmonson

What makes a great image stand out from the crowd? Impact, composition, powerful use of leading lines, and the ability to tell a story. From the unique use of lighting, to the strong composition and more, these images all made me feel something, and as the creator, this should be your ultimate goal: Create a work of art that evokes emotion for the viewer. – Sal Cincotta

Single Shot winner – Keegan Cronin

What the judges thought...
While scrolling through the images, this particular one stopped me and actually made me say “wow” out loud. In a sea of similarities within our industry, this image stood out as a unique piece of art. The vision behind this is excellent. – Jennifer Moher

I particularly enjoy how the clouds lead our eyes down and around the couple. The way the little pops of red are sufficient to frame around the couple without drawing undue attention. In considerable measure, this is a very monochromatic picture using different blues, and that's why the red becomes so essential to the composition as a whole.
The couple looking back into the frame on the right helps bounce our eye back to the couple, while the heads breaking over the horizon line helps the graphic nature of the image. The couple's gesture mirrors the naturalness and in-between moments of the rest of the individuals within the frame. That lends itself to the feeling of something about to happen, which builds energy within the overall narrative. Well done! It's an intriguing wedding photo that brings a sense of wonder to one’s mind. – David Edmonson

Portfolio runner-up – Ashley Karakatsanis

What the judges thought...
This winning portfolio showcases a beautiful use of space, perspective, composition, and contrast. Compositionally, the photographer powerfully uses leading lines and visual contrast to bring our eye to the subject quickly, along with a sense of graphic design. Within that framework, the subjects’ gestures feel more natural than posed while still exuding a sense of refinement so that the individuals appear refined, polished, and pleasing within each frame. The overall portfolio demonstrates a cohesive style emanating from the photographer while also exhibiting their ability to effectively capture the wedding day narrative using both high and low key – an essential capability for every wedding photographer to master. Finally, the portfolio displays both portraits and transitional shots – which are crucial in storytelling – with a harmonious sense of oneness. Kudos! Well done!” – Luke Edmonson

Single Shot runner-up – Jerome Cole

What the judges thought...
What stood out to us immediately was the level of thought put into the technical aspects of this photo that ultimately creates a striking and memorable image. The subjects are perfectly positioned in the middle to complement the symmetry of the photo. The composition is spot-on and the aperture used ensures that both the bride and groom are sharp and in focus. The choice of black and white image processing allows the viewer to quickly focus on the lines and shapes of the subjects. – The Kitcheners

CAPTURE MAG AND TOP 20  ENTRIES

The Australasia's Top Wedding Photographers special edition of Capture magazine will be in newsstands early next week. You can also get the digital version of the magazine (for phone, tablet and computer) on Zinio from Monday.

You can also see the Top 20 entries across both categories here:

• Top 20: Portfolio category
• Top 20: Single Shot category

PRIZES

Category winners each receive $3,000 cash, a Sony Alpha 7 III camera valued at $2,899, and a BenQ monitor valued at $750. Runners-up take home $500 cash and an MSI Urban Outdoor Backpack valued at $380.

JUDGES

The judging panel for Australasia’s Top Wedding Photographers 2021some of the world's leading wedding photographers:

Cinzia Bruschini  |  Sal Cincotta  |  India Earl  | David & Luke Edmonson  |  Sanjay Jogia  | The Kitcheners  |  Jennifer Moher  |  Jose Villa

SPONSORS

A massive thank you to Sony Australia, BenQ, and MSI for their ongoing support of Australian and New Zealand wedding photographers.

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