The 12img Top 20: Wedding Photographers & Videographers Who Define the Craft in 2026

This isn't a popularity contest. It's not an algorithm's opinion. It's a hand-picked editorial — **20 photographers and videographers** whose work consistently raises the bar for what wedding storytelling can be.

We studied their portfolios, verified their publications, cataloged their gear, and mapped the venues where they do their best work. Every fact below is sourced from published interviews, official bios, and their own public statements.

The best way to get better isn't to compete with the best — it's to study what makes them the best and find your own version of it.

THE 12IMG TEAM — TAP TO COPY

20Artists Selected

10+10Photo + Video

12Countries Represented

50+Major Publications

Section 01

Photographers

José Villa

Santa Barbara, CA · Fine Art Film

The godfather of the fine art wedding aesthetic. José Villa's Tuscany and South of France work launched an entire movement — and a thousand Instagram presets. He pioneered the use of medium format film in luxury weddings and remains the benchmark for soft, painterly light. His workshop series has educated an entire generation of photographers.

Signature Gear Contax 645 Fuji 400H Film Canon EOS R5 85mm f/1.2

Notable Venues San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito Sunstone Winery, Santa Ynez Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, French Riviera

Published In Vogue Martha Stewart Weddings Brides Town & Country

Interviewed By Rangefinder Magazine WPPI Speaker CreativeLive Instructor

josevilla.com →

Erich McVey

Bend, OR · Editorial + Destination

Pacific Northwest light meets editorial precision. If cinematic composition had a patron saint, it's Erich McVey. A co-founder of the Once Wed platform, he's shaped how an entire generation thinks about destination wedding photography — particularly across Europe. His work in Lake Como, the Amalfi Coast, and the French countryside is studied by aspiring photographers worldwide.

Signature Gear Canon EOS R5 Contax 645 Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 Fuji 400H Film

Notable Venues Lake Como Estates, Italy Château de Chantilly, France Amalfi Coast, Italy

Published In Martha Stewart Weddings Style Me Pretty Once Wed Brides

Interviewed By The Heart of the Matter Podcast Rangefinder Magazine

erichmcvey.com →

KT Merry

Miami, FL · Luxury Destination

Luxury destination weddings with a photojournalistic edge. KT Merry is consistently published in the most prestigious editorial outlets in the industry. Her work balances the scale and grandeur of destination venues with deeply intimate moments. She's also an outspoken advocate for photographer rights and fair licensing practices.

Signature Gear Canon EOS R5 Mark II Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 Profoto B10

Notable Venues Amalfi Coast, Italy Lake Como, Italy Four Seasons Bali Paris, France

Published In Vogue Martha Stewart Weddings Harper's Bazaar Town & Country

Interviewed By Photo Business News WPPI Speaker The Knot Pro Educator

ktmerry.com →

Jai Long

Australia · Fine Art + Fashion

Australian fine art with a fashion edge. Jai Long's color grading alone is worth studying frame by frame. His work bridges the gap between wedding photography and high-fashion editorial — every image feels like it belongs in a glossy magazine spread. He brings a distinctly southern-hemisphere perspective that's reshaping how the world thinks about light.

Signature Gear Canon EOS R5 Canon RF 35mm f/1.4 Contax 645 Kodak Portra 400

Notable Venues Byron Bay, Australia Bali, Indonesia Puglia, Italy

Published In White Magazine Hello May Magnolia Rouge The Lane

Interviewed By Junebug Weddings Feature This is Reportage

jailong.com →

Tec Petaja

Nashville, TN · Film-Forward

Nashville-based and film-forward. The kind of warmth in Tec Petaja's images that digital shooters spend years trying to replicate — and never quite do. He's one of the last true holdouts shooting predominantly on medium format film, and his results speak for themselves. His collaboration with brands like BHLDN and Anthropologie has brought fine art wedding aesthetics to a mainstream audience.

Signature Gear Contax 645 Nikon FM2 Fuji 400H Film Canon EOS R

Notable Venues Cedarwood Weddings, Nashville Blackberry Farm, TN Cheekwood Estate, Nashville

Published In Martha Stewart Weddings Southern Weddings The Lane Once Wed

Interviewed By Rangefinder Magazine BHLDN Brand Collaborator

tecpetaja.com →

Greg Finck

Paris, France · Fine Art Destination

Paris-based fine art. Greg Finck's Provençal work feels like Renaissance paintings come to life. He combines the precision of European portraiture with the spontaneity of documentary photography. His château and vineyard work across the south of France has set the visual standard for European luxury weddings.

Signature Gear Contax 645 Canon EOS R5 Mamiya RZ67 Fuji 400H Film

Notable Venues Château de la Gaude, Provence Villa Balbiano, Lake Como Domaine de Fontenille, Luberon

Published In Once Wed Magnolia Rouge French Wedding Style Style Me Pretty

Interviewed By Flothemes Blog Two Bright Lights Feature

gregfinck.com →

Abby Jiu

Washington, DC · Editorial

DC's editorial queen. Clean, bright, and impossibly elegant — every frame looks like it belongs in a magazine. Abby Jiu has built a reputation as the go-to photographer for Washington's most influential families. Her work at the capital's most storied venues is a masterclass in restrained elegance and natural light.

Signature Gear Canon EOS R5 Canon RF 35mm f/1.4 Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 Contax 645

Notable Venues The Anderson House, DC Meridian House, DC The Inn at Little Washington, VA

Published In Martha Stewart Weddings Brides Washingtonian Style Me Pretty

Interviewed By Washingtonian Weddings Feature WPPI Speaker

abbyjiu.com →

Jen Huang

New York, NY · Film Portraiture

Soft, ethereal, deeply emotional. Jen Huang's portraits have a quiet intimacy that's impossible to fake. A true film devotee, her work on Fuji 400H has become a reference point for the entire industry. She's one of the most sought-after portrait photographers in luxury weddings, and her editorial work has graced the pages of nearly every major bridal publication.

Signature Gear Contax 645 Fuji 400H Film Canon EOS R5 Zeiss Planar 80mm f/2

Notable Venues The Plaza, NYC Borgo Egnazia, Puglia Sunstone Winery, CA

Published In Vogue Martha Stewart Weddings Brides Once Wed

Interviewed By CreativeLive Instructor Rangefinder Magazine

jenhuangphoto.com →

Sally Pinera

California · Editorial + Candid

California light meets editorial rigor. Sally Pinera's candids feel more composed than most posed shots. She has an uncanny ability to anticipate moments before they happen, resulting in documentary images that carry the weight and beauty of fine art. Her work across California's wine country venues is particularly stunning.

Signature Gear Canon EOS R5 Contax 645 Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 Kodak Portra 400

Notable Venues San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito Sunstone Villa, Santa Ynez Malibu Rocky Oaks, CA

Published In Martha Stewart Weddings Style Me Pretty Brides Once Wed

Interviewed By Junebug Weddings Feature SLR Lounge

sallypinera.com →

India Earl

Utah · Adventure Elopements

Adventure elopements, redefined. Moody, raw, and unapologetically wild — India Earl built an entire genre. She proved that wedding photography doesn't need a ballroom or a bouquet to be extraordinary. Her work in the deserts and mountains of the American West has inspired a generation of photographers to chase light in the most improbable places.

Signature Gear Canon EOS R5 Canon RF 35mm f/1.4 Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 DJI Mavic 3

Notable Venues Zion National Park, UT Antelope Canyon, AZ Big Sur, CA Iceland Highlands

Published In Junebug Weddings Green Wedding Shoes Wandering Weddings Rocky Mountain Bride

Interviewed By Fstoppers Photobug Community Feature

indiaearl.com →

Section 02

Videographers

Patrick Filipe

Lisbon, Portugal · Cinematic Storytelling

Cinematic storytelling that feels like a short film, not a highlight reel. Patrick Filipe's Portugal-based practice serves destination weddings worldwide. His films are characterized by deliberate pacing, natural audio, and a distinctly European sensibility that prioritizes emotion over spectacle. His color work in golden-hour Portuguese light is instantly recognizable.

Signature Gear Sony FX6 Sony A7S III DJI RS 3 Pro Zeiss Batis 40mm

Notable Venues Quinta do Torneiro, Lisbon Convento do Espinheiro, Évora Belmond Reid's Palace, Madeira

Published In Once Wed Junebug Weddings Magnolia Rouge

Interviewed By Vimeo Staff Pick (Multiple) Rangefinder Magazine

patrickfilipe.com →

Henry + Mac

USA · Poetic Cinema

The duo that made wedding films feel like Terrence Malick directed them. Dreamy, poetic, unforgettable. Henry + Mac pioneered the use of Super 8 film textures and analog grain in modern wedding cinema. Their work is less about documenting a day and more about distilling the feeling of one — a distinction that has earned them a devoted following among couples and industry peers alike.

Signature Gear RED Komodo Canon C70 Super 8 Film Camera Vintage Anamorphic Lenses

Notable Venues Sunstone Winery, CA Blackberry Farm, TN Big Sur, CA

Published In Martha Stewart Weddings Brides Once Wed

Interviewed By Vimeo Staff Pick The Knot Pro Feature

henryandmac.com →

NST Pictures

New York, NY · Luxury Production

NYC luxury at its finest. NST Pictures' audio work alone is worth studying — every vow sounds like it was recorded in a studio. Founded by Nat and Sueann Tung, their team delivers multi-camera cinematic productions with broadcast-quality audio capture. Their approach to same-day edits has set a new standard for what clients can expect at the reception.

Signature Gear Sony FX9 Sony A7S III Sennheiser MKH 416 DJI Ronin 4D

Notable Venues The Plaza, NYC Cipriani Wall Street, NYC Oheka Castle, Long Island

Published In Vogue Weddings Martha Stewart Weddings Brides The Knot

Interviewed By Rangefinder Magazine WPPI Speaker

nstpictures.com →

Elysium Productions

International · Blockbuster Destination

Destination wedding films with blockbuster production value. Their Amalfi Coast work is legendary. Elysium Productions operates at the intersection of cinema and celebration, deploying multi-camera setups, aerial cinematography, and professional-grade color science to create films that rival independent features. Their client list reads like a who's-who of international luxury.

Signature Gear RED V-Raptor DJI Inspire 3 Cooke Anamorphic Lenses Atomos Ninja V+

Notable Venues Amalfi Coast, Italy Santorini, Greece Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, France

Published In Style Me Pretty Junebug Weddings Magnolia Rouge

Interviewed By Vimeo Staff Pick (Multiple) WeddingWire Feature

elysiumpro.com →

Vanessa & Ivo

Europe · Documentary Elegance

European elegance meets documentary honesty. Their films make you cry in under 3 minutes. Vanessa & Ivo have mastered the art of emotional pacing — knowing exactly when to hold a shot, when to cut, and when to let silence do the work. Their commitment to natural audio and ambient sound over music-driven edits has influenced an entire wave of European filmmakers.

Signature Gear Sony FX3 Sony A7 IV Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM Rode Wireless Pro

Notable Venues Lake Bled, Slovenia Dubrovnik, Croatia Tuscany, Italy

Published In Once Wed Magnolia Rouge Junebug Weddings

Interviewed By Vimeo Staff Pick WeddingWire Couple's Choice

vanessaivo.com →

Matteo Castelluccia

Rome, Italy · Fashion-Film Sensibility

Italian cinematographer with a fashion-film sensibility. Matteo Castelluccia's use of natural light in motion is masterful. Based in Rome, his work across Italy's most iconic venues carries the weight of the country's artistic heritage — Renaissance composition meets modern cinema. His slow-motion work in particular has a painterly quality that's unmistakable.

Signature Gear Sony FX6 Sony A1 Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Notable Venues Villa Aurelia, Rome Ravello, Amalfi Coast Val d'Orcia, Tuscany

Published In Style Me Pretty Brides Junebug Weddings

Interviewed By Italian Vogue Feature Vimeo Staff Pick

matteocastelluccia.com →

Films by Kimberly

USA · Solo Filmmaker

Solo female filmmaker creating work that rivals full crews. Proof that gear matters less than eye. Films by Kimberly has become an industry case study in what one person with vision, technical skill, and relentless work ethic can accomplish. Her one-woman operation produces films with the emotional depth and production polish of multi-person teams — a fact that has made her a role model for aspiring solo filmmakers everywhere.

Signature Gear Sony A7S III Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II DJI RS 3 Rode VideoMic Pro+

Notable Venues Malibu Rocky Oaks, CA Park Chateau Estate, NJ Vizcaya Museum, Miami

Published In Junebug Weddings Green Wedding Shoes The Knot

Interviewed By WeddingWire Feature Solo Filmmaker Community Speaker

filmsbykimberly.com →

Nabi Films

Toronto, Canada · South Asian Specialists

Toronto-based, South Asian wedding specialists who bring Bollywood-level production to real weddings. Nabi Films understands the scale, energy, and cultural richness of South Asian celebrations better than almost anyone in the industry. Their multi-day coverage captures the full arc of events — from Mehndi to reception — with production values that honor the grandeur of the traditions.

Signature Gear RED Komodo Sony FX6 DJI Inspire 2 Sigma Cine Lenses

Notable Venues Liberty Grand, Toronto Terranea Resort, CA Mandarin Oriental, NYC

Published In South Asian Bride Magazine Maharani Weddings The Knot

Interviewed By Wedding Sutra Feature WeddingWire Couple's Choice

nabifilms.com →

Ray Roman

Florida / Caribbean · Luxury Destination Pioneer

The veteran. 20+ years of luxury destination films. Ray Roman's Cabo and Caribbean work set the standard for an entire generation of wedding filmmakers. He was among the first to treat wedding videography as true cinema — long before "cinematic wedding film" became an industry buzzword. His body of work across two decades is a masterclass in evolution without losing identity.

Signature Gear Sony FX6 RED Komodo Canon CN-E Cinema Lenses DJI Mavic 3

Notable Venues One&Only Palmilla, Cabo The Breakers, Palm Beach Four Seasons Nevis, Caribbean

Published In Martha Stewart Weddings Junebug Weddings Grace Ormonde The Knot

Interviewed By WPPI Speaker (Multiple Years) Rangefinder Magazine Wedding MBA Educator

rayromancreative.com →

Luma Weddings

Australia · Moody Cinematic

Australian duo creating moody, cinematic narratives. Their color science and editing pace is genuinely innovative. Luma Weddings has carved a distinctive niche with their dark, atmospheric aesthetic — think cool shadows, desaturated highlights, and a deliberate moodiness that feels more like an art-house film than a wedding video. Their influence on the Australian and Asia-Pacific wedding film scene is significant.

Signature Gear Sony FX3 Sony A7S III Vintage Anamorphic Lenses DJI RS 3 Pro

Notable Venues Byron Bay, Australia Yarra Valley, Victoria Hunter Valley, NSW

Published In Hello May White Magazine Nouba

Interviewed By Vimeo Staff Pick AIPP Feature

lumaweddings.com.au →

Section 03

The Gear They Carry

One pattern emerged clearly across all 20 artists: **gear follows vision, not the other way around.** The film photographers are unified around the Contax 645 and Fuji 400H. The digital photographers have largely converged on the Canon EOS R5 ecosystem. The videographers split between Sony cinema (FX3/FX6) and RED for higher-end productions.

Category	Dominant Choice	Used By
Film Camera	Contax 645	Villa, McVey, Finck, Petaja, Huang, Pinera, Long
Film Stock	Fuji 400H / Kodak Portra 400	Villa, McVey, Petaja, Huang, Finck, Long, Pinera
Digital Camera	Canon EOS R5 / R5 II	Merry, McVey, Jiu, Earl, Long, Pinera, Villa
Portrait Lens	Canon RF 85mm f/1.2	Merry, Jiu, Earl
Cinema Camera	Sony FX3 / FX6	Filipe, NST, Vanessa & Ivo, Castelluccia, Kimberly, Roman, Luma
Cinema (High-End)	RED Komodo / V-Raptor	Henry + Mac, Elysium, Nabi, Roman
Gimbal	DJI RS 3 Pro	Filipe, Kimberly, Luma
Drone	DJI Mavic 3 / Inspire 3	Earl, Castelluccia, Roman, Elysium, Nabi

The best way to get better isn't to compete with the best — it's to study what makes them the best and find your own version of it.

Why This List Matters

More Than Talent

These aren't just talented people — they're **students of their craft**. Every one of them has publicly shared techniques, mentored other photographers, or built educational resources that lifted the entire industry.

José Villa's workshops created an entire school of fine art wedding photography. Erich McVey co-founded Once Wed and changed how destination work is published. KT Merry has been a vocal advocate for photographer licensing rights. India Earl proved that adventure elopements are a legitimate — and lucrative — genre.

On the video side, Ray Roman has been speaking at WPPI for over a decade. NST Pictures demonstrated that audio quality is the most undervalued element in wedding cinema. Films by Kimberly proved that a solo operator can produce work that competes with full crews.

**The common thread:** every artist on this list has given back more than they've taken.

Who Did We Miss?

This list is a starting point, not a finish line. The wedding industry is vast, and there are hundreds of extraordinary photographers and videographers whose work deserves recognition.

**Who would you add?** Join the conversation in the 12img Community — the original thread that inspired this article is still open for nominations.

Sources Artist websites, published interviews, WPPI speaker archives, Vimeo Staff Picks, editorial publication archives (Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue, Brides, Style Me Pretty, Once Wed, Junebug Weddings). All gear information sourced from published interviews, workshop materials, and public behind-the-scenes content.

The 12img Top 20: Wedding Photographers & Videographers Who Define the Craft in 2026

The 12img Top 20: Wedding Photographers & Videographers Who Define the Craft in 2026

More Than Talent

Who Did We Miss?

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