Photography contests are great because they tend to attract the best of the best to submit their amazing photos. The International Society Of Professional Wedding Photographers, for example, holds a quarterly competition among their members that collects their best wedding photos for the world to see.

There are 20 different categories that highlight all the different features that can turn a simple wedding photo into a stunning picture – from lighting and composition to dynamic movement or raw emotion. The ISPWP’s website highlights what it is about wedding photography that makes it so challenging and so special: “You have to get it right the first time, every time. You have to be a professional photographer and know your gear so well that you can make adjustments on the fly, without thinking or hesitating. And you have to do it for 8, 10, or 12 hours in close quarters with clients who have put their trust in you to get it right.”

Check out some of their best photos from this year’s photo contest below!

More info: ispwp.com (h/t: mymodernmet)

1st Place in All About Light, Winter 2013, Taipei, Taiwan

Photo credits: Chris Huang

1st Place in Pure Art, Fall 2014, New York City, New York

Photo credits: Emin Kuliyev

1st Place in Framing The Subject, Summer 2014, Vigo, Spain

Photo credits: Paula Boto

1st Place in The Decisive Moment, Summer 2014, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Photo credits: Dennis Berti

1st Place in Ceremony, Spring 2014, Zaragoza, Spain

Photo credits: Nacho Mora

1st Place in Emotional Impact, Spring 2014, Phoenix, Arizona

Photo credits: Tina Wright

1st Place in Family Love, Fall 2014, Canton, China

Photo credits: Allen Ko

1st Place in The Decisive Moment, Fall 2014, Zaragoza, Spain

Photo credits: Victor Lax

1st Place in Bridal Party Portrait, Fall 2014, Nanping, China

Photo credits: Xiang Qi

1st Place in All About Light, Winter 2013, Taipei, Taiwan

Photo credits: Matous Duchek

1st Place in Engagement Portrait, Summer 2014, Singapore

Photo credits: Raymond Phang

1st Place in Venue Or Location, Summer 2014, Cracow, Poland

Photo credits: Szymon Nykiel

1st Place in Ceremony, Winter 2013, Frankfurt, Germany

Photo credits: Raman El Atiaoui

1st Place in Venue Or Location, Spring 2014, Wiesbaden, Germany

Photo credits: Dennis Jagusiak

1st Place in Emotional Impact, Fall 2014, Florence, Italy

Photo credits: Andrea Corsi

1st Place in Pure Art, Winter 2013, Paris, France

Photo credits: Dan Petrovic

1st Place in Kids Will Be Kids, Spring 2014, Hong Kong

Photo credits: Nick Chang

1st Place in First dance, Summer 2014, Canmore, Alberta

Photo credits: Erika Mann

1st Place in Reception, Winter 2013, Ubeda, Spain

Photo credits: Aurora Lechuga

1st Place in First Dance, Fall 2014, Zwolle, Netherlands

Photo credits: Peter van der Lingen

1st Place in Emotional Impact, Summer 2014, Jakarta, Indonesia

Photo credits: Tito Rikardo

1st Place in Wedding Details, Spring 2014, Brussels, Belgium

Photo credits: Ivo Popov

1st Place in Kids Will Be Kids, Winter 2013, Cinque Terre, Italy

Photo credits: Julian Kanz

1st Place in Family Love, Winter 2013, Boston, Massachusetts

Photo credits: Masao Okano

1st Place in Framing The Subject, Winter 2013, Novorossiysk, Russia

Photo credits: Ruslan Myts

1st Place in Pure Art, Spring 2014, Denver, Colorado

Photo credits: Nathan Welton

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