As a black wedding photographer in Seattle, Washington, I am always inspired by the work of other photographers who capture love beautifully. Today, I want to share with you six of the top black wedding photographers who inspire me.
Each of these photographers has a unique style that they bring to each wedding they photograph. From Stanlo Photography’s candid and emotional shots to Michelle Harris Photography’s playful and fun photos, each photographer has something special to offer.
I hope that by sharing these inspiring black wedding photographers with you, you will be able to find your own unique style and approach to capturing couples’ big day of love.
Known for his clean, modern, and artsy style, Stanley Babb of Stanlo Photography approaches each wedding with a fresh perspective, ensuring that each couple’s big day is one-of-a-kind. His work has been featured in Essence, Mona Lucci Bride, Black Bride, and Ellements Magazine, among others.
Babb believes that photography is all about capturing emotion. “I love photography because I love people,” he says. “It all comes down to capturing emotion. Documentation of the art, wonder, humor and the beauty of life is worth investing in at major events in one’s life.” This philosophy is evident in his ability to combine fine art portraiture with honest documentary-style imagery.
Whether it’s engagement or wedding photos, Babb and his team are passionate about what they do and always go the extra mile to ensure their clients are happy. “We take great joy in the challenge of creating the most unique and beautiful visual documents of the most extraordinary days of our client’s lives,” he says.
Wedding photography is an intimate relationship that thrives on authentic connection. For Michelle, this isn’t just a job – it’s a passion project. She puts her heart and soul into every shoot, ensuring that each couple gets the beautiful, unique photos they deserve.
Since 2015, she has had the privilege of building two photography businesses from the ground up, focusing on capturing love stories of all kinds, ages, genders, and locations.
In addition to photographing couples, Michelle also teaches other photographers her techniques, styles, and process. She wants to help build a strong community of supportive wedding vendors who care about giving couples the best experience possible.
Michelle’s focus on relationships, education, and inclusivity makes her an inspirational photographer for anyone looking to capture their own love story.
As a black wedding photographer, Kesha Lambert inspires many in the community. Her work is marked by its signature style, a perfect blend of light, movement, color, and emotion. Kesha’s passion for documenting life events is evident in her award-winning work, and she continues to wow couples with her stunning collections of wedding photos. In addition to being a talented photographer, Kesha is a mom of three and a lawyer. She brings her unique perspective and skillset to each wedding she photographs locally in New York and at destination weddings worldwide.
REEM Photography is a unique wedding photography company that inspires current and future generations to love. The company was started by Kareem Virgo, a passionate photographer who fell in love with the art form while studying accounting in college.
The company’s name is an acronym coined by Virgo’s wife, which stands for Reliving Each and Every Moment. This phrase encapsulates the company’s mission to document love in its purest form and preserve moments that last forever.
Kareem’s body of work is natural, modern, and crisp with a vintage mix. He approaches every wedding and session with a photo-journalistic style that is believable to the natural eye. This unique perspective has led to REEM Photography being featured in Good Morning America, Essence, local news stations, and more.
According to Kareem, photography is more than just clicking the shutter button and taking a photograph. It’s about preserving moments that we will cherish for generations to come. This commitment to quality has made REEM Photography a force to be reckoned with in the wedding photography community.
When photographers capture a moment, it’s like they’re freezing time. And for James Willis, that’s what he strives to do with every click of his camera.
“My goal is to give you images you will be proud to share and leave you asking, ‘When did that happen?!'” says James.
Based in Dallas, Texas, James has had the privilege of traveling throughout the US, Caribbean, and Mexico to photograph couples’ big days. His style is primarily journalistic, with an approach that captures all the important details.
“Getting to work closely with my couples is truly a unique experience,” he says. “It allows me to capture those intimate moments that no one else notices.”
And this is what sets James apart from other photographers – his ability to zero in on the little moments that make a wedding day so special.
Elizabeth Austin is a Black wedding photographer who has made a name for herself by delivering stunning images that capture the joy and love of couples’ big day. But Elizabeth’s work is not just loved by her clients – she is also highly respected by her peers. In fact, Elizabeth has been named one of the Top Wedding Photographers in the world by Harper’s Bazaar and one of the Top Wedding Photographers in the United States by Brides Magazine.
Elizabeth’s love for photography started when she was just a teenager. She longed for a creative outlet and decided to pick up one of her father’s cameras. He was a hobbyist photographer, so they always had cameras around the house.
Elizabeth’s career as a wedding photographer officially started in 2015, but it wasn’t until 2019 that she gained widespread recognition for her work. That year, she was named one of the 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography by Rangefinder Magazine. Elizabeth was also named 20 on the rise by Honey Book.
Elizabeth takes great pride in creating family heirlooms for her clients and their families. “My goal is for your great-grandchildren to see my images. For them to be stored, become dusty and shared for generations to come,” she says.
As a Seattle wedding photographer, I am constantly inspired by the work of my peers. The photographers on this list are just a few of the many talented Black photographers who capture love beautifully. If you’re looking for a photographer to capture your big day, I hope this list has inspired you to look beyond the mainstream and consider one of these talented Black photographers. Thank you for reading!
Do you have a favorite Black wedding photographer? Let me know in the comments below!
WOW… I do not know where to start! I did not know Lessie before our photoshoot but I am so glad to have met her and chosen her to capture our engagement pictures! She was so easy to communicate with and so so helpful from start to finish. I am absolutely obsessed with the photos she captured of my fiancé and I! Not only do the photos look beyond amazing but our experience with her throughout the photoshoot was out of this world! She is extremely talented and was amazing at capturing natural and real moments!
- AMANDA + THOMAS
Lessie is the most compassionate, easy to communicate with , professional photographer I have ever had the joy of working with. Lessie has a skill set the surpasses many others, her attention to detail, her willingness to try new things and her commitment to the highest quality photos and experience for all who have the honor of booking with her is unprecedented. Lessie has a soul that is so invested in producing authenticity that many photos seem to lack.
- EMILY + DANIEL
Lessie was awesome! We are so happy she was the one that captured our special day! She was so professional. She was great at communicating with us in a timely manner and was extremely flexible when we had to reschedule our endgame to pictures. And my husband and I absolutely loved our wedding pictures as well. Lessie was able to captures so many great memories that we get to treasure forever!
- YESENIA + ROBBIE
Lessie is the most compassionate, easy to communicate with , professional photographer I have ever had the joy of working with. Lessie has a skill set the surpasses many others, her attention to detail, her willingness to try new things and her commitment to the highest quality photos and experience for all who have the honor of booking with her is unprecedented.... My gosh I am so grateful we booked with her! Lessie has a soul that is so invested in producing authenticity that many photos seem to lack.
- EMILY + DANIEL
Lessie is an amazing photographer. We could not be happier with our wedding photos. I love that she included many unique shots that I wouldn't have thought of but that I really love. Also, along with the photos of my husband and me and photos of both sides of the bridal party, she captured many of the wonderful smaller moments and details that are hard to notice amidst the busy-ness of the wedding day. We loved seeing those smaller details and the candid photos of friends and family as well. They're all very special to us.
- ABBIE + TONY
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