Best Wedding Photography of 2016 by ARJ Photography
2016: One year, one hundred and fifty wedding photos by Adam Johnson
Here we are again! I always find it very therapeutic putting this post together each year. Life as a wedding photographer can get pretty hectic once the busy season hits full swing – and I mean that in a good way, but at times it’s hard to keep up with yourself! So sitting down at this time of year as things quieten down, with a mince pie or ten, to look through a year of wedding photos and pick out some favourites is a really nice way to put the year into perspective and feel really good about a job well done. I do still have Leanne and Ben’s wedding left to shoot on New Years Eve in Northern Ireland which I absolutely can’t wait for but they will have to go into next year’s annual round up post!
I always have my favourite photos as the year progresses but it’s always nice to look back with fresh eyes – there are the photos I remember but often others jump out as I’m flicking through. Sometimes they make this post and sometimes they don’t, but they always remind me of little moments from the year gone by and make me smile. I love how a photo can do that – restore an otherwise lost memory – and this is what I hope I’m able to do for my couples for many many years to come. That’s the true magic of photography I think.
There’s never any strategy in mind for me when I’m picking photos for this post – and as usual I’m absolutely not saying these are the best photos I’ve ever taken, they’re just my personal favourites from the past 12 months for one reason or another. I’m super pleased that this post has ended up being a total mixture of ‘portraits’ and ‘moments’ – I often say that in my work I like to try and blur the lines between the two and how every image I take should be good enough for a big frame on the wall or, in this case, a place on the blog! I want my moment-photos to feel like portraits and my portrait-photos to feel like moments!
So how do I possibly sum up 2016? I simply can’t. It’s been absolutely mind-blowingly tremendous and I’m genuinely sad it’s coming to an end. This year I’ve shot 41 weddings so far, all over the UK and in some of my favourite places in the whole world. But way more than that, I’ve met some of the best people I’ve ever met this year. I’ve changed this year because of them. I always say – and it’s becoming a bit of a personal cliche – that being a wedding photographer makes the world a bigger place for me and never has that felt truer than this year.
So, this post is about photos. But for me it’s about more than that. It’s always my line in the sand for the year ahead. I like to look at this post and see multidimensional variety and energy and vibrance and life and art and feel good about what I’ve created for my couples. But more than that I use it as a sort of benchmark for myself – something to be accountable to as I head into a fresh year. Ironically as I sit here, “Ready” by Kodaline has started to play on my Sonos… 2017 is already shaping up to be a special year. Can it live up to 2016? Who knows. In a way it doesn’t have to. But I sure am ready!
If you’ve been part of my 2016 – and especially if you’re in these photos – thanks a million! If you’re already part of my plans for 2017 then I can’t wait!
Have a great Christmas and New Year everyone! I hope you enjoy looking at these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!
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Stunning work. These are epic.
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Wow. That’s about as wedding photography gets really. Off the scale.
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So. Damn. Good.
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Seriously though … where to even begin!? Looks like you’ve had an amazing season Adam. Ace shizz!
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Incredible set of images…Wow what a year Adam!
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Amazing set! The new website is super cool too! Have a great 2017!
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Wowzer! So good and Inspirational Adam, totally smashed the 2016!
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Take a bow my friend, you are my fav photographer. Every shot nailed and full of life. Amazing work mate.
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50 shades of epic Mr Johnson. Dayum….. What a year!!
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Mega Adam…just mega!!
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I look forward to this post ever year mate and as just as I knew it would be, it’s ….insane. How you have managed to get so many incredible images in just 12 short months is crazy. You’re an unbelievable talent.
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Best Wedding Photography of 2016…it certainly is Adam! Amazing, absolutely amazing buddy!
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Oh Adam!! These are insanely good images!! The one of the Mum kissing the Bride’s forehead is just perfect! Thanks for sharing your gift with all of us!
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Outstanding. World Class. Inspiring. Thank you
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Adam, in case it never crossed your mind let me pronounce it – wedding photography doesn’t get better than this. I just wanted you to know. <3
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Gorgeous work. Really enjoyed looking through all of these, and the last photo is brilliant! Nx
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What a collection to be proud of Adam!! Jaw droppingly good and totally and utterly inspiring from start to finish!
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Cant think what to say to that lot…
Speechless
Wow
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I didn’t want this blog post to end!!!! Or my doughnut, the doughnut went by frame 6!!! An insane collection mate, totally insane! Love you lots like jelly tots! x
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FREAKIN INSANE BRO!!!!!……Mouth on floor……
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What an incredible set of images and what an epic year you have had Adam. 2017 doesn’t even know what is about to hit it. Keep inspiring us my friend!
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You’ve nailed it Adam! Colours are stunning. The quality of the images send me into a bit of a trance! 🙂
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EPIC, beautiful, and pure inspiration.
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Amazing stuff dude!!!
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If I could swear on here I would! An exclamation mark doesn’t do enough to emphasise the impact this has! Stunning stunning work. Colours / Moments / Framing it has it all! Be proud.
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Stunning sir. Amazing eye, incredible angles!
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Breathtaking mate. Looks like an epic year and i’m super chuffed you included a Welsh lineout. Awesome!!
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Absolutely beautiful and so full of life, especially the quiet images.
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DUDE! What. The.
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So most of the UK photographer population have now just binned there ‘Best of 2016’ folder after seeing this – me included!!
Absolute sublime throughout my friend – so incredible, thanks sharing your amazing artistry – it’s joy to witness!!
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Flip me. A-mazing!
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WOW.
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Just so much awesome in one post! Incredibly inspiring. Here’s to 2017 dude x peace
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Absolutely incredible work! 150 unbelievable images!!
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Booom !!! So GOOD Adam !!!
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You were always remarkable in so many different ways but this ……..!!! Adam you just get better and better but somehow I’m not surprised, I am overawed. WOW!!!!
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WOW WOW! Beautiful work. Enjoy 2017!
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Dammmmnnnn dude!!! Give us a chance hey? 🙂 these are absolutely cosmical!!!! love that you finished this blog dropping the mic!! haha! legend! x
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Wow, seriously you’ve captured some inspiring moments in an incredible manor. Here’s to next season and many more.
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This is beyond epic and all other kinds of superlative. Flawless, peerless work – kudos!
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Dynamic, creative, emotive…just the very top drawer of wedding photography, my friend.
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Yowza .. my mind is blownza. x
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Excellent work man. Really impressed!
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Wow!!! Absolutely incredible.
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Nice one Adam great stuff! Loved the dancing one with the halo! :O)
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Boom, drop the mic indeed. Amazing set, mind blown x
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Totally and utterly annihilated 2016 dude! You are quite simply, the complete wedding photographer
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2016 – Another level of absolute awesomeness unlocked.
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Jeeez this is simply amazing work!
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Lovely work, congratulations!
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You are the master of capturing. Fantastic images – well done!
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So many amazing shots, hard to choose a favourite. The one of the B an’ G tungsten lit at the bottom of the castle turret is a stonker though…
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Wow – what a collection of stunning images.
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Flippin’ eck, you”re good, Adam. The effort required to capture images of this calibre is immense. Simply stunning.
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Amazing set of images Adam. Well done mate and all the best in 2017!
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Oh maaaaaaan! I finally got to have a proper look at this post, so. many. superlatives, yet I feel all would be inadequate. I’m currently building my own ‘Best of’ but I think I need to go and make myself a nice cup of tea and find a purring cat to calm my eyes down. Daaaaamn.
You’re awesome dude. Can I borrow your eyes?
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This wedding photography thing, it’s really resonated with you hasn’t it! The industry is fast paced and I consider you to be on the cutting edge of it right now. Impressive, like really impressive. You’ve tapped into something Adam
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All killer and no filler buddy. Your use of colour and comp is astounding. Proper show stopping stuff!!!
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Absolutely love this 2016 Blog! The low night/ night photography is simply stunning
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Great stuff Adam! Loving the guy dancing with the angel halo!! ;O)
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Bloomin’ wonderful photos! Such a great mix of humour and emotion. Epic portraiture and touching moments. Inspirational stuff! Have a great 2017!
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Absolutely amazing photos ;-).
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What a belting set of images. Awesome stuff!
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So damned impressive. But more than that, you can feel every memory within the amazing colour & composition – there is nothing distancing there, which feels rare.
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Absolutely immense. Your passion for what you do bursts out of these images. I love the life and humanity in them, which you manage to capture at the same time as making them so beautiful aesthetically as well. You should be so proud of these.
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I know I tell you all the time how seriously epic your photographs are but seriously yo, this is ridiculously awesome!
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Yep, this is it indeed. This is how you do it! Incredible.
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Stunning set of images. Some amazing stuff.
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Love this style of photographs captures exactly what is required great job and nice little blog.
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I found your pictures so inspiring!
Thank you
♡
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Nice wedding pictures, greatings from Vienna.
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One word – stunning. I won’t write too much but your work is definitely worth following. Really impressive!
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Amazing work!
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Incredible work mate. Chock full of moments, perfectly framed, full of colour, full of life.
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Stunning images nice to be inspired Thanks
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Breath-taking compilation. An explosion of colours and life. Congrats!
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Loved looking through this and your posts from 2016. Consistently brilliant work.