Portrait photography can run the gamut in type and style—everything from the traditional “head and shoulders” shot to lifestyle and environmental, candid and street, glamour, boudoir, maternity sessions and much more. View some of our eye-catching photos of the week that stopped us in our tracks and read the backstories on the how they were created. This week we focus on editorial shoots and bridal beauties.

Melanie Nashan photographed this image in Big Timber, Montana, for Farm & Ranch Living Magazine as part of a story on a ranching family that has four kids, chickens, pigs, cats, dogs, horses, cows and bulls.

[Read: Making a Move to Styled Editorial Shoots for Top Magazines]

Says the photographer: “After taking portraits of each of the family members doing their chores—which included feeding the pigs and cats, gathering the eggs the chickens had laid that day—this one boy, just after rounding up the bulls, said he could stand on his horse’s back. Of course I asked him to bring his horse to the center of the gravel road and he popped out of the seat of the saddle and stood on it as though it was as natural as standing on the ground. After I took the photo, he jumped into the combine and started harvesting the grain in his family’s field.”

For Nashan, who is from the Treasure State, this image represents the quintessential lifestyle of the kids who are raised on ranches in Montana. “Many of the ranch kids spend more time with their horses than they do with their friends because the ranches are so isolated,” she says.

Jeremie Barlow photographed this bright and springlike image at The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis for a nationally published editorial for The Knot magazine. “Gretchen Culver of Rocket Science Events was asked to create a styled wedding shoot based on the work of a prominent artist and she chose painter Robert Motherwell,” Barlow explains.

[Read: Pulling off the Elevated Editorial Engagement Shoot]

“We were aiming for a very fresh, modern approach to this styled wedding and to the photography,” the photographer continues. “It was very inspiring to photograph such avant-garde designs in relation to weddings. The models were intended to exemplify an urban, art-loving couple.”

Barlow says she especially loves “the sophistication of the model, the brightness in her eyes, and the use of negative space which sort of mirrors Motherwell’s composition style. I feel like the entire shoot being based on the work of an abstract, expressionist artist was pretty groundbreaking.”

Gagan Dhiman says that the Yosemite Half Dome area was closed so this particular spot in Yosemite National Park was packed as a result. “The idea of photographing a couple with beautiful scenery is always nice,” he says, “but the place itself was crowded with people. Since this was the couple’s wedding day, I wanted them to remember it how it was by making it look epic yet authentic. That included having some of the tourists who were there that day in the picture.”

The photographer says he told the bride and groom to stand there and think about how they got there. “Not the literal drive to Yosemite but rather the journey it took to get there as a husband and wife and the new chapter of their life that was ahead of them.”

Dhiman says he especially loves how the little girl in the photo is just staring at the bride. “While everyone is enjoying the scenery she’s just in awe of the life-size princess in front of her,” he says. “I remember her telling her mother, ‘Look, mom, a princess!’ The mom immediately tried to grab her daughter so she wouldn’t ruin the image. Bus she didn’t ruin it; she’s a great addition to it.”

Syed Yaqeen, of SYPhotography, says this image (above) was taken at JACK Studios in New York City for an editorial shoot arranged by the gown designer Galia Lahav during NY Bridal Fashion Week. The background, says Yaqeen, was custom-made just for this shoot. “The design and color were selected to help the mostly white dresses stand out. As it turns out, it looks great in black and white as well.”

Yaqeen adds that it was a long day of photo and video shoot with a large team. “The overall look of the shoot was ‘happy/excited bride’ (with directions given by the PR team). With a little direction, the model gave this demure look (above) in the midst of the shoot. I love the beautiful ‘real bride’ feel of the image, especially in black and white. It is definitely one of my favorite shots.”

Vinuthna Garidipuri says this image (below) was taken in southern California on the morning of the wedding, with sunrise light.

“What I love the most about this image is that it is a classic Indian bridal portrait that showcases the beautiful elements of the veil, headpiece and stunning jewelry in a simple way,” says Garidipuri.

[Read: 15 Must-Capture Photo Ops at Indian Weddings]

“I wanted to utilize the morning light against a white wall and shoot through the red veil. The pop of color that consumes this frame with the depth makes it one of my favorite portraits!”

Dig into our Photo of the Day archives for even more compelling imagery.