Bernadeta Kupiec

You might find Bernadeta Kupiec editing her photos while nostalgic songs stream on Spotify in the background, having lit pinewood-scented candles to set the post-production mood. It helps her channel her nostalgic, emotive style. She is, after all, drawn to dramatic landscapes, testy weather and nature’s glory, all while keeping an eye out for fleeting moments of love and connection.

Having toyed around with photography since she was a kid, Bernadeta Kupiec quit her “safe, very stressful” full-time desk job in Scotland amid lockdown last year, diving completely into wedding photography. A Canon photographer, she only had three weddings in 2020, but she organized plenty of styled shoots so that she could practice.

With more nuptials under her belt now, she says, “I want my couples to feel very comfortable. When guiding them with poses, I ask them to boldly tell me if a pose is not for them. It is very important for me that when looking at the photos in a few or a dozen years, they can feel that the people in the photos are them.”

Check out the official announcement of this year’s 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography, along with the editors’ observations on the list of 2021.