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. Discover some of the eye-catching portraits and photos that stopped us in our tracks this week, storytelling photography that is able to captures moments filled with tension, inspiration and emotions.

This moment of storytelling photography, of bride Ngan taken by Caitlin Taylor of Coral Dove Photography, was taken at The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, right after Ngan’s Vietnamese tea ceremony. “I feel a lot of emotions as I look at this image,” says Taylor. “It was taken during a chaotic transition moment from one wedding activity to the next and I love the stillness in that one small moment that the image portrays.”

The image, says Taylor captures then bride right before she was going to change into her wedding dress. “I had her pause for a moment while I took the photo,” Taylor explains. “I truly love shooting analog at weddings because the day can happen so quickly and shooting film can make you slow down and really appreciate the moments. In this digital and instantaneous world, waiting for film to arrive from the lab creates a sense of excitement and anticipation. The feeling that film can naturally convey is unmatched.”

[Read: 9 Things You Need to Develop a Signature Photography Style & Aesthetic]

When Paula Boggust of Friedland Studio in Omaha, Nebraska, sets up for a portrait, she likes to light the location and then bring in her subjects after that. Sometimes there is a candid feel to the photo, but there is also always careful planning involved, she explains.

“I generally set up the lighting but wait for the special moment that makes the image unique and (hopefully) humorous. I love this image, Boggust Band, because it documents a moment in my children’s lives.” (Lit wih a Broncolor 1600ws Primo Pack with Primo Head and Broncolor PulsoFlex 80×80 softbox.)

Traci Edwards of Adventure+Vow says this is three different photos—the landscapes were shot with the same exposures and the portrait of the couple was shot with a different one.

“I am always trying to find new ways to make this location not feel like the same experience/gallery each time we are up there. This couple truly enjoyed taking in the views from stopping their first dance to just look around together to sitting at the end of the evening drinking champagne and just watching the sunset. It was fun to create an image that put them fully in the landscape.”

[Read: Aspect Ratios in Photography: A Simple Way to Enhance Your Storytelling]

Bernadeta Kupiec says that at every wedding she photographs, she challenges herself to take at least one artistic shot, something different than usual, to experiment.

“Here, I was helped by a huge mirror built into the door of a vintage wooden wardrobe,” she explains. “I stood by the wardrobe to take a picture of bride Kari and her sister Julia while they were applying makeup before the wedding. I saw this reflection and played with it a bit.”

Adds Kupiec: “We had so much fun with all of us sitting in a small room and Kari getting ready with her sister helping her.”

[Read: 9 Tips for Sculpting Natural and Artificial Light at Weddings]

“Serving”, photographed by Susan Sidebottom, is part of a personal project (and a perfect example of storytelling photography) that she embarked on in Sarasota, Florida. “I portrayed working poverty through individuals who balance vulnerability and stability every day as productive members of the community while lacking affordable housing and other basic necessities,” she explains.

This image is part of an exhibition titled “A Place in the Sun”, where Sidebottom explored the dichotomy between those who have found their ideal and those who are seeking it. (It’s currently showing at Art Center Sarasota.)

“When photographing social issues, in this case, working poverty, my approach is to internalize my subjects’ stories, which becomes an emotional vehicle informing decisions I make for my photographs,” says Sidebottom. “Visiting with them and photographing their daily activities provides a genuine representation of their lives. Emphasizing their grace and dignity while considering light and shadow as storytelling vehicles, my intent is to offer a deeper understanding of the relationship between people and their circumstances.” 

Adds Sidebottom: “I love that [subject] Elisabeth is familiar to us, appealing to our humanity. The power of the portrait is that it evokes an emotional response as we engage with the image. The complexity in Elisabeth’s facial expression draws us into the image and demands the viewer look her in the eye and consider her situation. I love the added layer of the glass window in the composition. It represents a physical barrier between the subject and viewer, yet the transparency further highlights the ‘hidden in plain sight’ challenge of working poverty. 

Dig into our Photo of the Day archives for even more compelling, eye-catching storytelling photography filled with unique emotions and expressions that you won’t want to miss out on! Send submissions to [email protected].