The Legend Awards is a photo competition for elopement photographers to show off their documentary photography skills. This article features some of the award winning images from Round 2. See the full gallery of winners here.

What stands out in each of the award-winning photos is the emotion and personality of every couple. In these images, we can learn something about the couple — who they are, what they value, if they’re playful or carefree, or quiet or daring. Through authentic photography, we gain a secret window into their relationship, allowing us as the viewer to feel like we were there. And that is the magic of great storytelling.

Eloping is so much more than pretty photos in pretty places, and the Legend Awards strives to showcase all the wild and wonderful ways that two people can choose to get married. This set of award winners includes elopements on a boat in Guatemala, in the rain in Ireland, in an arcade, a helicopter and even while dogsledding.

Our Judge for Round 2, Larissa Welch of We, The Light Photography is a full-time elopement photographer in Colorado. She was selected as a judge because of her moment-focused portfolio. Instead of the expected portraits of loved-up couples kissing at sunset that you see filling a magazine’s glossy pages, her portfolio is packed with candid and unplanned moments highlighting that each elopement couple is unique. Her emphasis on capturing the real essence of every couple made her an easy choice as a judge for this documentary award. 

Candid and documentary photo competitions are tough — both to judge and to submit to! It’s hard to let gorgeous, technically perfect portraits fall to the cutting room floor. And, it’s especially hard to see photographers, many of whom have worked up the courage to submit to a contest for the first time, be disappointed when they’re not selected. But competitions are a marathon, not a sprint. And “failure” is actually just a goalpost. If at first you don’t succeed — find out why. The Legends Awards encourages submitters to ask questions and learn from their images that aren’t recognized — so that they can level up their skills.

Round 3 of the Elopement Photography Legend Awards opens on August 1. It’s $19 to Submit five images.  With a 15-guests limit on submissions, we are highlighting only the microweddings and elopements from around the world. 

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The award-winning photographers featured in this article are: Van Gachnang, Laura Sparks: Sparks in the Forest, Katy Homan: The Caryls, Daniela Monzi: Gemini Sun Creative, Heather Leacy, Shanmari Shehaj: Avonture Elopements, Gabriella Rankin, Manuel Aldana Fotografia, Lindsay Jane: Elope Montana, Meagan Lawler Photography, and Eline Tasma: North Wind Elopements. To see the rest of the winning images, view the Elopement Legend Awards Winners Gallery.