Wednesday, March 5th at WPPI: The Wedding and Portrait "It" List of the Day

Matt & Katie Ebenezer

They met when he was the IT guy at school and she was a student, but they didn’t actually get together until 2005, reconnecting at a family friend’s house (and marrying only three months later).
For a young couple from the small town of Toowoomba, Australia, Matt and Katie Ebenezer have gained an increasingly broad reach, photographing weddings all over Australia and in Nashville, Colorado and the UK.

© Matt and Katie Ebenezer

Their success can be attributed to a few things: her photojournalism background, his approach of capturing “visual imagery that evokes a feeling and an emotion” and some general adorableness (just watch their cover of “Don’t Stop Believing”). Plus, their work is clearly reflective of their personalities—fun, a bit quirky and esthetically consistent.

© Matt and Katie Ebenezer

“We’re really looking forward to our seminar (‘How to Earn at Least $2K per Portrait Session’) at WPPI this year, but we’re mostly excited to be attendees and sit in on some amazing classes,” Matt says. —Jessica Gordon

Citlalli Rico

Since documenting her first wedding in 2006, Mexico-based wedding photographer Citlalli Rico (pronounced Seet-Lally) knew it was the career for her. She shoots under Riviera Maya’s wedding studio ClaudiaPhoto, as well as independently with her sister Tamara serving as second shooter.

© Citlalli Rico

As for her style, Rico calls it, “A very natural, non-intrusive approach, driven by real moments. I try to document life as it happens, so I let it happen.”

© Citlalli Rico

For her first time at WPPI, Rico will lead the Spanish language Platform class, “Anatomía de una fotografía significativa” or The Anatomy of a Significant Photograph. “I cannot wait to meet everyone,” Rico says of the week. “I hope I get the chance to talk to most of the attendees and be part of this great experience.” The best place to catch Rico in Vegas will likely be on the dance floor—on her blog Rico writes of her love for “salsa dancing, [traditional Mexican dish] chilaquiles and everything related tovisual arts.”—JG

Danny Dong

When Danny Dong started out in wedding photography in 2008, he still had a full-time job as a senior management consultant for Cisco, which he left in 2009. Five years later, wedding photography remains his full-time passion. “Over the years, I kept trying different styles to find a unique fit for me,” he explains. “I kept testing which style was more attractive to the cliental that I wanted to target.”

© Danny Dong

Says a reflective Dong today: “At that time, I was happy with my images…but looking back, some do seem kind of cheesy. But I still love them.” In 2010, Dong attended WPPI for my first time. “I was shocked and greatly inspired by many amazing speakers whose work was so stylish. I realized how small I was and how much I need to improve and explore a new look, one that seemed more sexy and glamorous.”

© Danny Dong

Dong, who last year shot 30 weddings with wife Julia Dong, says that when he started to enter his images in competitions a few years ago, it helped him learn what type of photos are regarded as an “Award” by industry professionals. At WPPI this year he will speak on “Creating a Unique & Signature Style,” because as he has come to realize over the years, “good images need good stories.” —Jacqueline Tobin