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 the eye-catching portraits and photos of the week that stopped us in our tracks based on composition and lighting, as well as on unique storytelling moments that asks the viewer a question rather than provides the answer.

This image, taken by John Dolan on a mountain near Manchester, Vermont, back in 2003 currently graces the cover of his new book, The Perfect Imperfect: The Wedding Photographs of John Dolan (Damiani, November 2021). The bride in the portrait was a school teacher at Dolan’s kid’s school at the time.

“I love the mystery of this image,” says Dolan. “The photograph asks the viewer a question. It makes you wonder,  where does the cloud end and the veil begin? “We chose this photograph as the cover as an emblem of the imperfect moments at weddings that are more real than the posed, choreographed images.”

Writes Martha Stewart in the book’s foreword: “Each image is provocative, detailed, important, relevant and memorable. John Dolan encourages his subjects to be bold, to show their emotions, and to allow his lens to capture private as well as more open moments. Years ago no bride would allow a photographer in the dressing room or bedroom, but now some of the most coveted moments are captured in those rooms. John has shown us what is possible in the many ways he has made wedding photography a true art form, competing perfectly with painters of old, who barely had time to do one sketch of the betrothed couple to paint at a later date.”

Lana Polic says the inspiration for this image came from a hat that has been sitting in her closet for some time. “I had the desire to make a sun ‘vibe’ and play with shadow designs on my skin,” she explains.

“The sun gives hard shadows, and to mimic it in the studio, you need a small light source so I decided to try a snoot,” Polic continues. “I placed the light above me so I could have more shadow patterns falling on my face and body. I’ve slightly put my chin up so the shadow covers just my eyes.”

[Read: Self-Portrait Photography: One Photographer’s Educational Approach]

With chin up and light above, shadow patterns falling on the body gave her, she says, that extra artistic touch that she wanted to achieve here. “I set the White Balance in warmer tones and added the final touch with Capture One.”

[Read: A Guide to Elopement Photography When Couples Downsize Weddings]

This was one of the final images taken during couple Karina & Yusuf’s Isle of Skye elopement in September 2020. “We loved the beautiful simplicity of this image and the way it encapsulated their incredibly close connection,” say Katy and Jim of The Caryls Photography of Scotland.

As the day progressed, the photographers noticed that “much more than any other couple we’ve photographed, Karina and Yusuf were incredibly expressive with their hands. They were constantly connecting through their fingers in a beautiful, unspoken love language. It was something very unique to them and we really wanted to capture this.”

Mamad Mossadegh of Twig & Vine Photography in the U.K. says this getting ready portrait was taken as the groom and his best man were pinning their buttonhole flowers for each other.

“Usually I only get to photograph the bridal preparations in full, and then meet with the groom’s party at the ceremony location prior to the bride’s arrival,” Mossadegh explains. “In this case, however, both the bride and groom were getting ready in the same place, which gave me plenty of time with the groom and groomsmen before they had to go off and see to their duties.”

The photographer adds that this was his first time photographing at the venue, Stubton Hall, and he really liked the look and feel of the venue. “To be honest, the venue made it a lot easier for me by providing such amazing backdrops, as you can see in this shot,” he explains. “This was in an elegant drawing room with an extra high ceiling and lots of beautiful framed paintings on the walls in front of a huge window throwing loads of light onto the subjects. I asked them to ignore me and just carry on as though I wasn’t there. I knew, as I was taking images, that I was going to get something magical.”

Gagan Dhiman says this photograph was taken in Seattle, Washington. “The couple and I were driving to a spot for portraits before the ceremony but the light was very harsh at that time of day. As I was talking with them as we drove around, they told me that they hired me after they saw another image I made in Sacramento with one of my other couples.”

Adds Dhiman: “I saw this building and asked them to pull over. We created this image and they absolutely loved it.”

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