Cathy Ronalds, The newlyweds (Professional Category 2017)

This couple were very passionate and deeply bonded. When I suggested photographing them in this pocket of light amongst the privacy of these dominating cypress trees, they were enthusiastic. The bride's dress was designed by her and beautifully unique, including details such a layer of her mother's wedding dress and silk dyed in a South African tea - an ode to her lover's heritage. They were very comfortable in front of my camera and little posing was necessary. I used the technique of freelensing for this shot, with my 50mm lens, to capture their passion and enhance the effect of shadows and light.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.