35+ Epic Telephoto Wedding Portraits for Your Inspiration

[Diane Wu]

One of the many benefits of hiring a professional wedding photographer is having access to their professional gear. It’s not that clients get to use the gear personally, of course, but they directly benefit from the unique qualities that professional (and often expensive) gear possesses. A great example of this is the dreamy photos that photographers take using a telephoto lens. These lenses often cost thousands of dollars. But it’s worth it! They make it possible for photographers to capture portraits featuring an extremely shallow depth of field for that cinematic look that everyone loves. It’s worth noting that the photographers themselves bring their creative techniques to make the magic happen (the gear alone cannot take the credit), but you’ll love what they can capture with telephoto lenses. That said, we’ve put together a collection of 35+ inspiring, epic wedding portraits captured with a telephoto lens.

All of the images in this article are provided by the photographers at Wedding Maps and used with the photographers’ permission.

Helpful Photography Lingo​

Here are a few concepts that you’ll find referenced in this article (including in the intro above) and showcased in the collection of images below:

• Focal Length: The focal length controls how much of a scene you see through the lens. A short focal length (like 16mm) shows a wide view, while a long focal length (like 200mm+) zooms in on a smaller part of the scene.
• Telephoto Lens: A telephoto lens has a long focal length that makes faraway subjects look much closer.
• Lens Compression: Lens compression makes the background look bigger and closer to the subject than it really is, especially when using a zoom or telephoto lens.
• Depth of Field: The depth of field is how much of your photo looks sharp and in focus. A shallow depth means only part of the image is sharp, while a deep depth means most or all of it is in focus.
• Bokeh: Bokeh is the look and feel of the blurry parts of a photo. Good bokeh looks soft and smooth; bad bokeh looks harsh or distracting.

Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get into it. Here’s a look at some of the ways telephoto lenses (and the photographers wielding them) can capture beautiful portraits of some of your most important moments.

Couples Portraits​

Photo by MOT Photography

Of all the important parts of the wedding day, the couples portrait session is one of the most important in terms of having beautiful photos to look back on later in life. Couples portraits also represent some of the most printed wedding photos. That said, it’s hard to find better looking photos than those captured with a telephoto lens. The creamy bokeh and shallow depth of field really helps separate the couples from the background and draw the focus squarely to them.

Photo by Stefani Ciotti Photography

Photo by Carlos Azevedo

Epic Environmental Portraits​

Because of the way telephoto lenses compress the background and make it appear closer and larger than it really is in relation to the subject, they’re ideal for creating epic environmental portraits like these, which will look great printed and hanging in a special spot on the wall at home.

Photo by JCM Photography

Photo by JCM Photography

Photo by Oli and Steph

Photo by Michael Freas

Bridal Portraits​

Another reason that telephoto lenses work well for wedding portraits is the natural compression at this focal length also minimizes perspective distortion and captures more flattering proportions. If you’ve ever seen a close-up, wide angle portrait of a person’s face, then you know how cartoonish people can look when the “wrong” lens is used. Telephoto lenses allow photographers to move in closer without reshaping the subject’s face. Combine that with the soft background that keeps the attention on the bride, and you have a recipe for incredible bridal portraits.

Photo by SMJ Photography

Details & The In-Between Moments​

Weddings are often seen as grand events, but what makes them truly meaningful are the small, heartfelt moments woven throughout the day. While we expect photographers to capture the big milestones like the first kiss or the first dance, the best photographers also document the in-between moments, like a reassuring hug or unscripted expression. A telephoto lens helps them do this by allowing them to stay at a distance, so these real emotions unfold naturally without feeling staged. It’s often these small, genuine memories that couples treasure the most after the big day is over.

Photo by Vow of the Wild

Photo by Michael Freas

Photo by Vow of the Wild

Photo by Life and Lights Photography

Ceremony & Recessional​

There are so many different ways to photograph a ceremony, but capturing emotional expressions is key, whether it’s of the bride and groom, the bridal party, or even friends and family who are looking on.

Photo by Luzye Photography

Photo by Kevin Heslin Photography

Photo by Sokol & Co. Photo

Golden Hour​

The soft, glowing light just before sunset, also known as golden hour, is a favorite time for couples’ portraits on a wedding day. Brides and grooms love it because the warm, natural light makes everything look beautiful without feeling overly posed. It’s a small window of time, but the results are some of the most breathtaking and memorable photos of the day. Here’s a glimpse of telephoto wedding portraits captured during golden hour.

Photo by MOT Photography

Photo by Andy Sidders Photography

Photo by Stoyan Katinov

Photo by Andy Sidders Photography

Black and White​

Black and white edits give wedding photos a timeless, classic feel that never goes out of style. Alongside the other visual attributes that make telephoto wedding photos great, removing color allows viewers to focus even more on the emotion, light, and connection in the images.

Photo by Andreas Pollok

Photo by Sokol & Co. Photo

Photo by Kevin Heslin Photography

Photo by Nix Weddings

Photo by Francis Sylvest

Conclusion & More Inspiring Photos​

We hope you’re enjoying this collection of 25+ epic telephoto wedding portraits. Here are some more incredible portraits from Wedding Maps photographers to inspire your shot list for the big day.

Photo by Jessie and Dallin

Photo by Anne Stephenson

Photo by Dan Sauer

Photo by SMJ Photography

Photo by Lets Make a Memory

Photo by Dan Sauer

Photo by Bonnie Photo

Photo by Shukhrat Kamalov

Photo by Nix Weddings

Photo by Andreas Pollok

Photo by NZ Wedding Studio

Photo by Stefani Ciotti Photography

Photo by Carlos Azevedo

**Feature Image by Gretchen Troop

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