Most recent wedding and engagement sessions by Mantas Kubilinskas

Interview with JpegMini

In West Lithuania-born and raised, in D.C. is where he spends most of his days. OK, maybe he’s not from West Lithuania, and maybe I just had the theme song to ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air‘ in my head, but that’s the fun side Mantas brings out in me. He is one of those guys who can befriend you immediately. It’s an amazing trait that comes in handy as a photographer.

Full article: http://blog.jpegmini.com/photographers-dont-waste-your-time-with-distractions/
 

100 BEST WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA FOR 2016

So exited to announce that I was selected as Top 100 best photographers in United States and Canada for 2016!!! 

https://www.slrlounge.com/100-best-wedding-photographers-in-the-us-and-canada/

 

 

While SLR Lounge covers articles and tutorials for all types of photography, our roots have always been weddings.  So when determining our list of the “100 Best Wedding Photographers in the U.S. and Canada,” we did not take the task lightly.  After researching for weeks, analyzing thousands of portfolios, and getting expert opinions from industry leaders, we came up with the following list.

*Note: Click here to see our Top 150 Best International Wedding Photographers of 2016!

THE SELECTION METHOD FOR THE BEST WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Our goal was to invent our own systematic method of selection that included as much objectivity as possible in an inherently subjective process. Here’s how we created the list:

Step 1: We first compiled multiple lists of award-winners, instructors, and industry leaders from a variety of respected sources. These sources included the following:

  • Conference Speakers – Educators from this year’s WPPI, PhotoPlus, Imaging USA, Canada Photo Convention, CreativeLive, and Mystic Seminars
  • Award Winners – Photographers recognized by respected sources like Pop Photo, Junebug Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, American Photo Mag, and Fearless Photographers
  • Brand Ambassadors – Sponsored photographers from respected brands like Canon, Nikon, Sony, Profoto, Kodak and the MAC Group lineup of products

Step 2: We ran these lists through a formula to find the reoccurring names. If a name or studio appeared more than once, they were up for consideration. We then looked for the following:

  • Working Photographers – Since this is an annual list of the best wedding photographers for 2016 (and not an “all-time” list), we wanted to ensure that each artist was active. For this, we looked for clues like their blog entry dates and the contents of their social media activity.
  • Artists and Not Just Educators – The formula revealed some photographers who are well-known educators but lacked in artistry in comparison to the rest of the results. These were eliminated.
  • Artists and Not Just Networkers – The formula also revealed some photographers who are well connected in the industry but lacked in artistry in comparison to the rest of the results. These were also eliminated.

Step 3:  We went through the long process of reviewing each portfolio for the following characteristics:

  • Uniqueness and Creativity – This list favors photographers who are doing something different. Some are pioneering new techniques like Ryan Brenizer or Sam Hurd. Others see art in places where most photographers would overlook like Two Mann and Chrisman Studios.
  • Artistry and Vision – This list also favors photographers who have a complete vision for the final product like Erich Mcvey and Dylan and Sara. In their images, you can see how all elements of the scene work together (the models, wardrobe, makeup, location, post-processing, and more) for a beautiful, cohesive, final product.
  • Timing and Emotion Capture – This list also favors photographers who have a knack for being in the right place at the right time, like Callaway Gable and Anna Kuperberg, who create emotional photojournalism.
  • Consistency – This list favors photographers who produce consistent quality from shoot to shoot. One single great shot (or even a large set of great shots) is not enough to make the list.

Step 4:  We then compared portfolios again and continued to eliminate until we cut the list down to 91 photographers. We kept our list at 91 because we want you to nominate the rest of the 9 in the comments below. We’ll look into each and every suggestion you make and finalize our list half way through the year. We are asking for your help because, as with any “best of” list, there are limitations and flaws with the selection. The primary limitation is that the initial selection favors artists with high visibility, whether that be through teaching, networking, or winning awards.  There very well could be some deserving photographers with lower visibility (perhaps with all of their efforts going towards serving their clients). There may also be some rising stars that are simply too new to pop up on our radar. So let us know your thoughts and help us make this the best possible list of its kind.

THE 100 BEST WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE US AND CANADA FOR 2016

Due to the subjective nature of art and photography, we decided to order this list in alphabetical order:

  1. Aaron Morris – New York, NY
  2. Abby Plus Dave – Calgary, AB
  3. Amanda Basteen – Des Moines, IA
  4. Anna Kuperberg – San Francisco, CA
  5. Ashley And Jeremy Parsons – Kansas City, MO
  6. Ashley Fisher – St Louis, MO
  7. Bambi Cantrell – San Francisco, CA
  8. Bradford Martens – Dallas, TX
  9. Brett Butterstein – San Diego, CA
  10. Brian And Allison Callaway – Los Angeles, CA
  11. Brian Maheux – Fort Collins, CO
  12. Camille & Chadwick Bensler – Vancouver, BC
  13. *Caroline Tran – Los Angeles, CA
  14. Charleton Churchill – Sacramento, CA
  15. Chrisman Studios (Ben, Erin and Mauricio Arias) – San Francisco, CA
  16. *Christina Blanarovich – New York, NY
  17. Cliff Mautner – Philadelphia, PA
  18. Crystal Stokes – Charlotte, NC
  19. Curtis Moore – Winnipeg, MB
  20. Dallas & Sabrina Kolotylo – Vancouver, BC
  21. Danny and Julia Dong – San Francisco, CA
  22. Dave Paek – New York, NY
  23. David Murray – Kennebunkport, ME
  24. Davina and Daniel – Montreal, QC
  25. Derren Raser – Arcata, CA
  26. Divine Method – Toronto. ON
  27. Dylan And Sara – Portland, OR
  28. Ed Pingol – San Francisco, CA
  29. Elizabeth Messina – Santa Monica, CA
  30. Emin Kuliyev – New York, NY
  31. Erich Mcvey – Salem, OR
  32. Eugene Michel – Spokane, WA
  33. A Fist Full of Bolts – Seattle, WA
  34. Gabe Mcclintock – Alberta, Canada
  35. Gary Evans -Kitchener, ON
  36. Green Tea Photography – Ottawa, ON
  37. Hiram Trillo – Dallas, TX
  38. Impressions by Annuj – Toronto. ON
  39. Jacklyn Greenberg – New Haven, CT
  40. Jasmine Star – Orange County, CA
  41. Jeff Newsom – San Luis Obispo, CA
  42. Jenna and Tristan – Vancouver, BC
  43. Jennifer Moher – Peterborough, ON
  44. Jeremy Chou – Orange County, CA
  45. John Michael Cooper – Las Vegas, NV
  46. Jordan Voth – Seattle, WA
  47. Jose Villa – Solvang, CA
  48. Joshua Dwain – New York, NY
  49. Julie Paisley – Nashville, TN
  50. Justin And Mary Marantz – New Haven, CT
  51. Justine Ungaro – Studio City, CA
  52. Kathryn Krueger – Waco, TX
  53. Kelly and Sergio – Tucson, AZ
  54. Ken Pak – Centreville, VA
  55. Kenny Kim – Chicago, Il
  56. Kristi Odom – Reston, VA
  57. Kristina and Dee Robinson – Sacramento, CA
  58. *Lin and Jirsa – Orange County, CA
  59. Luke Edmonson – Plano, TX
  60. *Lurey Photography – Cherry Hill, NJ
  61. Mantas Kubilinskas – Washington, DC
  62. Matt Roberts – Santa Barbara, CA
  63. Matt Miller – Atlanta, GA
  64. Matthew Sowa – New York, NY
  65. Melissa Jill – Phoenix, AZ
  66. Michelle Gardella – Wethersfield, CT
  67. Mike Allebach – Norristown, PA
  68. Morgan Lynn Razi – Houston, TX
  69. Nessa K – Washington DC
  70. Nicole Chan – Boston, MA
  71. Pat Furey – Toms River, NJ
  72. Raymond and Jessie – Vancouver, BC
  73. Reese Allen – Charleston, SC
  74. Rob Greer – Los Angeles, CA
  75. Roberto Valenzuela – Los Angeles, CA
  76. Ryan Brenizer – New York, NY
  77. Ryan Joseph – Tampa Bay, FL
  78. Sam Hurd – Washington, DC
  79. Samm Blake – Williamsburg, Brooklyn
  80. Scott & Melissa Hopkins – Savannah, GA
  81. Sean Leblanc – Calgary, AB
  82. Susan Stripling – New York, NY
  83. Taylor Lord – Austin, TX
  84. Timothy Eyrich – Alliance, NE
  85. Todd Laffler – New Jersey, CA
  86. Tony Gambino – Bend, OR
  87. Tony Hoffer – Downingtown, PA
  88. *Trevor Dayley – Phoenix, AZ
  89. *Twisted Oaks – Hammonton, NJ
  90. Two Mann – Canmore, AB
  91. Tyler Wirken – Kansas City, MO

*Note: Starred names indicate an affiliation with SLR Lounge as a content creator for the site. We had originally excluded all affiliated photographers. However, we realized this was unfair. SLR Lounge’s mission and goal is to create a community where the best working photographers are teaching, educating, and elevating our industry. To remove them from eligibility would go against that exact mission statement.

All photographers (including those affiliated with SLR Lounge) were held to the exact same standard and process for making this list. The degree of objectivity in the initial selection process and the 3rd party supporting credentials, awards, and recognition of each photographer allowed us to feel comfortable in our selections, regardless of affiliations.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

As mentioned, we left our list at 91 so that we can account for names that we may have overlooked initially. We need your help coming up with the final 9. Comment below to nominate another photographer and we’ll take them into consideration. We’ll make a finalized list half way through the year. Thank you!

BEST ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY OF 2015

I am extremely excited to share with you the list of top 30 photographers that have been selected by Fearless Photographers for the Best Engagement Photography of 2015. The selection reflects the best of the best on technical quality, modern artistry, and an overall beauty of each composition. 

I am even more excited and grateful to mention that one of my photographs have made this list! Best Engagement Photography of 2015 includes photographers from around the world.

http://www.fearlessphotographers.com/best-wedding-photography-galleries.cfm?galleryID=30

Murray Hill Wedding Venue: A Rustic Dream in Leesburg

Choosing the right venue is critical to planning a memorable wedding day. If you want a rustic but elegant place, Murray Hill in Leesburg, Virginia, is the perfect choice. It has a rich history, lovely spaces, and stunning views. Murray Hill is genuinely a fantastic wedding venue.

Exploring the Charm of Murray Hill

Tucked away in the Leesburg countryside, Murray Hill exudes rustic elegance. The venue boasts an 18th-century home, with mature oak trees framing its grounds. The Potomac River nearby offers a stunning backdrop, while the formal and secret gardens provide intimate spaces. With water access and a riverside room, Murray Hill offers a unique setting for weddings, including the option for video presentations. Steeped in history and surrounded by natural beauty, this 18th-century style home, known as Murray Hill, is a dream for lovers of local history and those seeking a picturesque wedding location with the best river view. The five on-site locations, including the Grassy Bluff and indoor restrooms, provide the perfect transition for the bride to mingle with her guests and have water access, power, and a comfortable experience in the reception barn with a designated buffet area. The Murray Hill Wedding Experience is unique, with its charming 18th-century home and beautiful gardens, making it the perfect venue for a rustic dream wedding in Leesburg.

The Rich History Behind Murray Hill Venue

Along the Potomac River, Murray Hill Venue boasts a rich history steeped in Virginia's landmark heritage. Originally an 18th-century style home owned by the current owner's grandparents, it holds a significant place on the National Register of Historic Landmarks and the Virginia Landmark Register. Surrounded by mature oak trees and the picturesque Catoctin Mountain Range, it offers a perfect backdrop for weddings. The property's elegant indoor spaces and bountiful gardens make it a favorite among lovers of local history.

The Unique Rustic Appeal of Leesburg's Countryside

Nestled in the Leesburg countryside, Murray Hill exudes a unique rustic charm. Surrounded by mature oak trees and the picturesque Catoctin Mountain range, the venue offers a perfect backdrop for weddings. The bountiful gardens, reflecting pool, and rose arbor add to the enchanting ambiance, ideal for romantic wedding photos. Guests can explore the elegant poolside or enjoy the stunning views of the Potomac River from the venue's formal gardens. Murray Hill Events, located in Leesburg, Virginia, captures the essence of a rustic dream wedding location in the absolute dream setting.

Planning Your Dream Wedding at Murray Hill

Choosing your ideal season at Murray Hill can set the tone for your magical day. Tailor your theme to this rustic venue's aesthetic for a perfect match. Whether you envision a cozy winter ceremony or a vibrant summer celebration, Murray Hill's charm will enhance every moment of your special day at this beautiful venue, voted the best wedding venue by countless couples. With the help of a wedding planner, you can bring your dream wedding to life at this picturesque location, the perfect setting for a wonderful venue for an October wedding at Murray Hill. With its rich history and scenic surroundings, this venue offers a unique backdrop to make your wedding unforgettable in the perfect setting for an October wedding at Murray Hill.

Murray Hill Wedding Venue

Murray Hill Wedding Venue: A Beloved Gem for History Buffs. Imbued with the rich tapestry of local history, Murray Hill is a timeless favorite among those enamored with the past. Its rustic allure in Leesburg's countryside beckons to lovers of heritage and romance alike. The venue's elegant gardens, embraced by oak trees and the Catoctin Mountain range, offer a charming stage for exchanging vows and creating everlasting memories.

Tailoring Your Wedding Theme to Match Murray Hill’s Aesthetic

Every detail of your wedding theme can harmonize with Murray Hill's rustic charm. Opt for a theme that complements the estate's natural beauty – think earthy tones, floral arrangements, and outdoor elements. Incorporate vintage touches to resonate with the 18th-century home. Rustic chic or garden-inspired themes align perfectly with the venue's ambiance. Embrace wood accents, standing reception, sets of French doors, seated event, seated dinner, burlap details, and subtle elegance to create a seamless fusion of your vision with the enchanting backdrop of Murray Hill.

Conclusion

As you conclude your journey exploring the enchanting Murray Hill wedding venue, bask in the allure of its rich history and rustic charm. Plan your special day amidst the elegant blend of 18th-century style and scenic beauty. Let the picturesque backdrop of Leesburg's countryside elevate your wedding day to a truly unforgettable experience. Embrace this idyllic setting, where every moment resonates with the essence of romance and sophistication. Murray Hill awaits to fulfill your wedding dreams with its timeless elegance and serene ambiance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Makes Murray Hill Ideal for a Rustic Wedding?

Murray Hill is beautiful because it combines nature and history. The property has strong oak trees and a fascinating past, making it perfect for people who love local history. They can enjoy an elegant poolside event or celebrate under the stars.

Can We Customize Our Wedding Package at Murray Hill?

At Murray Hill, customization is critical. Tailor your wedding package to fit your dreams. From decor to menu options, make your special day uniquely yours. Let Murray Hill bring your vision to life.

How Far in Advance Should We Book Murray Hill?

To secure your dream wedding at Murray Hill, aim to book at least 12-18 months in advance. Popular dates fill up quickly due to the venue's charm and demand for rustic countryside weddings in Leesburg. Plan for a seamless booking experience.

Are There Accommodations Nearby for Guests?

Discover a range of accommodations near Murray Hill for your guests' convenience. From cozy bed and breakfasts to modern hotels, Leesburg offers various options to suit every preference and budget. Ensure your loved ones have a comfortable stay close to your dream wedding venue.

What Is the Maximum Capacity for a Wedding at Murray Hill?

Murray Hill, a picturesque setting in Leesburg, can accommodate up to 200 guests for a wedding. The venue's spacious grounds and charming ambiance make it ideal for couples seeking a rustic yet elegant celebration.

Murray Hill Wedding Venue: Rustic Charm in Leesburg
Murray Hill Wedding Venue: Rustic Charm in Leesburg

Anil + Christina Wedding at The Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek, VA


I had a wonderful time photographing Anil's and Chistina's wedding at The Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek in Virginia.  The day was full of happiness, excitement and no stress. Anil and Christina seemed to just look at each other, laughed and smiled all day. It was my pleasure being a part of your day.