Carmen and Ingo Leitner

Destination wedding photographers and Canon Ambassadors Carmen and Ingo Leitner have travelled the world to capture couples in some of the most spectacular settings imaginable. They are renowned for producing beautiful backlit shots, often illuminating newlyweds in the golden glow of a sunset.

"Backlight is a signature of our images," explains Ingo. "We mostly shoot couples in evening light if possible, and we want to capture the emotions between them. We try to highlight the joyful mood. A wedding is such a happy event, and we want to portray that in our images."

The pair, who are entirely self-taught, have since photographed more than 400 weddings across the globe. They got married themselves in New Zealand in 2014 – their favourite destination from their worldwide travels.

"We didn't want it to feel like work, so we decided to do it completely differently and have a really small, intimate wedding," says Carmen. "We are really lucky to travel. We have worked in some amazing locations, but the most important thing is the people we get to spend the day with and photograph."

The couple agree that working as a team gives them a huge advantage. "When we started, it wasn't typical to do full-time day coverage and come as a team, where I was with the groom and Carmen was with the bride," says Ingo. "It was happening in America, but we were among the first people in German-speaking countries to educate our clients that they wanted that.

"I've always been the technical, business side and Carmen is more creative and passionate," he adds. "She sees images in a different way."

Carmen agrees. "On the day, we always know what the other is doing," she says. "Certain things need to be covered and we don't even need to talk about it. We also shoot photo and video in parallel, which is another advantage of working together."

The duo host workshops for aspiring photographers and run long-term mentoring and coaching programmes. They also have their own 135 sq m photo studio in Villach, Austria, which is available for rent. In 2011, they set up Wedding Meetups, a community of wedding suppliers across Austria, Germany and Switzerland. "Often, people are working alone and don't know others in the business, so it's good to help each other grow and share advice," explains Carmen.

As for the future, the couple hope to continue to live out their dreams. "When we started, we always said life is too short to do something we don't like," says Carmen. "We just loved the idea of travelling together, working together and enjoying the locations with our family. When we quit our regular jobs, we decided we wanted to do this as a couple. It worked out to be the best decision ever."

How would you describe your photography style?

"It's very bright and happy; emotional images with amazing light," says Carmen. "We love sunset and evening light and like to play with this. We are always smiling and laughing, so it would be strange for our images to be moody. It's just how we are. Our house is very bright, and we like to portray that light, joyful feel in our images."


What's the proudest moment of your career to date?

"For me, it's that we've made it to a point where we can make a living from our passion. We have a family and are doing what we really love," says Carmen. "Our plan was to see if this would work, and if not, go back to our regular jobs. We put in everything we had. We are so proud it worked out and that we are where we are now."


What has been the most valuable lesson you've learnt during your career?

"In the beginning, we always tried to please everyone and do everything for everyone, but sometimes you need to do that to realise what you don't want to do," says Ingo. "A great lesson was to discover what we wanted to specialise in. Don't try to do everything."


What is next for you? Which ambitions remain unfulfilled?

"We are living our dream now," says Carmen. "We have come back to live near to where we grew up, we have a beautiful house and a wonderful daughter. There are people who earn more and have a better career than us, but you have to define what success means for you. Think about what you want to achieve and then try to get it."


What piece of Canon kit can you not live without, and why?

"Without question the 35mm lens. We have actually owned three: two Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II lenses and now also the Canon RF 35mm F1.4L VCM, because we both always have one on a body. Almost every image people know us for was shot at 35mm; it's wide enough to tell the whole story of a moment and yet intimate enough for emotional close-ups. Combined with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II it is the backbone of our signature look: backlit, warm evening light, real emotion. We have been shooting hybrid photo and video since 2009, and the 35mm is the one focal length that works for both, without ever getting in the way."


What else could we discover in your kitbag that helps you elevate your work?

"Our well-worn compagnon bags – the leather versions and the backpack – have travelled with us to weddings, all over Europe and beyond, for years. They now look exactly as they are: full of stories. You will also always find a few prisms and small lenses that we hold in front of the camera for creative shoot-through effects."

Carmen and Ingo Leitner