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“Welcome to overrated”, Jonathan Canlas said to me when I told him I’d been picked for “the list”.
He really didn’t have to say it though, there’s no way I can live up to being on that list, but I’ve actually decided to put all that aside. Sure, there are plenty of deserving photographers out there, but holy moly, some of the best wedding photographers in the world (Jose Villa, Ben Chrisman, Cliff Mautner, Elizabeth Messina, Jeff Ascough among others) nominated 100+ photographers around the world and together with the editors of the largest photography magazine in the world they then went through everyone’s portfolios and picked their final ten.
And I made the final cut.
When I found out my first reaction was – of course – disbelief. The email looked just like any other email in my inbox, but the subject did stand out a little.
Subject: Congratulations from American Photo
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:17:12 -0400
From: Aimee Baldridge
To: [email protected]
Dear Jonas,
I’m writing on behalf of American Photo magazine. First of all, I’d like to congratulate you for being nominated by your peers and selected by the editors to be featured as one of American Photo’s 2011 Top Ten Wedding Photographers.
…
I think I read it three times. And then I had a couple of hours of joy, told some people and had a celebratory bottle of Bollinger that night.
But then I started to freak out completely. I had a week of feeling embarrassed that I had been picked. Some of the other photographers on that list are wedding photography royalty, among them the biggest names in Australia. I shot a wedding and kept thinking to myself “what would a top ten photographer do here?” and I had brain meltdown after brain meltdown.
Over the last six weeks it’s grown on me and now I’m (pretty) cool with it. American Photo put me on their list and I’m very flattered and super happy about it, but at the end of the day I can only do what I do and hope people like it. If I look at that pedestal they’ve put me on, I will start behaving differently and we can’t have any of that.
But hey, top of the world, baby!
:)
American Photo Top Ten Wedding Photographers in the World 2011
(In no particular order)
Marcus Bell
Yervant
Nate & Jaclyn Kaiser – Image Is Found
Rocco Ancora
Parker J Pfister
Jonas Peterson
Camille & Chadwick Bensler – Jonetsu Studios
Dina Douglass
Greg Gibson
Jesse & Whitney Chamberlin – Our Labor of Love
by Jonas
cole - Congrats one again Jonas! You’ve inspired a hell of a lot of people/photographers and you certainly deserve all of the accolades that you’ve earned.
Alec Seeger - Congratulations Jonas, you mightly deserve it!
Rhys - Well deserved Jonas. Huge, huge congrats.
AmyPunky Photography - Congrats!! You totally deserve it!! You are so humble, stay like this!
Kip Beelman - Well deserved IMHO. Aussies represent!
Bananas » ett liv i exil - [...] Storlek större. [...]
Stacey - CONGRATS!!! I’d like to think you get a lot of this from your personality, just as much as your stunning work. Enjoy it!
Mark Tierney - Well done Jonas – you are in my top 3 btw :)
Mark
Laura Quinn - Amazing!!! Congrats on the well-deserved accolade!
DMU Baxters - Well, then. :D + :D! Congratulations, Jonas — your work delights. All time fave.
Paul Krol - congratulations! You’re #2 on my list behind Sean Flanigan..why isn’t he on this list?! :-P
should i bump him down now?
keep up the great work and as much as this is an award for your achievements its also a reminder not to get complacent and to keep your creative juices flowing full-tilt. Cheers.
Chanelle - Nice one
Jessica Lund - Congrats! I love your photos!
Bat - Well done, there is a change happening in this indusrty (as always) and you are leading the path in many ways.
Mikaela - Grattis! Har följt din blogg i flera år nu och älskar din fotostil.Ett av min favorit foton är just ett av dina. Tycker att du är mycket värd detta!!
Manel Tamayo Photo - Congratulations Jonas !!! Your work is on the top
Kelsey - Well deserved! Congratulations!
shu - Whoah! Congrats!!
Kristin - very awesome! and not surprising! congrats!!
Monique - Everyone has been blown away by the piccies you captured at my wedding… and six months later, when I shouldnt care about wedding stuff any more, I still swoon over your website. You take gorgeous, un-wankerish wedding pictures and you deserve to be on that list!
Phill - When you’ve just shot a wedding and a fellow wedding photographer has put you up for the night, and the next morning you’re going through the previous day’s image files and your host says, “I like that one, it looks like a Jonas Peterson,” and you’re in the North West of England which is a long way from Australia, then you get the sense that someone’s name is known and work is respected and discussed in a great many more places than he might realise. Allow yourself to be chuffed a little and keep on doing what you’re doing.
andrea - you must be blind not realize how amazing you truly are! honestly, if i could choose any photographer to shoot my own wedding, i’d choose you. huge congratulations to you!!!
Bepp - Grattis, jag vet hur mycket det betyder för dig.
Michelle - Pocketful of Dreams - Dude, you ARE wedding photography royalty. Well deserved and bask in the moment it’s a fab accolade. But never ever change what you do, it’s already perfection. x
Hennessey G - Congrats! Jonas. Well deserved recognition.
Susie - Congrats Jonas! Much deserved.
Izabelle Hesselberg - Stort Stort fett grattis från Sthlm, Sverige! Shit vad kul! Du är så värd detta, du är grym!!! Ser verkligen fram emot din föreläsning i Sverige i sommar!!!
Varma hälsningar / Izabelle @ 2 Brides
Debs - Belle Amour - Well deserved. You are awesome :D
Sofie - BRAVOOO
Dennis Pike - Well deserved sir, a very genuine congratulations.
Jakob - Grattis, Jonas. Du förtjänar det.
TimboDon - Deserved is not a strong enough word! Congratulations
Andrew Cahill - Wow! Congratulations Jonas, you certainly deserve it,
jen@greenweddingshoes - Congrats Jonas!! Totally deserved :)
Magnus Lillieborg - Stort grattis!
Dina Douglass - Great post. I also had to read and re-read my letter from Aimee several times before I could absorb what it said. LOL. Congrats again, Jonas. Well deserved.
Katie Kolenberg - That is totally awesome and so very well deserved. An impressive list and you are a worthy member of it!!! Congratulations!
Alexa Catalin - You sure deserve it. Congrats!
ALMA - Selamat! You deserve it!
Marymckeering - Wow! Congratulation! I’m so happy for you! That’s awesome!
andrea buschner - congratulations!!!! well deserved, obviously! loved reading your story too, funny and from the heart! could it get any better?!
Seth - I don’t know you as well as others in our biz do, but I do know you worked very hard for this, lost a lot of sleep, travelled extensively and spent time away from your family and friends. I say, deserved and earned.
Stew - Well done mate! Top 10, 4 from little old Australia, love it! :D
Hi-Fi Weddings - FUCKING CONGRATS!!! totally deserved! definitely earned! you’re an awesome blossom for sure!!
Jenn - Can you say meteoric, sir? Congrats :)
Mickael Tannus - Grattis Jonas! Skitkul! =)
Och helt rätt!
David Moore - Totally deserving Jonas. You’ve been very inspirational to many photographers around the world and set a new standard of photojournalistic wedding photography that has lifted the standard and ignited the industry.
imthiaz houseman - wow, congratulations jonas. its well deserved. what an amazing list of people to be associated with.
julie fitts - big congrats! well deserved.
Patricia - What a great achievement. Well earned…congrats Jonas :)
tom lowndes - good on you jonas!!!
hannah - yer man, your totally in a league of you own. very well deserved.
Angela Higgins - Congratulations Jonas! What an incredible achievement and so deserved. Your work is gorgeous :)
Alicia Adamopoulos - noice!!!
Ester - Jag är så glad för din skull!
Detta var du verkligen värd.
Christy - Definitely deserved man! Definitely. Congrats!!
Robin Ng - Congratulation. Fall in love with your work!
Lisa K - I love your honesty. This is a truly deserved award for you. You work is beyond amazing and never ceases to impress. Enjoy!! : )
Kim Akrigg - Congratulations! You absolutely deserve it, I’ve only been following your work for a short while but I’ve been completely blown away by it :)
Kim Akrigg - Congratulations! You absolutely deserve it, your work is mindblowing.
Allie S. - Whoo hoo! Congrats, Jonas! You’ve certainly become one of my favorites. You have a wonderfully unique “voice” :)
Chris Rudsdale - Congratulations. And thank you for continually producing work worth our attention.
Sara T - Hi Jonas,
I love to read about the weddings you photograph and look at the beautiful pictures you take.
I’d like to say that more than anything, you work sends through a strong sense of style which is gentle, bold and yet real. I truly believe you deserve it! (I’m also an avid frankie fan so I was really excited that you got featured.)
Congratulations!
Sara
james boddington - Congratulations, and no, not overrated at all! I’ve seen no single photographer have such a profound affect on the style and storytelling of wedding photography in this country as you
Amelia Rhea - Well deserved, mate!!!
Congrats!!!
andi hatch - congratulations jonas! you are in good company, yes, but this is well deserved.
Emma Buglisi - Congratulations Jonas! Well deserved!We keep coming back to your blog each week and get SO excited about you shooting our wedding next year!
Emma and Gerrick xx
Citlalli Rico - And you soooo deserve it! Congratulations your work is out of this world!
Citlalli Rico - And you sooo deserve it!! Congratulations, your work is out of this world!!
Marie - Congratulations Jonas. I love your work
Georges - Top 10 is a rightful reward for an immense artist. Congratulations
Gedas Girdvainis - Congrats!
Marianna Massey - well done jonas your work always intrigues and inspires me. mmx
Lucke - And think that You only got started so recently…Well Done! Keep grinding!
Rebecca Watling - Hi Jonas,
Huge congratulations to you on being in the top 10. We sure believe you deserve to be on that list. Exciting for us too that one of our wedding photos is in the magazine!!!!
We hope you, Jacqui and your kiddies are well.
Congrats again,
Rick and Rebecca
Jane - Jag kan inte annat än att hålla med!!!
Carina Kelly - Ett stort grattis till dig Jonas! Jag har sett dina bröllopsfoton och nästan gråtit över hur fantastiska de är- det enda vi önskar är att du varit vår bröllopsfotograf för 19 år sedan….Vi kanske får gifta om oss!
Carina och Lindsay
Luleå/Brisbane
Pippa - You really do deserve it!
I do not know anyone in any of your photos, but I love love love love love love looking at your work…..the way you photograph weddings makes me feel like I not only know the happy couple, but as though I was there myself. You are brilliant!
Linn - Alltså, din resa är helt fantastisk. Att du fortfarande skriver med samma ödmjukhet som för flera år sedan. Tänker fortfarande på pappegojpojken ibland.
Grattis för fan!
Joseph Sarkodie - Well done Jonas – makes sense I reckon
Åsa R - Stort grattis! Som ett fan till dig och efter att ha följt dig i några år är det helt superfantastiskt!!! Ja, grattis igen!
Maria - Grattis!! Jag är inte ett dugg förvånad att du har hamnat på denna fantastiska lista. För att du är en helt fantastisk fotograf. Punkt. Slut. Grattis igen!!
cara @ lillian and leonard - Yeah, I think I could live with being over-rated. I could also live with seeing the world the way you do. Your photos consistently blow me away.
I guess what I’m trying to say is CONGRATUFUCKINGLATIONS.
Cassie Nguyen - Congratulations Jonas! For Loc and I it’s the honesty in your photographs that mean so much. We look at our album probably a little too frequently, but nothing else takes us back to that day any other way. :-)
Tim - congrats mate. totally agree with the selectors. love your work. love your eye for beauty and your simple and unique interpretation of all things joyous
Elin - Grattis! Välförtjänt!
Kerstins foto - Grattis till Jonas. Har följt dig länge och det här är du verkligen värd. Dina bilder är fantastiska.
Grattis igen.
Martins Kikulis - Congrats Jonas! Well deserved! :)
Top 10 pulmafotograafi maailmas 2011 » Gerry Sulp Photography - [...] Olen Jonast jälginud veidi rohkem kui aasta ja see mida ta teeb meeldib mulle üleliia väga. Tema iga uus blogi sissekanne on päeva magustoit. Ja see, et ta on tulnud fotomaailmasse eikuskilt ja olnud seal eikeegi ja saanud nüüd sellise tagasiside.. Jonase kommentaari leiate ise siit: Top Ten Wedding Photographers in the Word 2011 [...]
Anonymous - Well done Jonas! Your work is freaking awesome and you totally deserve to be there! Your awesomeness got you this accolade so don’t doubt how good you really are :)
Marley :)
Mathias Cederholm - Awesome Jonas! You deserve it!
Stay with a beginners mind and stay just as humble as you are and you don’t have to worry about it! :)
Anonymous - That is really fantastic news, well done you!!!!! Congratulations and enjoy it!
Estelle - What I love most about this post is your humility shining through. The hype is of course well deserved, but don’t buy into it too much else you’ll end up buying into any critisism too. You do what you do, and your love for it is evident. Award or no award, it’s awesome work. Keep it up, it’s an inspriation to many.
Alan Woo - Well deserved, keep on inspiring us all!
Emily - Congratulations! That’s awesome!!
Anita - OMG! (Why do I sound surprised? I’m not!) I’m just so happy for you! :-)
Guggr - Kom ihåg, att så länge du tycker saker är roliga är det rätt saker!
Jag tycker att du är mycket duktig på det du gör. Och så länge du kan förmedla känslor från dina bilder ska du fortsätta.
Lycka till – följer dig med spänning
Megan Kelly - I’m not surprised at all. Well done. You deserve it Sir Jonas Peterson! : )
Megan Kelly - I’m not surprised at all. Well done Sir Jonas Peterson!
Veronica Halim - Oh Wow, big Congratzzz
Joel C - Congrats champ. And 40% of top 10 are Australian. Over-represented! Well done to all in the top 10.
Annamarie Stepney - Awesome – HUGE congrats from over the pond! :) Your work is stunning and breathtaking…well deserved Jonas x
Beth Helmstetter - A huge congratulations Jonas! I’m not surprised at all nor am I surprised they used that image of Surya and Nick. I’ve stared at that image often wondering how you caught such a tender moment of them and at the same time completely captured who they are as a couple. Just amazing. Until next time…
Christel Eldrim - Grattis!!! :D
Jag har gått och väntat på ditt namn i såna här sammanhang och nu var det dags. Jag säger bara -Det är så självklart! Njut av välförtjänt uppmärksamhet! :D
Gelai - You deserve it! :)
Nirav - Well deserved sir!
Camilla - I’m not the least bit surprised. You rock. Congratulations!
shipra - congratulations, Jonas. You’re definitely one of MY top 10!
hugh - you’re the real deal, jonas. hugs.
Vitalii Kukresh - Congratulations Jonas! That’s awesome!
Obi - Always beautiful work … congratulations
Mum - That´s my boy!
Fia - Vad roligt!! Grattis!!
katherine robertson - Jonas, guess my niece Waverly , stylish person she is , knew something when she choose you to photograph her wedding on Harbour Island! way to go! enjoy – you deserve it! katherine
katherine robertson - Jonas, guess my niece Waverly , stylish person she is , knew something when she chose you to photograph her wedding on Harbour Island! way to go! enjoy – you deserve it! katherine
Hena - Your pics transport me to different world! They make everything around me feel beautiful and precious! What an inspiration. I would KILL to be half as good as you are someday!
manus - congrats dude!
mukhina - Well, I m impressed with you work! Best wishes from Russia -)
Emelie - Grattis Jonas. Verkligen GRATTIS! Jag började gråta för din skull. Du är så bra. Du förtjänar det!
Ben May - Well deserved Jonas, can’t believe Jasmine Star isn’t there, not a big fan of Yervent though, just my opinion though, I’m sure he’s very good but don’t like his edits, yours on the other hand I like very much.
Kelly Tunney - Love it Jonas!!!!
Az - A few weeks ago a second shooter of mine (who loves landscape photography), was so telling over the phone about some beautiful landscapes he’d stumbled across on flickr. After visiting the photographer’s website his jaw dropped when he saw the high quality wedding images, and realised that this guy was a wedding photographer.
When I asked who the photographer was, he said, ” He’s called Jonas Peterson.”
Congrats to you, and completely deserved.
sf - amazing, jonas. well deserved.
Tamara Kuzminski - Congratulations Jonas. You have inspired so many wedding photographers, and whether the accolade is something you can live up to or not, it is right that you are recognised. Well done.
David Redding - Very well deserved….2012? Make it 2 years in a row ;-)
Johanna - Du förtjänar det :) Du vet att du är min idol ^^ Låter barnsligt kanske men så är det!
Stephen Gormley - Well deserved place in the Top 10 list – incredible work. Contratulations!
MangKhris - congratulation Amazing Jonas
LiseLotte - STORT grattis verkligen, det är du värd. LiseLotte
Pete Slaney - Congratulations on your recent achievement as ranked in the top ten photographers in the world……………….well done.
Pete Slaney - First thing is congratulations on your recent achievement as ranked in the top ten photographers in the world……………….well done..
Pete Slaney - First thing is congratulations on your recent achievement as ranked in the top ten photographers in the world……………….well done.
Aimee - Wow… Congrats! It’s not surprise though, your pics are beautiful. Bring on March ’12 ;)
Dustin Francis - Congrats dude and I second all the great comments :)
morenica - Congratulation! You deserve the best Jonas.
Johanna Ericson - Grattis! Tycker verkligen att du är värd nomineringen!
Nora - Congrats Jonas! Nice to see a few other Aussies on the list too.
Daniel Valente - Congrats, man! Well deserved.
Therese - Du är SÅ värd det! Härligt!
Paul Rowland - Congratulations Jonas. Very well deserved.
Therese - Du är min favoritfotograf, min största inspirationskälla. Du är så värd det!
Verena - Grattis!!
rosana kersh - Beautiful and inspiring Jonas…it’d be nice to meet and chat one day in brisbane, or if you ever get to Townsville, be sure to get in touch, 0407293037, Keep going!
Stephanie Harkin - Brilliant Jonas. BLOODY BRILLIANT. So deserved and inspiring! Love one of the most chuffed actor couples you’ve shot. The Harkins x
u - well done mate!
Emily - Jonas a well deserved award! Congratulations! I love viewing your work. Em.
Matt Foden - Congratulations- truly well deserved- I think your modesty is a sign that you hold yourself to a high standard- well done!
jonathan canlas - best part about it though man, is you are NOT overrated. you deserve it and here’s to the coolest swede i know.
Josefin - Grattis Jonas. Du är grym och så inspirerande!
En av världens bästa bröllopsfotografer till Stockholm | PHOTOSTHLM - [...] reklambranschen och började som bröllopsfotograf. Alldeles nyligen blev han utnämnd till en av världens tio främsta bröllopsfotografer av världens största [...]
Jonas P. Such a creator. » Jessica Collin - [...] har utsetts av den tidningen American Photo (en av världens största fototidningar) till en av världens bästa bröllopsfotografer! (top 10) Det är första gången en svensk hamnat på listan. [...]
Helen - Jag bugar och bockar. Detta är inte någon surprise, detta är så så rätt! Har följt dig ett tag och du levererar alltid bilder utöver det vanliga. GRATTIS!
RufflesDebs - I couldn’t agree with them more. Although I thought it worth mentioning that WE had you in our Top 5. Still going by their letter they beat us on the date so I’ll let them have this one. ;)
Utterly deserved. x
De 10 beste trouwfotografen van de wereld? | WE LOVE WEDDINGS - [...] Rocco Ancora Yervant Jonas Peterson in AMPhoto Marcus Bell, Studio Impressions [...]
Roberto Farren Photography | Boston weddings - Congratulations! A little late but I checked out that issue and then you portfolio at the time and you have some truly amazing work! well deserved. Regards, Roberto.
sara - gorgeous photos
2011 – a year fantastic | Brisbane Wedding Photographer | Jonas Peterson | Australia | International - [...] wedding, I received an email from American Photo Magazine. They had named me one of the top ten wedding photographers in the world 2011. In many ways that was actually hard to deal with. What I do, how I approach my weddings and the [...]
Humdinger of a Wedding – ‘Bridal’ Accessories - [...] Our amazing photographer Jonas Peterson just got voted one of the Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the World 2011 by American Photo magazine. Check out his take on it at his blog. [...]
Amanda Thomsen Photography - Hey Jonas, I wonder if you get to reed all of your millions messages .. anyway, I just wanted to let you know that the link above of Rocco Ancora doesn’t seem to work. Having said that, thank you so much for this post and congratulations ..x
The Inspirations: Jonas Peterson · Green Room · Rock n Roll Bride - [...] as a writer in advertising in late 2008 to shoot weddings, two years later I was named one of the top ten wedding photographers in the world by American Photo, the largest photography magazine in the world. It’s been a crazy journey in every way and [...]
nishant singh - i m interested in photography,i love to capture every moments,nd i want my this talent as professional.. what shud i do????????
B&W Photography - Congratulations!
rajat chaddha - i am interesting in photography, i like to do most of my time, i want capture all the moments of my life and i want do make me professional in this field. so, please give tip……
Jakub - 2011 – DEFINITELY your year. Well done!
ben yew - Congrats Jonas!
Delia - Well done Jonas!
Michelle Larmand - Wow what an amazing accomplishment! I admire your work very much! Congrats!