Judges

Avismita Bhattacharyya, Charcoal & Vermillion, Kolkata, India

Avismita Bhattacharyya

Avismita Bhattacharyya was born and raised in Malda, West Bengal, India, where she completed her schooling before earning her Bachelor's degree in Geography from Calcutta in 2010. Following graduation, she began her professional career as a full-time teacher at one of the leading schools in her hometown. In 2015, she transitioned to the banking sector, but within a year, she made a life-changing decision to pursue her true passion by enrolling in a Diploma in Photography with a specialization in Studio Lighting.

Driven by her love for visual storytelling, Avismita joined one of Bengal's leading magazines, Unish Kuri, as a Lifestyle Photographer. There, she honed her skills in documenting people, fashion, and everyday life. During the same period, she also freelanced as a wedding photographer, gaining invaluable experience that ultimately inspired her to co-found Charcoal & Vermillion, a boutique wedding photography studio renowned for its documentary approach and emotive storytelling.

Professional Experience

• Lifestyle Photographer at the leading Bengali magazine Unish Kuri (2016).

• Led product photography projects for boutique and perfume brands across Kolkata.

• Freelanced as a wedding photographer throughout 2016, laying the foundation for her career in documentary wedding photography.

• Conducted wedding photography workshops across West Bengal at prestigious institutions including NSHM, CSCP (Calcutta School of Contemporary Photography), Canon West Bengal, and Camarena Academy.

• Served on the jury for an internal photography competition organized by Fearless Photographers.

• Joined EXPOSURE – School of Photography as a full-time faculty member, leading the Wedding Photography specialization.

Awards & Recognition

• Ranked 19th in the ISPWP Top 25 Wedding Photographers of the Year 2025 by the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers (ISPWP).

• Recognized among the Top 50 Wedding Photographers in the World by the Fearless Awards (2025).

• 1st Place – International Wedding Photographer of the Year (IWPOTY) 2022 (Category Winner).

• 1st Place – International Photography Awards (IPA) 2022 – Event Category.

• 1st Place – International Photography Awards (IPA) 2021 – Event Category.

• 2nd & 3rd Place – International Photography Awards (IPA) 2020.

• Finalist – SIPA 2021, Wedding Category.

• Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) 2020 – Silver & Bronze.

• Top 15 – International Wedding Photographer of the Year (IWPOTY) 2021.

• Recipient of 8 Fearless Awards, with international publications (through 2025).

• Recipient of 2 Reportage Awards, with international publications.

• Runner-up – WeddingSutra Photography Awards 2021.

• Runner-up – Sony Better Photography Wedding Photographer of the Year 2020 ("Family & Friends" Category).

• Runner-up – Better Photography Wedding Photographer of the Year 2018 (Emotion Category).

• Camarena Wedding Photographer of the Year (2017, 2018 & 2019), judged by legendary photographer Raghu Rai.

Jury & Mentorship

• Competition Judge for the Fearless Photographers community.

• Competition Judge – International Wedding Photographers of the Year (IWPOTY), 7th Edition (2023).

• Competition Judge – Fotógrafos de Boda, Round 32 (2023).

Caterina Vitiello, Caterina Vitiello - Apulia Luxury Studio, Lecce, Puglia, Italy

Caterina Vitiello is a wedding photographer based in Lecce, Puglia, Italy, and co-founder of Apulia Luxury Studio.
Her work focuses on emotion and refined aesthetics, highlighting genuine moments with elegance.
Together with Maurizio Pepe, her partner in life and in their creative vision, she creates visual narratives that reveal the unique identity of each couple, where authenticity and beauty meet.

Fabio Bahiense, Fabio Bahiense Photography, Orlando, Florida

Fábio Bahiense is a Brazilian wedding photographer based in Orlando, Florida, with more than 20 years of experience and more than 1,000 weddings and events photographed. He is internationally recognized by the most prestigious organizations in the field, including ISPWP, where he ranked among the Top 100 Photographers of 2025, reached the Top 20 in the Spring Contest 2025, and received two awards in the same 2026 edition. He also holds the global title of Top 100 of the Year from AG|WPJA and has been recognized by Inspiration Photographers, Fearless, among others.

Beyond wedding photography, Fábio is credited as still photographer on feature films available on Amazon Prime Video. He is the author of O Sim em Foco – A Alma do Casamento (The Yes in Focus – The Soul of the Wedding), a book exploring the emotional narrative of wedding photography, and was featured in Retrato de Fotógrafos – Os Olhos do Rio de Janeiro (Portrait of Photographers – The Eyes of Rio de Janeiro) by Heiner Pflug as one of the most influential photographers on the Rio de Janeiro scene.

Known for his discretion and refined eye, Fábio has been the trusted photographer of luxury weddings and public figures, and has represented the industry in strategic meetings with government leadership in Brazil.