Justin McCallum Photography

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Category: Photographer

Location: New York, NY

Style: Vibrant photography for joyful events

Starting Price: $6200

ABOUT VENDOR

Meet Justin McCallum
I discovered photography when I needed a hobby and an escape during a month-long road trip with my parents at the age of 15 all the way from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon - then back again. Even though I tried to cover it up with pubescent angst, I found a new passion in the back seat of their SUV. Later, I shot my first wedding in 2010 and—despite ripping a giant hole in my pants that revealed my Superman boxers to 175 strangers— found it was my calling. I worked with various studios across New England before launching my own business in the Big Apple in 2014. Since then, I have photographed over 400 weddings, engagements, benefits, performances, corporate events and amazing people.
Over the years I have honed a style that is bright, bold and most importantly authentic to my clients. I blend a mix of documentary photojournalism and fine art photography, never bringing main character energy to a day that isn't about me, but rather flitting between an observant fly on the wall and supporting player that can provide coaching and encouragement (plus some silly moves on the dance floor).
I am so honored by the reviews and testimonials of my past couples, which have garnered me awards including the Hall of Fame for The Knot’s Best of Weddings (2016-2026), Best of Zola, WeddingWire Couples Choice, and Thumbtack’s #1 Wedding Photographer in New York City (2016). And although my favorite place to see my photos is through Instagram posts and proudly framed in folks’ homes, I am pretty psyched my work has been featured by The Knot, BRIDES, A Practical Wedding, Offbeat Wed, Munaluchi Bridal, Kleinfeld Bridal, Men’s Vows, The New York Times, GLAMOUR, TimeOut New York, the Wall Street Journal, Buzzfeed, and Reuters.

How does Justin approach weddings?
I take a personal approach to wedding photography, only accepting a select number of weddings per year and doing my best to become close with each of my clients. I want to understand your individual quirks, know what you’re passionate about, learn the things that will make you giggle, and understand anything that may trigger you. Matching your energy also helps, because I can absolute party with the best of folks giving tons of enthusiasm, or calm things down for a chiller wedding day. With a process tailored to you, your images will be timeless, fun, and personal.

What are some traits of your ideal clients?
I’m so lucky to work with the best clients ever who:
✹ Rebuke what society dictates and do what they want
✹ Prioritize their community and give back to it
✹ Celebrate people of all sexualities, gender identities and expressions, races, body types, ages, religions, cultures and abilities
✹ Dance like nobody's watching, even when they might feel a little uncomfortable in front of the camera
✹ Share their love effusively, both for their partner and their passions - whether its Dungeons and Dragons, The Muppets, or crafting the perfect cocktail

What are some of your favorite things?
I'm a theatre (that's right, -re not -er) queen through and through! I love catching shows on Broadway, way Off-Off-Broadway, or other live performances like drag, stand up comedy and burlesque. I enjoy video games, but am not very good at them, and often forget I even have a gaming console during bonkers busy wedding season. Traveling to tropical places is always what I am looking forward to most, probably because I developed a hatred for the cold growing up in Maine, and I just want to be in a body of water that doesn't make your body go numb.My favorite days are ones that end with finding a cute bar with outdoor seating in NYC so I can walk my dog over to get a margarita.

TESTIMONIAL

“There are nothing but good things to say about Justin! From our very first conversation with him, we knew that he was going to be the perfect photographer for our wedding. From the first time we spoke with him and throughout the entire process, he spent so much time getting to know us so that we all would be comfortable working together the day of. It was clear that he not only cared about making our wedding day perfect, but about knowing who we were as a couple and as individuals. Throughout our 1.5 year planning process, Justin’s communication was always prompt and clear. He sent us several thoughtful and in-depth surveys that highlighted his investment in making sure that he knew us beyond simply understanding our wedding day vision. He also made an effort to join us for two site visits, taking the time to explore possible areas for our first-look photos, and scouting out places to take photos at our venue too. We were so touched by the time and energy he put into both the wedding, and our relationship! When it came to our actual wedding day, taking photos with Justin was such a fun and memorable experience. He takes the time to ask questions about your family and the guests of honor that you will be taking pictures with, so that the he can ensure that they too enjoy the experience, sprinkling in questions to get everyone smiling, laughing, and feeling comfortable. Our VIP guests and family couldn’t stop talking about Justin after the wedding, commenting that he was so fun, and how clear it was that he really understood the two of us and what we were looking for. Beyond all of that, the photos he took of us are truly incredible. We wanted to capture feelings of fun, joy, emotion, and playfulness which are present in every single photo we’ve seen—and those are only with the teaser set!! Every single photo is a favorite, capturing a different memory and experience from the most magical day. It is such a gift to know that Justin’s photos will be with us, lighting up our home and our memories for the rest our of lives. Perhaps most importantly, on a personal level, Justin is an incredible human being. Not only is he a joy to work with, he is thoughtful, charismatic, and someone who cares about his community. We absolutely ADORED Justin for who he is and were so grateful for the opportunity to get to know him! During the time we spent together, we had the best time chatting about our shared interests, from reality TV to pop punk music, and we even (accidentally) ended up seeing an off-Broadway show together!

Overall, we could not recommend working with Justin more. It is clear from our experience with him that not only does he have the skills to make sure any wedding day goes smoothly, but he’ll bring a personality that will have you smiling, laughing, and truly glowing on your special day and for weeks and months afterwards.” - Karin and Mike, August 2025