Black and white candid photo of a joyful bride with her arms raised, laughing enthusiastically with her bridesmaids on her wedding day.

Unapologetically Real

Unfiltered and unstaged documentary wedding photography

See the Stories
Black and white candid photo of a groom giving a thumbs-up to children taking photos while he and his bride cut their wedding cake.

Unapologetically Real

Unfiltered and unstaged documentary wedding photography

see the stories
Wide shot of a bride throwing her bouquet high into the air as excited guests cheer during an elegant outdoor garden wedding reception.

Unapologetically Real

Unfiltered and unstaged documentary wedding photography

see the stories
A couple in red and white embraces beneath the Galata Bridge, perfectly framed with the Galata Tower and Bosphorus water in the background.

UNSCRIPTED ROMANCE

Authentic, documentary-style couple and engagement sessions

see the stories
Official gold badge recognizing Nilufer Nalbantoglu as a Top 25 Wedding Photojournalist in the World for 2023 by the WPJA.
Official logo for MyWed, an international community recognizing top professional wedding photographers around the world.
Official logo for This is Reportage, a prestigious global directory celebrating the best in unscripted documentary wedding photography.
Official member badge for Fearless Photographers, representing top-tier, innovative documentary wedding photography worldwide.

 

AWARDS

 

WPJA award-winning action shot capturing a group of excited bridesmaids reaching into the air to catch the bride's flying bouquet.
WPJA award-winning candid photo of a laughing bride playfully pulling her groom by the hand through double doors at an Istanbul wedding.
WPJA award-winning documentary photo of a grandmother looking proudly at her granddaughter in her wedding dress, gently touching her face.
AG WPJA award-winning documentary portrait of a bride and groom laughing on a street bench as a red scooter blurs past.
AG WPJA award-winning nighttime wedding reception photo showing guests dancing, beautifully reflected in a dark swimming pool.
WPJA award-winning split-perspective photo of a laughing bride hiding behind a wall during a sweet first look with her groom.
WPJA award-winning candid photo of a bride and guest cheering joyfully with raised arms during an energetic Istanbul wedding reception.
AG WPJA award-winning romantic golden hour portrait of a groom kissing his bride's cheek with beautiful sun flare and wind.
WPJA award-winning candid wedding reception photo capturing two separate, joyful hugs happening simultaneously on the dance floor.
WPJA award-winning documentary photo of wedding guests relaxing and chatting on the deck of a boat during a destination wedding.
WPJA award-winning candid reception photo of a man standing on the dance floor with arms raised wide under vibrant purple party lights.
AG WPJA award-winning dynamic low-angle action shot of women's hands reaching up into the sky to catch a flying bridal bouquet.
WPJA award-winning candid moment of a laughing bride aggressively feeding a huge piece of wedding cake to her groom at their reception.
WPJA award-winning documentary portrait of a bride elegantly blowing smoke while standing on a lush, ivy-covered balcony.
AG WPJA award-winning black and white creative reflection shot of a bride putting on earrings in her elegant hotel room.
WPJA award-winning candid photo of laughing groomsmen using a smartphone camera as a mirror for the groom to tie his bowtie.
AG WPJA award-winning creative night portrait of a couple standing in front of a wooden wall illuminated by geometric string lights.
WPJA award-winning documentary shot of a groom pacing alone through a beautiful outdoor wedding reception setup before the guests arrive.
Badass Award-winning candid dance floor photo with dramatic backlighting and a funny, unscripted expression from a wedding guest.
WPJA award-winning portrait of a bride and groom holding hands at a lavish floral altar during a Bosphorus boat wedding in Istanbul.
WPJA award-winning candid shot of a joyful bride and groom laughing hard while being showered with rice during their wedding exit.
Badass Award-winning black and white documentary photo of a bride getting her makeup done, framed creatively in a mirror.
AG WPJA award-winning dramatic portrait of a bride in a long flowing veil looking out a window in a deep red, textured room.
WPJA award-winning creative wedding photo featuring a reflection of a smiling bride and groom in a dark, polished wooden table.
AG WPJA award-winning documentary photo of bridesmaids' hands creatively framing the bride as they lace up her wedding dress.
Badass Award-winning creative mirror reflection of a bride and bridesmaid getting ready against tropical wallpaper in Istanbul.
WPJA award-winning documentary photo of a bride checking her phone on a hallway as a server walks by with wine in Istanbul Ciragan Palace
WPJA award-winning black and white photo capturing a deeply emotional moment as a bride and groom warmly hug their family members.
WPJA award-winning candid photo of a young boy and girl holding hands and dancing playfully on an illuminated wedding dance floor.
WPJA award-winning emotional photo of a bride tenderly touching her father's face during a wedding on a Bosphorus boat in Istanbul.
WPJA award-winning atmospheric photo of wedding guests talking in silhouette against the beautiful, illuminated night skyline of Istanbul.
WPJA Masterpiece award-winning black and white creative reflection of a bride getting buttoned into her dress during prep.
WPJA Diamond Award-winning silhouette of an engaged couple kissing at sunrise, surrounded by hot air balloons in Cappadocia.
WPJA Masterpiece award-winning candid black and white photo of a bride sharing a deep, tight hug with a guest at the dinner table.
WPJA Masterpiece award-winning candid photo of a smiling bride and groom wearing masks during their unscripted wedding ceremony.
Award-winning documentary wedding photo of an elderly guest accidentally taking a selfie while trying to photograph the bride.
Portrait of Nilüfer Nalbantoğlu, an award-winning documentary wedding and event photographer based in Istanbul, smiling warmly outdoors.
Meet the Photographer

 

HELLO, I'M NILUFER

 

I am an Istanbul-based visual storyteller with a passion for capturing authentic moments. My photography style is natural, documentary, and completely relaxed. I believe the most beautiful images happen when you are simply enjoying your day, surrounded by your favorite people. My goal is to document the true atmosphere of your celebration so you can remember exactly how it felt.

Learn More About Me
A radiant bride holding a bouquet smiles brightly while tightly hugging her groom during a golden hour waterfront wedding ceremony.

Weddings

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A smiling bride with windblown hair lovingly looks at her groom during a romantic wedding portrait session by the water in Istanbul.

 

Couples

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Close-up of a chef in a Gaggenau apron carefully plating a passion fruit dessert during a high-end corporate dining event in Istanbul.

 

Events

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Latest stories
High-angle shot of a bride in a floral embroidered gown and groom in a teal suit on a spiral staircase with blue glass drops.

 

Sabrina & Ali

 

Candid black and white documentary photo of an emotional embrace between the bride and a wedding guest at a restaurant reception.

 

Mina & Ben

 

Joyful bride in a South Asian lehenga and groom laugh while cutting a massive white tiered wedding cake decorated with roses.

 

Seçil &Yavuzhan

 

Candid photo of a laughing bride drinking from a gold champagne bottle at a wedding dinner table with a vibrant red wall.

 

Gizem & Emir

 

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Testimonials
A bride and groom laugh out loud during their intimate British wedding ceremony at Aslı Tunca in Istanbul.

We discovered Nilufer on Instagram and immediately fell in love with her photography style. We wanted to get married abroad in Istanbul and when we went to meet her on our first vist we clicked. She was professional, super easy to be around and made us feel extremely comfortable and put us at ease and as our Turkish is non-existent, fortunately for us, her English is excellent.


She offered us so much more than simply taking our photos and provided so many great tips and advice and more importantly helped guide us in a number of our difficult decisions that resulted in our day being so special.


We are so happy that we found her and the photos we recieved are absolutely stunning. She captures natural moments effortlessly and the quality and number of photos are incredible.


Highly recommended to anyone thinking about hiring her to capture your special day.

Casey & Fred

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Testimonials
WPJA award-winning portrait of a bride and groom holding hands at a lavish floral altar during a Bosphorus boat wedding in Istanbul.

We couldn't have wished for a better wedding photographer! She is very professional, and we absolutely love the pictures she took of us on our wedding day 😍 She is also a very warm and friendly person, it was like having a friend around all day.

Zahra & Tom

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Testimonials
A joyful bride with a yellow bouquet hugs her groom during a first look on an Istanbul rooftop, with the city skyline in the background.

We were lucky having Nilufer as our wedding photographer. She was very kind, chill, and patient with all the chaos going on. We’re so happy we trusted her! She’s very professional, knows what she’s doing, and did an amazing job capturing the best moments. We couldn’t be happier with our wedding photos!

Mina & Ben

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Ready to do it your way?

 

 

Let's document the beautiful, messy, authentic reality of your celebration

 

Get in Touch

 

Follow us on Instagram

 

 

@nilufernalbantogluft