The 12 Best Editorial Photographers in Washington, D.C.

Since getting his BFA in 2008, Elliott O’Donovan has built a stellar reputation among Washington, D.C. editorial photographers. Locally and internationally. And he’s prolific! You likely have already seen his work without knowing it. His editorial portraits are typically posed, prepped, and compositionally simple. But they’re so well-executed and rich in detail, lit with just the right amount of dramatic touches, that they’re powerful visual storytellers in their own right. Expect to see a lot more of O’Donovan’s work.

To anyone sensitive to such things, the name Stephen Voss may seem familiar. His portfolio shows a possible reason: among independent Washington, D.C. editorial photographers, Voss probably has shot the most portraits of the biggest, most recognizable political figures in the country. Good chance you’ve seen his name in photo credits all over the place. These aren’t just press paparazzi shots, but formal photo sessions. We can even sense his subjects’ personalities through his work, despite the formality. How does he pull that off? We don’t know; we can simply marvel at his work.

Here’s a fascinating angle to the genre: editorial wedding photography. And Audra Wrisley is a master at it. Employing her signature fine art style, Wrisley’s gorgeous wedding photographs appear frequently in numerous industry publications and media, including Martha Stewart Weddings and Washingtonian Weddings. With the typical wedding venue she shoots as much an important part of the nuptial fairy tale in progress, Wrisley’s uncanny and consistent ability to grandly incorporate it into the event’s visual record is highly remarkable.

A Pulitzer Prize finalist, and often busy working on one of the many commissions and assignments he takes on from prominent publications like National Geographic, Smithsonian, TIME, the New York Times, and more, there’s no question that documentary fine art photographer Greg Kahn’s credentials are firmly established. Khan’s talent is undeniable, with his consistency in capturing superb portraits and scenes oozing reality and immediacy that clash with his images’ technical perfection. He never really has to say his pictures tell stories — we can see it instantly with our own eyes.

While other Washington, D.C. editorial photographers are quick to name-drop the big publications they work with, Willis Bretz keeps this information close to the vest. We just pick it up as we browse through his portfolio, in buried comments like, “work I shot for @washingtonpostmag…” This just confirms the evidence we can see: top-tier editorial photography. A lot of Bretz’s portraits aren’t handhelds — he brings his studio gear and lighting with him. That sure is a lot of work, but we can’t really argue with the superb results.

Having launched his career in 1985 as a photojournalist, and a stint as photo editor at USA Today (and director of photography for its USA Weekend), Matt Mendelsohn clearly knows all about editorial photography. Running his own independent studio today, Mendelsohn is often still behind the camera shooting documentaries that get national attention, such as a recent series on high school seniors during the pandemic. “You can take the man out of journalism,” Mendelsohn says, “but you can’t take journalism out of the man.”