Inspired Wedding Photography

Father and Daughter
13th December 2008
The end of a wedding reception is such as fantastic time.

The seconds following this photo capture had me constantly gazing back at the LCD screen on the back of my camera. The photo here is not edited or manipulated. It is shown exactly as taken. The beautiful lighting and gives the Bride and her father this perfect setting was actually a spotlight of the DJ's which streaked across the room just in time for me to catch it as it raced over the two of them during their requested song together.

It was an attempt that I had not expected to prove fruitful, as the likely hood of timing the shot right was minimal. Amusingly, it was not too long before this night that I had eliminated my old hourly bookings from my packages to allow me to stay late at every wedding I shot. After this photo, created so late at night, the necessity of all day photography just seemed obvious to me.




The Thunder Storm
26th October 2007
When I met Elizabeth on the morning of her wedding she was already worried about the weather. I tried to convince her that the approaching thunderstorm with gale force winds was not going to be a problem. While she seemed to believe me, I think deep down she thought I was full of it!!

The day was full of rain depressions that passed as quickly as they came. When we arrived at the Indiana Tea House it was difficult to hear each other talk. I was extremely excited, since I knew what a lot of wind could provide to a bride with a huge veil ;)

Walking down the steps of the tea house I thought I caught a glimpse of Elizabeth achieving flight several times due to the focused wind tunnel the building creates. As she pulled herself away from the steps I quickly darted to the side to capture this image.

This is now the oldest image I use in regular promotional material. I normally try to keep a circulation of about 6-12 months and then abandon images for newer ones. This is my exception. While the photo is simple in construction, it remains one of the most talked about images when showing new clients through my albums.

Elizabeth, if you are reading this... Woohoo!




New Years Eve
31st December 2008
On an extremely hot day, Laura, Patrick and I journeyed around Perth taking constant breaks for refreshment. I am used to brides and grooms looking tired by the end of the day, however when the whole bridal party is feeling it you know how hot it has been.

Late into the night we broke out of the reception at the écucina to get some nighttime photos at the bottom of central park tower. In this photo you can see the Bank West tower. Ron Van Beek the videographer that night held up a light above the bride and groom to provide the finishing touch to such a beautiful scene.




Two Hills
17th May 2008
Well I cannot really go anywhere these days without someone commenting on this image. The story behind this is just as amusing as the positions Mark got himself into while taking this shot.

Emma and Mark were married at the Joondalup Golf Resort. They were lucky enough to be able to hire out the golf carts for the day. Emma and Mark drove one, the rest of the bridal party drove another, and I was escorted around by one of the resort staff.

Towards the end of our time between the ceremony and reception we were heading to the back of the golf course where some lovely cliff faces are. As we passed this particular location I glanced over and noticed the beautiful rolling golf green situated just high enough to rise above any background trees. I promptly screamed out to everyone to stop the carts and I pulled Emma and Mark out of the carts and raced them across the grass.

At the time I had no idea what my plan for this was. Like most of my work it is born out of impulsiveness. I asked them to each stand on each side of the hill and I took a shot. Liking the simplicity of the landscape I then asked Mark to run across to Emma on the other side. You can thank Mark for the awesome hop step and jump Maneuvers.

It was not until at least a week after the wedding that it occurred to me that I should combine all of the shots that I took of Mark running across into a single Image.

Later that year, a close friend and colleague photographer somehow managed to convince me to enter a photography competition. Being skeptical about most photography industry related events; I only entered the one image. (The first photograph I have ever entered into a competition).

Some months later I received and email from the International Photography Awards telling me that the Image that I entered has placed either first second or third. I had to painstakingly wait an entire week (yes a whole seven days of pain) to find out which place it had actually achieved. On the day of the announcement, I was on the phone when I realised that I had won first place for it, and I don't think the caller on the other end has regained his hearing since.




A Beautiful Dress
Date forgotten *woops*
Occasionally I am asked by bridal shops or gown designers to take a few photos for them for promotional use. When Chein Noir Dezines showed me some of her new gowns she wanted photographed and that she had lined up this amazing model named Sarah for the shoot, I was all up for the challenge.

Usually a commission of this type would be easy. We have as much time as we need to get only a few needed shots showing off the beautiful gown. Me being me, I can't help myself but try and get something a little different to play with that crowds the schedule with just one more shot.

After traveling to many different locations, changing outfit while on the move over and over and finally dragging her up a steep hill to get to a place I had been looking at earlier, I couldn't believe how much of a trooper Sarah was. Just as we were about to finish up, I took this last photo as the sun was setting behind her and the glistening jewelry on the gown shown like diamonds.




Christmas on King Street
31st December 2008
It is so important to me that sometimes my clients don't know exactly what I am doing. Such as leaving the bridal party to have a rest without them realising they are still in the shot.

I am not a fan of posing, but in the world of wedding photography, guidance is necessary to get the best out of you. With a little bit of direction I can get people to do some remarkable things all by them selves without ever feeling they are posing for a picture.

This photo for example involves the simplicity of asking the groom to pick up his new wife and spin around together while the bridal party was having a drink. Timed and composed correctly, it becomes a wonderful image that represents not just their close friends, but the overall priority they have for each other.




Boys will be Boys
8th April 2008
Often keeping and eye on everything around me pays off. While I was taking some photos of the girls together here at the Vines resort I turned around to see the guys chilling out on the green. It took just a moment for them to all look down at me, each with a unique look on their face and finalise this photograph. The beautiful cloud in the background was just my good luck!




Father and Son
17th May 2008
A wedding is the rare occasion for most people to see their father’s emotions on the surface. Directly following the ceremony Marks father was no exception to the highly emotional day.

I was shocked when a celebrant first asked me if I wanted to discourage congratulations after the ceremony. While some brides and grooms may indeed want to leave this part of the day for the reception, I don't believe it is something that should be missed for the world. Putting the heart-warming moments that you will remember for the rest of your lives aside, it provides an amazing time for me to get some terrific candid photographs.




Her Mothers Gown
28th June 2009
Winter weddings bring with it a certain guarantee of rain and wind. Keeping to tradition I try to embrace any opportunity that brings with it. Sometimes it means ducking in and out of cover while the rain comes and goes. Other times it calls for using those "bad' elements of the day for good.

Melissa wore her mother's gown, which had also been worn by her sister. Each wedding has something unique to just that family and I try to find a way to incorporate that into the photography. For Melissa it was obviously a big deal to get some stunning dress shots, so along with the more classical type of photos, I went for shots like this that modernize the theme.

It would have been one or two minutes we stood there waiting for just the right gust of wind to get the veil in place!