What is your most memorable wedding?
All weddings come with lasting memories and unique incidences, for example at a recently wedding: the little boy riding the rodeo bull lying across the saddle for 10 minutes and his Klingon powers infuriating the operator, who was desperately trying to "unseat" him.
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
Photojournalistic, creative, relaxed, friendly, fun-loving.
What about your business are you most proud of?
Meeting so many lovely people and loving what I do so it doesn't feel like work.
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Organise an engagement/pre-wedding session: Most couples are camera shy and a pre-wedding (or engagement) session is not normally on people's priority list. That said, these sessions are great for us getting to know each other; me sharing a few posing tips so that you both can feel a lot more comfortable in front of the camera before your big day. Call it a warm up or dress rehearsal. No one ever regrets doing one.
What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?
Little hand-made table gifts.
Describe your typical process with a couple.
It's key for me to understand the couple - their interests & values - so I can get clear on their vision. We build on this through a pre-wedding / engagement photo session (with mood boards again to determine what makes their hearts sing). Ideally we'll visit the venue together so I can further understand how they are planning the day (colour schemes; decorations; room choices). I'll share my ideas and we'll finalise the photography approach & ensure timings work for them on the day.
What is the No. 1 photo that you think every couple should take?
Every couple is different so there's never one size fits all. Some couples love an epic image; for others, it's the fairytale romantic portrait that's the clincher. While dance floor dudes and devas just love their crazy shapes being captured while immersed in their favourite tunes.
What is the most original photo you’ve been asked to take at a wedding?
Not so much asked, but on my second wedding the couple had a large firework display at their home and I lit them with flash at the front of the house while at the same time capturing the beautiful fireworks coming up and over house.
What do you recommend for a rainy day wedding?
These can be the best for creative wedding photography. Lighting up the water droplets behind and around the couple and applying different coloured gels/lights can produce very eye-catching results. The bride & groom don't necessarily need to get wet to get some beautiful images, but bring large umbrellas (+ towels and a change of clothes, just in case!).
Describe how you got into photography.
Photographing pets and other animals when I was a kid and then developing my the film and producing prints in my home-made dark room (old school, I know!). The fascination of watching the image magically appear onto the white photographic paper was the spark.