Our approach to wedding photography
Our Approach & FAQ’s
As creative wedding photographers, we’ve got your back. Within the wedding industry, we’re all guilty of forgetting that this is probably the first time you guys have got married so you’re maybe winging it a little and making it up as you go along, right?! I know we did when we got married. It’s a little overwhelming sometimes, isn’t it? So much to think about and so many conflicting views on what a wedding should be. But don’t worry… You’ve got this!
So we thought we’d tell you all about our approach to weddings, from a photographers point of view. After all, I reckon that a wedding photographer has the most unique insight as to what actually goes on, on a wedding day. We’re with you for probably the longest on the day and closer than anyone else, longer even than wedding co-ordinators, so we can really help you along the way.
So, what’s our style?
Truthfully…? We don’t have a “style”. We don’t label ourselves as “documentary photographers” – We hate that term. It suggests that we lurk in the background, spying on you from afar like a weird stalker… Nope! We like to get in there. We stick a 35mm lens on our camera (similar to the human eye) and capture the day from your perspective, up close and real. We want you to look back at your images and re-live the day as you saw it, not disconnected from a distance.
How can we truly tell your story, if we can’t hear the story!?
That said, we like to let the day unfold, without interfering too much, in a ‘documentary’ style. What happens, happens and it’s often those moments of uncertainty, panic and despair in between the moments of happiness that make the really interesting storytelling photos. We will always shoot the struggle. Life is messy. Life is a struggle, but life is good too.
We love to get close as well though. We’re not scared of couple portraits. We love to get creative with light on a wedding day, creating striking portraits from super close, or really far away to give you something epic for the way. So I guess you can say that our style is just “Real”. Photographing your wedding just as you imagined it would be, in an epically beautiful way that’s going to make you do a happy dance 💃 when you see the photos.
Creative. Dramatic. Emotive… I guess you can say, THAT’S our style.
Constantly Creating
We’re constantly creating. On a wedding day, it takes a lot for us not to have a camera up against our face. We’re there to observe everything that happens in front of us and the best way to document that is to have a camera pressed against our eyes. I think when it’s my time, you’ll actually have to pry the camera out of my dying hands! lol
We’re there in the morning, we’re there late at night. We’re there when you’re at your happiest and your saddest, telling the story of this incredible whirlwind of a day in the most beautiful and thoughtful way possible. Pushing hard to create timeless images that’ll make you laugh and cry as you look back over them in years to come with your own kids. Who knows, maybe the odd picture will even make an appearance at your daughter’s wedding? We hope so.
Frequently Asked Question
– “Are all the images dark and moody OR do you shoot light images too?“
So, it’s no secret we LOVE a bit of atmosphere and darkness at a wedding. We love using the light to bring out the intimacy and emotion of a wedding day, but we totally get that you wouldn’t want your whole wedding shooting and editing in that way. Unless you’re Dracula or getting married in a cave somewhere in the Norwegian mountains, you’re going to be out in the sunshine enjoying a drink with your guests. We’ll be there along with you, capturing natural moments in beautiful daylight, just the way you see your wedding day. Its those images that beautifully compliment our more atmospheric images.
Frequently Asked Question
“We notice that most of your images are of couples and guests – Do you shoot family formals & details too?
Yes, of course! If you’re got this far, you already know that we love to photograph couples and it’s one of the main reason people book us – It’s one of our favourite times of the day, but that’s not to say that the other times aren’t as important to us. Family photos are super important to us and although you may not think it now, they will become a lasting memory of loved and lost ones in years to come.
Hate having your photo taken?
That’s ok, so do we!
It’s a fact that so do 90% of the couples you see here on our website, yet they turned out pretty good! In the last 700 weddings, only a handful of people have come to us and said they love having their photo taken. For most people, it’s one of the things that make them really apprehensive about the photography – It’s the most unnatural thing to be stood in front of a camera and we totally get that. But ssssh, here’s the dirty little secret… it’s dead easy!
We keep it super simple. You don’t need to rock a catwalk pose. You don’t even need to think about it – We often get asked for tips on how we pose people and how we make our couples look so natural and relaxed and the truth is, we hardly pose at all. We’re driven by the light, so we’ll hunt out the best light for that time of day and suggest that you go an take a walk in it. Simples. All you’ve then got to do is go an hang out together. Be nice to each other and take 5 minutes away from all the craziness of the wedding party. In fact, the couples portrait sessions are some of the nicest parts of the day for us. We LOVE to photograph people in love and our couples always love a few minutes alone together, having a bit of quiet time in the middle of a crazy busy day.
As it turns out, the portraits are the easiest part of the day for you guys and it’s one of the most frequent comments we get.
The Family Photos
Aaah, the dreaded family photos. It’s a regular question. “Are we going to be stood around for hours waiting for photos?” Well, that’s up to you guys… If you’ve got a list of 30 different family combinations with everyone looking inch by inch-perfect, but slightly bored and uncomfortable, we’re probably not the people for your wedding. If however you just want a handful of nice photos of your closest family and friends, then we’re all set.
We can’t stress how important is it to have some nice photos of you and your folks, your nan and grandad and your bridal party… after all, they’re probably the most influential people in your life right now and you should have some memories of you all together. What we don’t want you to do is get bogged down with having to have three photos of your mum’s next-door neighbour, just because she babysat for you once when you were twelve, or auntie Sue and her extended family, because they’ve all got matching outfits… Surely you’d rather be having some food, chatting to your mates and enjoying your day. We’re totally with you. We’ll take you and your close family away from everyone for a few minutes, shoot some nice pictures of you all together and then send you on your way to enjoy the party. No stress. Memories preserved. Done.
How do we capture the party?
By now, you’ll know that we love a great wedding party. Pick the right DJ or band and your evening will be amazing. Throw in some shots of tequila with your reprobate mates, the odd bottle of champagne sprayed over the dance floor and your party will be off the hook!
Are you ready for the shapes your dad is going to pull on the dance floor? We TOTALLY are!!! We’re going to be there with the camera in our sweaty hands, living it large on the dance floor with you all. Up, close and personal!
A lot of the day, we’re shooting in natural light, but as soon as the lights go down our flashguns come out to play. But don’t worry, you’re not going to feel like your in a photography studio…Far from it. Imagine the coolest underground nightclub and you’re somewhere close. It’s how we create the drama on the dance floor. It’s how we bring out the colour in the lights, shoots the shapes you pull and it’s how we like to photograph you and your guests having the best goddam time…ever!!
One thing is for sure, we’re not going to be there clock watching with the car engine running, waiting to go home as you do your first dance. We’re not THAT photographer.
So there you go!
So, THAT’S our approach to weddings! We like to create a set of images that will blow you away. We want to document the special relationships you have with your friends and family but most of all, we love to be able to capture a certain intimacy between two people, something that can get lost in the hustle and bustle of day to day life. We love watching couples reconnect with each other, remembering all those little things that made them fall in love in the first place.
