'Best experience'
I cannot recommend Hannah and her team enough! We had the best experience at our shoot with our newborn and the photos (which I wanted to capture our little one as naturally as we could) are just unreal. Hannah captured...
Workshop Wednesdays Vol.36
Workshop Wednesdays vol. 36
Life as an observer is perfect for an introvert. While I love people and interacting at weddings, by nature, I am a fairly quiet person who thrives on personal time. I sometimes find this is my super power at weddings… being able to make myself invisible and therefore completely immersed in the moment purely there to observe and record. I believe this is our main purpose as wedding photographers – to be unobtrusive storytellers. We have had a beautiful and diverse Autumn wedding season and we’re gearing up for a very busy July and August (a beautiful time of year to get married in Queensland!) and this workshop is therefore dedicated to wedding inspiration and tips… And, in particular a close look at the International Wedding Photographer Awards from 2018. Prepare for your jaw to DROP!
HP Tip 1
My number one tip if you are photographing weddings is that preparation is everything. Get to know the couple so you know what is most important to them on the day. Visit the venue and photo locations at the appropriate time of day to look at the light and find the best vantage points. Prepare a shot list of family groups and other special requests. Consider weather alternative options. Run through the timeline with the couple so that on the day, you can completely immerse yourself in the wedding and capture story as it happens without having to worry about logistics.
Random Fact
“Brides carry or wear “something old” on their wedding day to symbolize continuity with the past. The “something blue” in a bridal ensemble symbolizes purity, fidelity, and love. The tradition of a wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where revelers broke a loaf of bread over a bride’s head for fertility’s sake.”
In The News
Helgoland Island, Germany
“Seals relax on the beach”…
While I realise this isn’t ground breaking news, it was my favourite photo from the “best images of the week” as documented by the Guardian. It is a fascinating source of photojournalism!
Photograph: Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images
Photo For Thought
Jason Tey
“Denny and Vivi travelled all the way to us in Perth, Western Australia from Hong Kong for their pre-wedding photos. They specifically requested the night sky as part of their session because in a city as dense as Hong Kong, you hardly see the brilliance of the stars. This image was taken in the Lancelin sand dunes, a beach-side town about 140 kilometres north of Perth. Out there it is so dark you’re left in awe at how vast and magnificent the universe is.
After we located the core of the Milky Way, I worked out a beautifully balanced composition. There was a strange glow in the distance (most likely from street lamps) which I thought would ruin the image but it looked like a sunrise so we used that glow to create a silhouette. It’s one of those perfect surprises that you never expect and it makes an image special.
It’s such an honour to be the overall runner up for the IWPOY awards and to have this image judged by industry greats that I’ve followed for years. This is one of those images that took an hour to plan and photograph but was years in the making. We’ve been going out to shoot the stars for five years, working out how to perfect the art of capturing the universe and putting our couples in them. Sometimes we’re out in the cold wondering if it is worth the trouble but this recognition is a wonderful way to close out 2018. Thank you!”
Iconic Photographer:
Dan O’Day
Winner of the IWPOY Awards 2018 (and a personal hero!)
“It was our last stop for portraits on our way back to Jess and Des’ wedding at the National Art School in Sydney. For an hour we’d been running around the outskirts of the venue like kids in a playground, dropping smoke bombs and chasing what little golden Australian light we get at the end of the our time for portraits (it was my first and only time using coloured smoke bombs, so it was pretty hit and miss).
In the final 5 minutes of sun, while Jess and Des were bee-lining it to their party, they walked through a slice of light coming off the roof from the building around us. There were partying guests, buildings, fire extinguishers on walls, and about 20 cars behind them in this shot, but in that moment and the light sliver, I saw the residual smoke hanging in the air and thought ‘sweet, there is residual smoke hanging in the air!’
I managed to stop them from giggling and being in love with that ‘just married’ vibe on their faces for about .06 of a second so that I could get my “dramatic tortured artist” fix and guide them through the slice of light.
Five minutes after this shot, they were busting through the doors of their party, high fiving guests, and drinking the good bubbles from the bottle, like they had headlined Coachella.”
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER:
“Dan O’Day is an Australian based Photographer, specializing in wedding and Fine Art photography. Influenced by his former life as a contemporary artist, Dan’s wedding images reflect the commitment to his art practice, refining techniques and constantly developing & refining his practice.”
VIEW ALL TOP SCORING COUPLE PORTRAITS HERE
Tip 2
Stay inspired…. I honestly can’t get sick of looking at photos… I love that that there are still so many photos that stop me in my tracks and make my jaw drop… You will see what I mean if you click this link:
TOP SCORING DANCE FLOOR GALLERY
Tip 3
Play with light and design with the bridal party. There are endless options for fun and innovative photographs if you make the most of your environment and the personalities of each individual. Please check out this link to be inspired:
TOP SCORING BRIDAL PARTY PHOTOS
In fact… Just check out the full website here!
Story of the Week
In the lead up to our seventh birthday we are in reflection mode. And one story that comes to mind is the very first wedding that I photographed after launching HP in 2012… I had met Noni and Russell while living in Edinburgh and remember a (slightly intoxicated) evening around Christmas time 2011 when they asked me to be their wedding photographer. It was one of the few drunken Scottish plans that actually eventuated and sure enough, the following year, I was invited to Noni’s home in Mt Martha, Victoria to photograph their beautiful wedding. Poor Russell was struggling with the Australian heat in his kilt, but kept smiling through my constant ” just one more” requests! It was a truely memorable day and even still one of my all time favourite weddings. I think we have come a long way in the seven years, but very proud of this first effort. Sending lots of love to you Noni and Russell – it’s about time for another drunken catch up! X
Best wishes from
Hannah and Olivia (and Nic and Charlie)…
PS – WE HAVE A SPECIAL REQUEST THIS WEEK… PLEASE VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM AND FOLLOW US!
“Hannah has an enchanting, beautiful energy and this was the perfect accompaniment to our wedding. We wanted relaxed, good-humoured photos to represent how we are in our relationship, alongside these, she also managed to add beautifully emotional images and get us comfortable in front of the camera, which wasn’t an easy task! She captured our day with humour, genuine attentiveness and total professionalism. Our guests also commented on how vibrant, sweet and engaging Hannah was to them. Thank you so much Hannah, what a talent and we are so impressed you got us ‘workin’ it’ on a 45 degree day!!!!!!” – Russell & Noni
CLICK HERE FOR COUPLE PORTRAIT GIFT VOUCHER
