Darwin’s Dudley Point Wedding – Melanie & Kerry

It was so good to be up in Darwin again for a wedding, and I was super excited for Melanie and Kerry’s as it was the first time as a frequent Darwin wedding photographer to be in the Top End for Territory day!

I had heard stories of the fireworks and how crazy the streets of Darwin gets, but I finally was going to be in town to see it! Even better they head out to East Point for a spot of private fireworks the night before – awesome!

Melanie and Kerry’s big day’s weather turned out brilliantly – if not a bit chilly for Darwin, and it was an awesome day to be a part of!

Preparation

Melanie and Kerry had a pretty nifty set up for their preparation, having two separate properties connected via a shared backyard, where Kerry and his groomsmen got ready in one house, while Melanie and her bridal party got ready in the other!

I spent the time I was with them walking inbetween houses as things were happening and using the nifty surrounds which included pools, lush green trees and triple tiered interior of one of the houses!

The whole aesthetic of Melanie and Kerry’s day was very beachy, laid back and fun. The boys were dressed in Hawaiian shirts, while the girls were dressed in nice, short dresses with a blue theme for the beach.

Wedding rings in shell

Groomsman talking to groom

Blue engagement ring on yellow flowers

Bridal jewellery on rock

Wedding dress hanging in tree in Darwin

Flower girl watching bride get ready on balcony

Groomsman with socks on head

Groom and grooms men in middle of pool

Groom standing in middle of pool

Bride having her hair done

Flower girl makeup

Flower girl admriing herself in mirror

Bride decending down stairs

Bridesmaids in blue helping bride

Naked cat

bride putting on ear rings nearby window

Bride walking down stairs

bridal party on stairs

Bridal party next to pool

Dudley Point Wedding Ceremony

The East Point Reserve, just north of the Darwin city center was where Melanie and Kerry chose to hold their wedding. It would have to be one of my favourite spots in Darwin to take photos, so that was great!

Their Dudley Point wedding ceremony took place in the corner of the picnic area, with a view of the nearby cliffs. There was enough room for a large number of their guests, while also being intimate due to the fact the ceremony took place on top of the cliffs.

The ceremony itself was a lovely, simple affair with stories of how the two met, their vows were personally written and heartfelt – and everyone was all smiles at the end walking through bubbles!

Tesla Arriving at Dudley Point Wedding

Bride exiting Tesla

Posing in front of Tesla wedding car

Relaxed groom

Bride arriving at Dudley Point Wedding Ceremony

Grooms first look of bride at Dudley Point wedding ceremony

Bride andgroom talking at Dudley Point wedding ceremony

Dudley Point wedding Ceremony

Darwin’s Dudley Point wedding Ceremony

Bride smiling at her groom during ceremony at Dudley Point

Bridal vows

Bride and groom framed by square arbour

First kiss at Dudley Point wedding ceremony

Bride and groom exit from their Dudley Point wedding ceremony

Glamour Photos

Time was running short once we had sorted all the group photos, and I had managed to corral all members of the bridal party for a short walk along the cliff top to what I affectionately call ‘pride rock’ as it looks like the bride and groom are perched upon a thin sliver of sliff top, when it’s quite a wide chunk of rock – and it kind of looks like Pride Rock from the Lion King.

I wanted to head here first as I feared being the 2nd of July – it would be a super busy day in Darwin for weddings, and I presumed we would have to beat many other couples off this spot with a stick. Surprisingly no other weddings showed up! So we actually had the run of the place before driving out towards the Fannie Bay Foreshore for the sunset on the beach.

I also stuck in a firework photo I took the night before because I thought it was cool 🙂

Bride and groom out on clifftop

bride and groom nearby the tree on Pride Rock

Bride and groom with ocean in background

Bride and groom admiring sunset

Darwin East Point Pride Rock wedding photo

bridal party at East Point

Wedding socks

bride and groom with sunset in background

Groom elading bride through the undergrowth

Bride and groom share embrace surrounded by foliage

bride leads groom along beachfront

Bridal portrait of bride and groom

Bride and groom walking along Darwin beach

Bridal party with Darwin’s cliffs as a backdrop

Darwin’s Cracker night couples photo

Darwin Wedding Reception

After their Dudley Point wedding ceremony and their glamour photos, Melanie and Kerry held their reception at turned out to be a huge shed that they had spent untold hours setting up for their party!

Thousands of fairy lights adorned the ceiling over their huge u-shaped table seating all their guests – it actaully made for a pretty neat group photo spot!

The night was full of fun, speeches, great food and was great to be a part of!

Darwin reception setup in shed

wedding memorial table

group shot of all wedding guests

Grooms speech in front of white backdrop

Another angle of Darwin wedding reception

Bride’s speech

Triple wedding cake

Cutting their wedding cake

Bridal couple dancing

Groom having some fun

Bouquet toss result

Thanks so much to Melanie and Kerry for having me at your Dudley Point wedding!

July 29, 2022

ideas, Wedding

5 Tips For Taking The Perfect Wedding Photo

Do you want to take some good-looking wedding photos? Well, of course you do! Weddings are one of the most precious days for all couples, and if you’re a wedding photographer, it’s your job to capture all the best moments on that day. Thus, it’ll be your responsibility to create an album that couples will love and cherish for the rest of their lives!

And in this article, you can read the best tips for taking the perfect wedding photo.

5 Tips For Taking The Perfect Wedding Photo

Research The Venue

From the time the couple has called you to become their official wedding photographer, you should start doing your work by researching the venue. Check out the location and see how you can utilize it to take some stunning shots.

You should visit the venue at least once before the big day to see if the outdoor space of the venue can be used for capturing some post-wedding shots. It also allows you to scout the venue and list the different shooting scenarios that might need to deal with. Also, don’t forget to check how the lighting conditions change in the venue day and night.

Drone shot of Glanville Hall

Get To Know The Couple

You should spend time getting to know your clients during your initial meetings. Ask them a couple of questions like how they met or how long they’ve been together. You can use their answers as inspiration for covering their wedding.

If possible, ask them to hire you as their prenup photographer as well. It can provide an opportunity for the couple to be comfortable with you and vice versa, which is crucial as the big day comes. Additionally, it also allows you to figure out their best angles for taking pictures that are photo frame-worthy.

You might also want to use this opportunity to give them some insights and information on how they should preserve their wedding photos by putting them on picture frames. Give them recommendations and ask them to use this link to get high-quality and good-looking picture frames.

Laughing bride and groom amongst ivy

Test Your Gear In Advance

It’s also important that you test your gear in advance to ensure that they are in good working condition before you go to the venue and take great wedding photos.

Don’t forget to pack all the gear you need for the task, such as a tripod, several camera lenses, external flashes, spare batteries, memory cards, etc. If the photo is taken indoors, you might want to bring some lighting equipment. I personally just take everything I have to every wedding! I even have a submersable drone if anyone ever wants to go swimming?

And if you’ve done your research and scouted the venue beforehand, you can be better prepared to deal with different shooting scenarios you might encounter throughout the day. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to bring all the necessary equipment you’ll need for the job.

Waterfall wedding photographer Hobart

Consider Bringing An Assistant With You

Depending on the wedding. capturing every detail of a wedding might be impossible if you don’t have someone to assist you. You may be covering a wedding with lots of dancing, movement, and excitement, so you’ll also need another professional photographer to help you with managing the lights and capturing other wedding scenes that you’d miss if you’re alone.

It’s a good idea to get an assistant photographer with you. You can either have them carry around your gear or ask him to capture other parts of the wedding while you focus on the main events. Or you can do what I do and ask them to focus on creating video.

Darwin’s Pride rock

Create A Shot List

Couples these days prefer hiring professional photographers who can document their entire wedding. Every couple wishes to look back at their wedding photos after a couple of years and be reminded of how everything was perfect on that day.

Creating a shot list can work against the whole natural flow of a wedding – but it can help ensure that you capture all the most important shots ou may forget, such as:

The groom’s first look as her bride enters the venue
The emotions of the couple as the bride walks down the aisle
The couple’s first kiss as a newlywed
The emotional family moments
The wedding dance
The cake-cutting ceremony

Be sure to ask the couple, their family, friends, and guests for any specific shots they want and list them all down.

A photographer who prepares in advance knows the best camera settings and has a creative mind to come up with unique wedding photoshoot ideas that can capture the best wedding photos that couples will surely cherish for their entire lives. We hope you can use these tips in taking the perfect wedding photos and help you with your next photography shoot.

July 25, 2022

Wedding preview, Wedding

Sferas Wedding – Rita & Chad

Rita and Chad held their Sferas wedding on a lovely, if not a bit chilly day in late June surrounded by their closest family and friends!

They made use fo the on site chapel for their ceremony, with photos throughout civic park, before returning back for their Sferas wedding reception.

Preparation

When I arrived at Chad’s place of preparation, I was greeted by numberous pets and animals, including the most impressive collection of large, talking parrots who kept me company as I began taking photos of Chad’s groom accessories.

Chad’s groomsmen were running late a little, and Chad preoccupied himself running aorund the house a bit for a cat he had temporaly misplaced, which meant we had not much time left for photos before we had to head off to Sferas for Rita’s preparation.

Grooms golden watch

Grooms rings and cologne

Grooms jacket hanging in tree

Pet bird

Groomsmen getting tie put on

Groomsmen looking at the camera

Groom playing with ring on hand

Groomsman helping groom with tie

Groomsmen helping groom with suit

Groom peering out window

Groom standing in front of window black and white

Groomsmen standing together in field

Smiling groom with groomsmen in background

Groomsmen placing ribbon on car

Groom and page boy

Rita and her bridal party were being prepared in the largest room available at the Sferas Convention center. The room boasted a huge, curtained window suited for hanging the wedding dress on, only it has no view as it overlooks the main Sferas lobby.

As rita and her bridal party were being prepared with hair and makeup, my wife and I busied ourselves simply documenting what was going on. At one point we also popped downstairs to get a few shots of the reception setup.

spiral engagement ring in red rose

bridal jewellery

Wedding dress hanging in front of long curtains

generational wedding bands

bride having hair done in front of wedding dress

Flower girl watching bride get ready

Bridal party having a chat

Bridesmaid playing with hair

Flower girl holding flowers

Bridal party fussing around bride

Bride standing in front of white window holding bouquet

Bride holding bouquet looking at camera

Bride admiring son

Bride admiring wedding dress

Sferas Wedding Ceremony

The Chapel area of Sferas, hidden behind it’s main ballroom, and overlooking the nearby Civic park was Rita and Chad’s ceremony venue. The space alows for two rows of chairs set up with a grand piano and wall covered in green ivy as the backdrop.

Rita and Chad’s ceremony was a simple affair with heartfelt personal vows exchanged before sharing rings, and their first kiss.

Sferas marque wedding chapel

Groom waiting patiently at his sferas wedding

Page boy and flower girl

Bride and her son

Grooms first look at Sferas wedding

Bride and groom holding hands at Sferas wedding ceremony

Sferas wedding ceremony

Sferas wedding ceremony in Chapel

Groom talking into microphone

Bridal couple through heads of guests

Bridal couple sharing vows

First kiss at sferas wedding

Bride and groom signing documents

Glamour Photos

After having everyone on the grass nearby for a group photo using the drone, Rita, Chad and their bridal party went for a little walk about Civic park for a few glamour photos. After I had taken a few with the bridal party, they wewre able to retire back into the warm Sferas building, while Rita, Chad and I went for a further walk across the street to the lovely weeping willow nearby for more photos.

I felt a bit bad having Rita walk all that way as the weather was getting a bit chilly, and it wasnt a short walk in a wedding dress!

wedding guests in heart shape

bride and groom leadning in between two gum trees

Bride and groom embrace in tree

Bride smiling at her groom closeup

Bridal party walking through civic park

Bridal party walking through civic park closer

Bridal party kissing bride

Groomsmen picking up groom

Bride and groom standing near dry creek bed

Bride and groom headbutt in sunlight

bride and groom backlit by sun

Groom leading bride across field

Bride and groom hgolding each other in field

Bridal couple under weeding wilow tree

Weeping willow wedding photo

Bride holding groom under weeping willow

Bride and groom in front of Sferas at night

Sferas Wedding Reception

Once photos were complete, and Rita had a bit of time for retouching makeup and having guests take their seats, Rita and Chad were announced as husband and wife at their Sferas wedding reception.

The highlight of the night was definitely the dry ice first dance they had organised, while everyone seemed to also have a blast with my photobooth which I had set up in the morning.

Festivities ran late into the night, culminating with a bouquet toss, and garter throw before the newly wedded couple exited under a traditional archway made from their guests.

Table center pieces

guests who could not attend reception

3 tier white wedding cake

Rita place marker

First dance at sferas wedding

First dance at sferas wedding reception

bride and groom dance with light

Bride and guests in front of photo booth

Bouquet catch

Dancing bride and groom

I’d like to thank Rita and Chad for having both my wife and I document their special day with our photography and videography! Your day was a joy to be a part of and we hope you love your photos!

July 22, 2022

Interesting, ideas, Wedding

6 Best Picture Frames To Display Your Favourite Wedding Photos

Weddings are considered one of the best days in a person’s life. Given its value, surely you won’t let the amazing photos just sit on your computer or in a box. You can show those gorgeous captured events honourably by documenting them in wedding photo frames. They become valuable home décor that tell the story of your love and of that magical day. Whatever your style, whether glam, rustic, classic or something in between, you’re sure to find some frames that suit your home perfectly.

You can get these frames as gifts for your wedding, shower, engagement, or other occasions, so don’t forget to put them on your registry. To help you decide what to get, here are the six best picture frames to display your wedding photos.

6 Best Picture Frames To Display Your Favourite Wedding Photos

Personalized Wedding Picture Frames

Personalized photo frames for your wedding shots are fabulous items to feature your wedding photo. Who wouldn’t adore this affordable style produced from scratch with love?

Materials can be wood, metal, glass, or plastic. It is the perfect variation of materials to make a personalized picture frame that features grey edges, the couple’s name and wedding year in a charming script. Not just that, there are many more ideas to choose from, widening your imagination to reach your preferred design.

white wall with photos of the family in various photo frames

Floating Frames

Floating frames are trendy these days to ensure your photo is at the centre of attention. Depending on what will complement your home decor, you can choose between a variety of materials such as brass or matte black bolts. With a plain light background theme, it will contrast with the frame and highlight it with some warm spotlight.

Touchscreen Digital Picture Frame

If you seek to be in the modern style, go high-tech with this touchscreen digital picture frame. This frame allows you to display hundreds of photos that rotate throughout the day. Aside from that, you can also highlight your favourite picture from your best wedding photos. Therefore, this saves you from the heartbreak of having to select a few ones to feature on your home, as you can have them shown throughout the day.

Customized Two Frame With Sand Ritual

This customised picture frame is a good option if you seek to elevate your beachy wedding theme. Such an item can display two photos, and the frame is designed for a couple who had their wedding on the beach, using coloured sand as a ritual symbol.

Thus, this customized frame is the best picture frame for a couple who wants to treasure the rituals made on their wedding day and seek to highlight them in their home.

Wooden Photo Ledge

If a classic picture frame for your wedding or any event is what attracts you, why not go for a classic wooden photo ledge?

Such an item can help you display several photos at a time and effortlessly rotate or replace them as your mood changes. This frame is easy to install and use.

If you’re interested in it but couldn’t purchase it anywhere near you, it’s easy to make it yourself too. Materials needed are only basic materials for carpentry, like wood, metal or plastics. Paints and polishing can be used, too, depending on your preferred design and liking. Simply put, you can definitely do whatever your mood will lead you.

Acrylic And Brass Picture Frame

Couples with an extra and ultra-modern aesthetic attitude will love the combination of acrylic and brass with a sleek frame or wooden stand design. Adding some small glittery lights or a spotlight pointing to the structure is undoubtedly an excellent way to feature a wedding photo.

It’s also beneficial because it can be in a trio of versatile sizes. These frames can be designed to stand alone as blocks or thin with a wooden stand. They’re great for narrow surfaces or on a centre accent table.

Acrylic mounted prints

You’ve spent months preparing, planning, and designing your wedding day, and once it’s over, the most pleasing way to relive it for years is through beautiful and captivating photos. So Display your favourite wedding photos!

Possibilities are limitless when it comes to framing your bridal portraits and wedding photos. You can devote an entire wall in your home to a set of gallery frames by gathering all your hundreds and favourite images. A large frame at the centre of a lighted wall is also classy.

Whatever your tone, likes or style, there’s always a perfect frame to exhibit your treasured memories and help you reminisce those events that happened for years.

July 21, 2022

Wedding preview, Wedding

The Manor in Basket Range Wedding – Tori & Aaron

The weather was the biggest question mark over Tori and Aaron’s The Manor in Basket Range Wedding ceremony taking place in front of the little chapel they have on site – but it all turned out for the best! The rain held off right up until late at night, which made things perfect for a bit of reflections in their night-time photos!

The overcast weather actually really helped running about the castle as the whole place just came alive in the most delightful way for photos!

Preparation

Despite Aaron and his boys starting to get ready just around the corner from where i live in Aberfoyle Park, Aaron opted to have all his preparation phtos done at the Manor, so we began the preparation photos with Tori and her bridal party being prepared also at the Manor. The plan was to use the two separate empty rooms located above the main entrance to the ‘castle’ keep.

It turned out to be a rather convenient set up actually, allowing us to flit inbetween Tori and Aaron’s preparation without having to wander too far away from the other.

We were able to have Tori’s father help out with Aaron’s tie, also had a little first look of the dress, while even allowing their flower girl’s dolls to make an appearance in some of their photos.

Engagement ring in red rose in bouquet

Flower girl jewellery

Wedding dress hanging in tree at the manor in basket range

Bridesmaid pointing out something

bride using the mirror

Bridal shows on window sill

Bride looking in mirror as she gets ready

bridesmaids on castle ramparts

Groom’s suit jacket framed by window

Groom and groomsmen cufflinks on tie

Wedding rings together on top of grooms shoes

Groom buttoning shirt

Groomsman helping tie tie

Groom fiddling with cuffs

Groom sraightening tie in mirror

Bride’s father straightening groom tie

Grooms na dgroomsmen getting ready in room

Groom sitting on chair through doorway

Groom peering out window in black and white

Groom and groomsmen on castle parapet

Bride peering out window at groom on castle

Flower girl bangle

Bridesmaids fussing around bride

Bride putting on ear rings

Bridesmaids looking at bride with mirror

Father of the bride first look on balcony

Bride walking in front of stained glass windows

Bride smiling peering out over the estate

Bride walking nearby stained glass windows

The Manor in Basket Range Wedding Ceremony

As I mentioned, the weather was threatening to rain all morning, leading up to Tori and Aaron’s wedding ceremony – in fact it even started to drizzle just before Tori was due to walk down the garden path towards the ceremony, but it held off nicely, and their ceremony was a delight to be a part of.

Tori and Aaron had prepared their own heartfelt vows which made everyone in attendance run the gamut of emotions, while those who could not attend were honoured with ther lighting of a ceremonial candle.

Their ceremony concluded with Tori and Aaron running through a huge amount of white petals – so many in fact it was quite ticky to grab a photo where you could actually see their faces! It was as though they were running through a blizzard.

Groom watching his bride walk toward him

Bride and father walking through garden

Groom watching his bride

Father of the bride looking at his daughter

The Manor in Basket Range wedding ceremony

The Manor in Basket Range wedding ceremony in front of chapel

Exchanging wedding ring at ceremony

First kiss at the manor in basket range wedding ceremony

Bridal exit at the manor in basket range wedding

Bridal exit at basket range wedding

The manor basket range group photo

Flower girl putting flowers on groom

Glamour Photos

For glamour photos, the weather was starting to get a bit of chill in the air, so I knew we had to keep moving, first to keep warm, but also to beat any potential rain that may be coming in the near future. Thankfully the rain held off until later in the night, but I wasn’t to know that.

We began by walking around the Manor’s grand entrance driveway with the whole bridal party, so that they could get back into the warm as fast as possible, before I took just Tori and Aaron for a bit of a longer walk from the orchards on the other side of the road, back towards the garden area just behind the chapel in front of which they were wed a few hours prior.

Bridal party in front of the Manor Basket Range

Bride and groom in front of one of the doors at the castle

Bridal veil flying around the couple

Bridal veil flying around the happy couple

Bride and groom in front of the manor in basket range

Bridal party at front gate

Bride and groom at the front gate of the manor in basket range

Bride and groom surrounded by orchard

Bride and groom surrounded by yellow foliage

Bride and groom surrounded by yellow foliage in orchard

The manor in Basket range wedding phtoography

bride and groom holding one another on the Manor’s balcony

bride and groom holding one another on the Manor’s balcony from above

bride and groom having fun in the Manor’s gardens

Bride and groom kisses through the foliage in the Manor’s gardens

The manor in basket range wedding photo

Classic bridal portrait in foliage

The manor in basket range’s garden

Night night photo at the manor in basket range wedding

bride and groom leaning in castle archway

The Manor in Basket Range Wedding Reception

Tori and Aaron’s wedding reception took place in the lower of the two reception areas available at the Manor in Basket Range. This allowed for the use of the large under-cover terrace overlooking the chapel’s gardens, while also being rather intimate and cozy inside.

During their reception, speeches were held, the shoe game was played, and Aaron certainly made it his mission to keep everyone well watered and on the dance floor as much as possible throughout the night!

At the end of thenight, Tori and Aaron had planned for a bit of a silly posed shot where they were to look like they had a bit of a bender that night – so I suggested bringing some empty dominos pizza boxes and throw them around on the ground amongst emptry rum bottles and furniture on the ground to make it look like they really blew the place up! All good fun 🙂