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Announcing X-ray Wedding Photography

X-ray Wedding Photography

Since the dawn of photography, it has always been the photographer’s goal to capture the inner soul of their subject in photographic form. Capturing the emotions of the moment and telling a story as it happens in a split second of time is the essence of the goal that many wedding photographers set out to achieve – myself included. With this mindset, it’s with great excitement that I am announcing a new service I’m providing to all my wedding photography clients; X-ray Wedding Photography.

X-Ray Wedding Photography

Photography has always had the goal of capturing pure emotion, beyond the outer appearance of the subject being photographed, so using x-rays I’m able to pierce the upper levels of your skin, allowing me to photograph your inner beauty and emotions – literally. My portable x-ray camera (pictured below) allows for seamless integration of X-ray wedding photography to your special day, and the result would be a highly unique keepsake.

In keeping with my mantra of keeping up with the cutting edge in photographic technology, I’m always keen on providing my clients with that absolute best technology has to offer. With my rollout of satellite wedding photography last year, and of course my drone and 360 Virtual Reality services, no other photographers in Australia offer this kind of service.

Portable X-Ray Machine

As with many of my new services, I like to roll out my new offerings for free to already booked wedding clients, and I’ve developed my X-ray Wedding Photography process over the last few months – with the amazing results pictured below. As this is still a fledgeling service, I will still be offering this service for free, at least for the foreseeable future – just because I believe every angle of a wedding should be captured at the best of my ability.

X-Ray Love
X-Ray couple

I anticipate the demand for this kind of service will inundate me with bookings for the next 5 years at least, much in the same way as my super popular satellite wedding photography rollout last year. So get in touch now in order to secure my services and you too can have a unique memento of the inside of your bodies from your wedding day!

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Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

Have you ever wondered what the meaning and the origin behind this famous bridal poem  was? Well as a wedding photographer, I too was intrigued, as I am with any aspect of the wedding tradition and I did a little research. It’s a poem that’s synonymous with modern weddings, it’s a tradition that is still fiercely followed to this day, despite it’s meaning mostly being lost upon many of the brides I’ve talked to about it.

If I see a bride getting these items ready, I generally try to take a photo of the set before they are worn for posterity’s sake, so I figured it might be interesting to find out why the tradition exists in the first place.  Turns out the poem is actually simply a rhyming list of varying other traditions that were in place prior to the poem for various different ways to grant good luck to the bride and her marriage.

Something blue

The poem dates back to Victorian times, and as I wrote earlier, links a number of older traditions that brides adhere to for good luck. All 4 traditions of something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue are purely superstitious in nature with the minor exception that the ‘something blue’ part could relate to the religious colours of the Virgin Mary.

However in Victorian times, brides would choose the colour blue to symbolise faithfulness and loyalty, and was actually the preferred colour of wedding dresses at the time, but that’s another story.

‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’

Something old

Incorporating something old into a bride’s attire was meant to symbolise her connection to her roots, her family and where she grew up. Carrying this with her into her future so that she may draw from her family’s strength in whatever the future has in store for her. Many brides choose to wear a piece of antique family jewelry or a piece of clothing handed down through the generations. In modern times this idea that the ‘something old’ has some connection to family is often forgotten in lieu of some old possession, often shoes or even underwear.

Something new

Just as the ‘something old’ was supposed to link her with her past, the ‘something new’ part of the poem was supposed to symbolise the new life she will have wedded to her new husband. One marketing technique bridal boutiques use when selling their customers wedding gowns is that the ‘something new’ should represent good fortune and success in the bride’s new life, and therefore should be the most expensive thing she’s wearing. Quite often though, aside from the wedding dress the ‘new’ item is the engagement ring, or her shoes.

Bridal jewellery

Something borrowed

Getting ‘something borrowed’ in modern times is often misunderstood as simply ‘borrowing’ something from anyone, be it perfume or some earrings. Often brides accidentally get it right however by borrowing something from their mother or Matron of honour as traditionally the ‘borrowed’ item should be something borrowed from an already happily wedded wife so as to bring a little bit of the good luck she has had in her life into this new marriage. The borrowed item is also there to remind the bride that friends and family are there to support her.

Something blue

Having something blue in the Victorian era symbolised faithfulness, loyalty and purity. All the things the white wedding dress these days represents. The colour blue however relates to the colour of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus in the Christian faith, thereby being the only tradition in the list directly related to organised religion, the rest being a secular tradition. That said however, the colour blue represents these things purely by the nature of its hue, just as red represents danger and gold, wealth.

Bridal Affects

And a silver sixpence in my shoe

An often forgotten part of the poem ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in my shoe’ is the last of the five traditions which was to place a silver sixpence in the bride’s shoe to ensure wealth in the future. Obviously we no longer use sixpences anywhere outside of the UK, and therefore have largely forgotten this part of the rhyme, but it was there and it may be something you brides out there might like to consider if you’re following the rhyme 🙂

In addition to the bride carrying Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in her shoe; nestled all over her body would be bunches of herbs to ward off bad spirits. This tradition has been almost completely replaced by the carrying of a bridal bouquet, which has it’s own sets of traditions associated with it.

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How being a Landscape photographer helps me with wedding photography

Being a Landscape photographer helps me with wedding photography

As many of you may know, I was crowned as South Australian Professional Landscape Photographer of the year through the annual state-based AIPP awards in 2016. I also happened to win the national title of Science photographer of the year at the national awards. One might think that this is a bit of a disconnect with being a better wedding photographer, and may be asking why I’m not winning the title of ‘Wedding Photographer of the year’. But I’d argue that due to my professional-level prowess in these other genres of photography, I’m able to approach wedding photography in a unique, laid-back and genuine way.

It’s like having an professional chef come in and cook you dinner, it’s not as if that chef would only be capable of cooking a single meal would they? So how does being a successful Landscape photographer help at all with being a better wedding photographer?

Landscape photographer of the year 2016

How being Landscape Photographer of the year helps with Wedding Photography

Having done both landscape and wedding work professionally for over 5 years now, I’d just like to point out the type of adaptability required to move from one work situation to another. In the landscape field, people appreciate a huge amount of technical ability, and the ability to create works of art from the mundane. This skill set is easily transferred over to wedding photography as my work is always of a high calibre technically and I love to incorporate an ‘epic vibe’ to much of my work.

Having worked in a variety of different situations I have the experience to quickly adapt to whatever is thrown at me in regards to scenery, lighting and weather. It’s through my ability as a landscape and scientific photographer that I can quite quickly and easily adapt to anything a wedding throws at me, while also drawing on my 5 years experience of shooting weddings. Neither skillset is mutually exclusive of one another and it’s one thing that I feel sets me apart from other photographers, that and my additional services I provide for free.

Bride and Groom under trees

The general knowledge of photography needed to be successful in these fields also comes into play in a huge way. I am intimately familiar in how a camera works and frequently utilise home-made cameras to create some of my award winning work. While I’m no gear snob, and couldn’t care less how much your camera costs, I understand what equipment is needed to capture the shot the way I would like. It’s for this reason my work looks the way it does, it’s the root of my artistry.

Say I want to use a sun flare or sunset happening behind my bride and groom, the same knowledge is used when thinking about shooting a landscape.

Glenelg sunset

Being so successful in other genres of photography also allows me to see things in ways others don’t. I hate being a cookie cutter at my weddings, I cringe at how many photographers approach weddings by taking all the same shots at every single wedding they do. Of course there are some shots that just work and look amazing, but every single one? I think it’s important to personalise each wedding based on the personality of the bride and groom, and I shoot accordingly using my knowledge in all genres of photography.

Through the foliage at Bridgewater Mill

Due to my work in a variety of different genres, I’ve also become quite proficient in photoshop. This would also be due to my several degrees in Multimedia and associated subjects, but it’s truly doing the work that gives me the practice. It’s a lot of fun too 🙂 The below photo may not be suited to every wedding, but I think it demonstrates the technical ability in photoshop I have garnered through my prowess in other genres of photography, and not just weddings.

Star wars wedding at Auchendarroch House

For a bit of a taste of my Landscape work if you’re interested, I have a separate website built to showcase my work at https://stevenduncanart.com

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Common wedding planning mistakes and how to avoid them!

Wedding planning mistakes and how to avoid them

Having attended quite a few weddings as a wedding photographer, and also having had gone through the process of being my own wedding planner for my own wedding within 5 months last year, I’ve put together a little list of common wedding planning mistakes that I see happen all the time.  It’s not an easy task planning a wedding, and it certainly isn’t a cheap one either. Combining these two aspects causes a lot of stress and quite a few of these common mistakes!

Planning a wedding is made up of dozens of little jobs that range from super important things like choosing and booking a venue on a wedding date you like, down to the simple things such as choosing the groom’s socks. All put together makes a monumental task. Just remember however that with so many things happening, something is bound to not go to plan so try not to make it impact your day too much.

Reception setup

Common wedding planning mistakes

Budgeting mistakes

Perhaps the most common mistake that people stress over on their wedding party is how much everything adds up to. I myself was guilty of this, spending around 30% more than our budget allowed. But planning a wedding is expensive. Try to factor in what you can afford along with what your family are willing to pitch in, then prioritise what is the most important for you. For me personally the most important parts of our day was the wedding photographer, and the reception venue. For other wedding vendors it may be the bridal dress, perhaps a videographer?

The point is, dont go cheap with the most important parts of your day, then you can go a bit cheaper with the parts that don’t matter as much. There’s always going to be some hidden costs too, so when working out your budget in your planning process – add a little to it so there are no surprises. The goal is to save money, not jeopardise your weding style!

Mum with the money

Letting others organise your guest list

Your parents probably have a bit of a dream in their heads about what their perfect wedding for you looks like. Hell, they’ve probably been planning it in their head and their own wedding guest list since you were born! So cut them some slack when they insist of inviting family members like second cousin three times removed just because they shared a carrot when they were growing up. But on the other hand make sure they are clear on your budget restraints and that the day is your day, not theirs.

A wedding day is supposed to celebrate your own personal love for one another with your closest friends and family. Just make sure everyone knows your intent in regards to your guest list upfront and you’ll avoid one of the most stress-inducing common wedding planning mistakes.

Group photo

No plan ‘B’ for weather

Now living in Adelaide, we tend to be very lucky when it comes to the weather during our wedding season. Adelaide is the driest city in the driest state on the driest continent in the world. It doesnt rain much here, and when it does it doesnt stay long. But it does happen, and if you have no backup plan for your wedding ceremony or your reception, it can be devastating. The best venues I’ve found actually have a plan B set up for just an occasion, but other locations it just may not be possible. Marquee hire is a common backup plan for locations where there isn’t a convenient building to use.

The only good thing about having a wedding in the rain is that it’s supposed to be good luck, and you get some great unique photos out of it! 😀

Wedding lighting

Look after your guests

The common timeline for a wedding day usually calls for a 1-2 hours photoshoot in between the end of your wedding ceremony and the start of your reception. This means that your guests are left to entertain themselves for that period of time. If your venue is out of the way, this may cause some distress with your guests. Try to entertain them with something, give them something to do! Be it lawn games at your venue, or makes a game of it like a scavenger hunt, with a prize given out at your reception?

At the very least suggest a local attraction or a nice pub for them to visit while they wait for you. Some wedding websites can provide insights on hotel rooms and ways to help guests to arrive, or perhaps deal with too many guests. Just remember you have the final say on everything, and your guests may either like or not like your desicions, so act wisely 🙂

Spray tanning, or changing your look too much

Please, please don’t suddenly decide to go get a fake tan for the first time a week out for your wedding! If you’ve had a spray tan before, and you were happy with the result, then go for it, but only if you go back to the same place. Nothing worse than being an oompaloompa in a wedding dress! Same goes for dying your hair, or drastically changing your makeup. Always trial it all several months before your wedding to make sure you’d be ok looking like that on your wedding day.

Eating

Crash dieting in the weeks leading up to your wedding day can cause sickness and just isn’t a great idea in general. The idea is to be as happy and healthy you can be on your big day, so try not to do anything to jeopardise this. Same goes for eating on the day. Often nerves get to brides and grooms on their wedding day, which causes a loss of appetite, but eating and keeping your fluids up (not alcohol) is very important!

Many brides fall into this trap – hopefully your bridal party can help out – as that’s what ther job is!

Food

Seating arrangements

Perhaps one of the hardest part of planning a wedding is sorting out where everyone is sitting at your reception. It’s one of those common wedding planning mistakes that can really cause people to get upset if they are sitting next to someone they despise, or something. One big problem people overlook is placing all the single guests on a ‘singles table’. Having everyone single at a table together is rather uncomfortable for them, so try to mix them about on other tables, hopefully with guests who share a common interest.

Guests having fun

Sort out your clothes in the days prior

Another one I’m guilty of. To all the men and grooms to be out there, get out your shirts and wear/iron them at least once in the days leading up to your wedding! Shirts come with an ugly crease through them brad new and need to be ironed! Brides out there, pick out some comfy undies, preferably white so that they can’t be seen through your dress! I can’t count how many times I’ve had to awkwardly point out that your black panties can be seen in your photos. It’s one of those small common wedding planning mistakes you don’t often think about.

If you’ve sorted out what you’re wearing you hang it up and not think about it until the day right? Ladies put on your dress as often as possible too, make sure it’s comfortable. If you’re wearing high heels and planning on having photos done at the beach or in a forest, perhaps pack a change of shoes too.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

Perhaps the most important thing of all, don’t let small issues dominate your thoughts. Remember what the point of the day is – to get legally married. Things are bound to go wrong, that’s life, but don’t let it phase you. Just be thankful you don’t have to contend with a cyclone, or fires on your wedding day. Enjoy yourself!

Same goes for wedding traditions. If they don’t mean anything to you, dont think they will magically ruin your life just because you don’t follow something! Then again if it is important to you to have the perfect wedding – by all means plan for it – don’t expect everything to just ‘happen’. Worrying too much about stuff like this is how so many couples can lose sight of the end result and caught up in the small stuff.

Willunga Peacock Farm Wedding photography
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Why rain is good luck on your wedding day

What is the old saying about rain on your wedding day? Often the first thing you hear on your wedding day if it starts raining is that it’s ‘good luck’. Followers of my blog will know that I’m an avid fan of researching the origins of such quirks behind wedding traditions, so I did a bit of digging and found out why rain is good luck on your wedding day.


The origin of the superstition about why rain is good luck on your wedding day may stem from the reasons I’ve discovered, or the general fact that saying something like that will somewhat ease the mind of the bride who had their heart set on a beautiful sunny day. I mean most people would plan their wedding expecting great weather, only to be disappointed with rain – kind of like what Alanis Morissette was talking about in her song ‘Ironic’.

Bride and groom under umbrella through vines

Why rain is good luck on your wedding day

So where did the origin of the superstition come from? What does rain on your wedding day mean? The truth is that rain represents a multitude of different things depending on your culture of origin.

Rain represents fertility

One of the obvious merits of rain is the brings of new life into the world. Without rains new grass and plants cannot grow and hence represents fertility. Always a nice thing to be reminded of on your wedding day if you’re planning on starting a family with your newly wed.

Rain represents Unity

It’s not all that common at weddings in Adelaide but, a handfasting ceremony was common at all weddings in years part symbolising the combining of two souls into the union of marriage This also happens to be the origin of the saying ‘to tie the knot’. Rain would cause this ‘knot’ to become wet and hence become difficult to untie, signifying unity.

The handfasting tradtion originated from Europe and celtic roots, as as the Celts hailed from areas in Europe where it was often raining, this stands to reason.

Tying the knot

Rain is Cleansing and Pure

Rain causes the world to become clean and represents purity. using water to cleanse one’s hands if paramount in many of the world’s religions, so rain on your wedding day is supposed to represent a clean and pure start to your lives together. It’s also supposed to represent renewal, in that you will be born again as a couple forever. It’s supposed to wash away all prior bad experiences and memories, leaving only the good for the future.

It’s very similar in the reasoning why brides traditionally wear a white dress.

Before brides wore white dresses to their weddings, the traditional colour was actually pale blue – symbolising the virgin Mary. As pale blue is also the colour often associated with water, one can make the link with rain.

Protecting one another from the rain

Rain on wedding day represents tears

Now this could be interpreted as a good or a bad thing, but rain can represent the last tears the bride is to shed for the rest of her life – hence a good thing. But it would also represent tears that the couple is getting married! Which is a bad thing.. Depends on how you look at it this way 😛 Another origin story of this representation can be allocated to the virgin Mary in christian tradition where she would cry for all the sins in the world, thereby washing them all away.

Lightning

Adaptability and Resilience

Another reason why rain might be considered good luck on your wedding day revolves around the attributes of adaptability and resilience. Just as couples face unexpected challenges and twists throughout their journey together, rain on your wedding day serves as an immediate test of adaptability. Couples who face the sudden change with grace and poise demonstrate resilience and a willingness to work together to face challenges head-on.

Overcoming such unexpected obstacles on one’s wedding day sets a precedent for the marriage ahead. It suggests that the couple can weather any storm together, facing trials and tribulations with love, understanding, and cooperation. In many ways, this adaptability in the face of rain symbolizes the flexibility required in a successful, enduring marriage.

So, instead of viewing rain as a damper on your big day, consider it a blessing in disguise, symbolizing the strength and unity of your bond that will carry you through all of life’s unpredictable moments.

Ten 22 Wedding Photography

Rain on your wedding day meaning?

These superstitions have a range of different origins so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where and when people started saying why rain is good luck at weddings. But most of the resources I’ve looked at having originated from Hindu custom. But honestly, rain doesn’t originate from India, or Hindu-dominated countries so the sentiment of why rain is good luck at weddings can be as wide and varied as the world itself.