I’m not sure why, but whenever someone mentions ‘One Tree Hill’ I just imagine a single tree on a beautifully landscaped green hill, similar to the famous Windows XP wallpaper. Perhaps it has something to do with the town’s name? 😛 Anyway when I arrived on Josiah’s family farm for Thalia and Josiah’s Engagement shoot, One Tree Hill pretty much lived up to it’s name sake. There were rolling green hills that made for beautioful vistas, and even an incredible flowering (cherry?) tree that would not have look out of place in a Harry Potter film! The only thing better would have been if the tree was on top of the hill!
We used this area for their engagement shoot as Thalia and Josiah shared one of their first dates here, in amongst the bushes, which were unfortunately a little sparce due to it being winter, but still made for an awesome spot for a little picnic. This little corner of Adelaide was a stunning spot to visit and I mentioned it to Josiah that they could probably rent out the space for wedding photography 🙂 I had a bunch of fun and captured some really unique shots!
It wasn’t the nicest day to go out and do a photo shoot out and about high in the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens, but I’m so glad Olivia and Dimitiri were keen to head out anyway as the colours you can get here are just incredible! Also the rising mist from early in the morning just made the feeling of their engagement photos that much more surreal!
Olivia and Dimitri were umming and ering over where to go for their photoshoot, thinking maybe a beach, or the Belair National Park but in the end were very keen on heading to the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens, mainly due to it was where Dimitri had originally proposed.
As this engagement shoot was happening only a few weeks after when they were supposed to be married, I thought this was quite appropriate! Olivia and Dimitri had had to postpone their wedding due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
Once a location was chosen, I really wanted to make use of the lovely light either in the late afternoon for the golden hour, or early morning.
We ended up getting up early on the freezing morning for the gates to open at 8:30 as the COVID-19 restrictions had just been lifted and we expected the Botanic Gardens to be packed with people trying to get out and about a bit! The early start, coupled with the drizzly weather meant we had the whole Gardens to ourselves.
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens Engagement Shoot
We began our photoshoot walk at the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens lower carpark, nearby the dam wall. Our first reaction when arriving was that we were super lucky to still have some colours in the autumn leaves that made these botanic gardens so magical! I was kind of hoping to get a bit of fog into their photos, but it was fast rising.
We quickly hopped up the nearby hill to make use of some trees that were losing their leaves, then head down to the water’s edge as I wanted to use my favourite tree in all of the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens, but unfortunately it had already lost all it’s leaves 🙁
Close up of engagement ring
Holding one another at the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens Autumn colours
Walking along the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens dam
Walking together in the Autumn colours
Cuddles by the water
Laughing through the red leaves
Olivia and Dimitri certainly made it easy as their carefree attitude was present all throughout the photoshoot and they had plenty of smiles on their faces!
We then head across the dam, which I feel is always an awesome shot to get, making the couple feel as though they are out in the middle of nowhere on ther path way. It’s a very tricky shot to get though as usually the dam walkway is always full of dozens of other people walking across!
Walking along the Mt Lofty Botanic Dam
Couple on the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens Dam
The big draw of the Botanic Gardens are the wonderfully vivid autumnal colours you can get at this time of year, and thankfully we were able to capture some before they all fell from the trees. The colours, coupled with the misty morning really made for some wonderful scenes!
I had a blast taking photos with Olivia and Dimitri during this weather, but it’s so rare to get a couple to get up this early and head out in bad weather like this! 🙂
Just have a ook at the types of unique scenes you can get in weather like this! from fog, to muted autumnal colours!@ It’s a great time to take photos! Just not so great if you want to stay snug and warm :/
Couple under the yellow leaves
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens Bridge
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens in winter
Couple under the orange trees
Laughing and playing
Hugs under the yellow leaves
Walking together with the mist
Hugs under the maple leaves
Looking at the camera under the maple leaves
Looking at a flower
I’d like to thank Olivia’s sister in law Thalia whose engagement shoot had been given to them by her mother for giving Olivia and Dimitri their engagement shoot! It’s always nice to know that people appreciate their photos so much they have their family and friends also have their photos taken with me! 🙂
I had an absolute blast shooting Claire and Aaron’s Mt Compass engagement shoot! I mean take a look at all that golden light that was filtering in through the stunning Australian bushland!
Claire and Aaron are lucky enough to have a friend who owns a farm in Mt Compass – just south of Adelaide that features stunning rolling hills, ponds, rugged bush and some incredible trees. They even made it easy on me and decided to head out for their engagement shoot during golden hour which really made things pretty darn awsome! Turned out to be a stunning shoot!
We began at the top of a hill, which had some huge, gnarly gum trees which we stood under for a few shots to warm up, then walked down the other side to find a stunning little pond enveloped with lush gum trees. There was no wind so the water was still and made for some lovely reflections.
We then head back up the hill and made use of the dying light of the sun filtering in throguh the foliage – which was really beatiful! The hill also overlooked the lovely folling hills that make up the majority of Onkaparinga.
To finish up I broke up one of my last smoke bombs to create a little bit of atmosphere with the sun light filtering in through the smoke.
I had a blast! Looking forward to Claire and Aaron’s wedding at Serafino’s Winery early January now! 😀
Standing together in the sunlight
Couples standing under a gum tree
Standing together under a gum tree
Sun shining through gum tree
Walking down the grassy hill together
Reflections in the pond
Admiring the scenery together
Outstanding in their field
Walking together across the field
Sun shining through a tree above
Couples shot through the leaves
Holding one another in the leaves
Engagement photoshoot
Engagement shoot Mt Compass
Couple near dead tree
Lifting her up silhouette
In amongst the trees with smoke
Smoke backdrop for couple
Couple shoot with smoke
Passionate kiss on engagement shoot
Thanks so much Claire and Aaron for having me shoot your Mt COmpass Engagement shoot! Was amazing!
I had a bit of fun heading out to Salisbury to the delightful; little Little para Linear park to meet Helen and David who’s daughter had previously purchased them a gift certificate redeemable for a bit of a couple’s shoot!.
Apparently Helen and David hadn’t had any professional photos done of them since their wedding day, and even then it was just a friend who happened to have a camera, so Helen and David’s daughter decided that it was high time they had some nice photos of themselves!
Little Para Linear Park Couples Shoot
We decided to time the photoshoot so that we made the best use of the spectacular light available just before and during the golden hour whcih allowed for some spectacular golden light to filter through the trees and foliage on display throughout the Little Para Linear Park.
We met at the corner of Riverview Dr and Riverglen Ct which alowed us to go for a bit of a lap of the dry dcreek that meanders through the park, lined with gum trees and tall grass.
Helen and David seemed pretty laid back and keen to make the use of their time in front of my camera, which made things very easy for me! Always laughing, and playing about while we did some rather odd things like traipse through the undergrowth did not phase this fun loving couple – and I feel as though their photos really show this!
Was a great little photo shoot and I hope Helen, David and their daughter enjoy the photos we took!
Little Para Linear Park sunrays
Hugs in the Little Para Linear Park
Couple in between the gum trees
Dusk photoshoot in Little Para Linear park
Close up of hands
In amongst the trees with the sun
peeking throught he foliage in the park
Dip between husband and wife
Photo next to a gum tree
Standing in the long grass in Little Para Linear Park
Molly and Ian had booked me for their South Terrace Engagement shoot a while back, but were thwarted by bad weather for a couple of weeks before we finally met up. The day we did meet up wasn’t really much better, with the temperature on the chilly side, and the heavens continually threatening to open up on us. That being the case however, Molly and Ian’s demeanor was fun and bubbly all throughout their shoot which made it a whole lot of fun!
After meeting in front of Himeji Gardens where we spent around 30 minutes taking photos within the gardens, we head over to Veal gardens just up the road where we walked a lap of the area.
Here’s a small preview of some of their photos taken on the day, and I’m looking forward to their wedding even more now at the St Francis Winery next September!
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