,

What You Should Do Before Picking Your Wedding Photographer

  • Bride and groom under gum tree

Picking Your Wedding Photographer

Weddings are incredible events. You’ll put on a carefully selected dress or suit. You’ll be surrounded by close family and friends. You’ll be in a place or venue that holds some special meaning for you. Everyone will enjoy the evening partying and toasting your love for you and your partner. The entire occasion will be filled with memories that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your married life.

For a day that requires so much careful planning and preparation, you definitely don’t want to forget how special it is. That’s why it’s so important to pick a capable wedding photographer as you’ll be entrusting them to immortalise your memories.

Wedding planning can be extremely stressful. You might be tempted to book someone just to check this item off your to-do list. However, your photographer will have such an intimate role in your wedding day that it pays to do some research before settling on one.

Wedding cake

What You Should Do Before Picking Your Wedding Photographer

Here are five crucial things you should do before picking your wedding photographer:

1. Figure out your expectations

If you’ve never worked with a photographer before, you should know that one photographer does not equate to another. Everyone approaches their work in a different way and using their own personal styles. Do you prefer more candid photos? Do you want to achieve a certain look? If you’re not clear about what you want, it’ll be hard task picking your wedding photographer.

Try and find a photographer that utilises a style and has demonstrated the ability to form your vision of your wedding photography, and try to stay away from ‘directing’ them too much with requests that may not be a part of the photographer’s usual way of doing things. If you do their work will probably not what you’d expect.

Paxton winery wedding from the air

2. Ask for a referral or two

A good photographer will have many happy clients. Some may have worked at your family or friend’s wedding. A trusted contact will give you an honest review about how they felt about a photographer’s services and if they were able to meet or exceed their expectations.

Reading reviews online help too – but make sure you know what you are reading. Reviews on Google and Facebook can be faked (but not always) and other reviews like those collected by ABIA tend to be more accurate as each review is vetted by a committee.

laughing

3. Review albums and portfolios

Photographers will publish their portfolio and recent work online. If they haven’t, you can definitely ask for one. Each photographer has their own style and technique. Check if their previous work aligns with your taste.

When you meet, try and make a point of viewing an entire wedding album – one they have presented to previous clients as completed work. That way you get a better understanding of the quality of their work, and not just the ‘hero’ shots they might publish online.

They are the ones behind the lens, and they’ll be interpreting the event through their own eyes. If you aren’t a fan a photographer’s work style, it’s best to take them off your shortlist.

Digital Deluxe Album

4. Meet with your shortlist in person

Photography is a highly personal and creative undertaking. You’ll be able to tell more about the person by meeting them face to face. Ask about their work ethic and how they can work discreetly but efficiently. A friendly, approachable, and—most of all—professional photographer will put you and your guests at ease and create a good atmosphere for making memories.

grooms first look

5. Evaluate packages

Ultimately, you’ll need to find someone who falls within your budget. Give yourself time to find options. Some wedding photographers offer engagement shoots and additional services like video montages.

The wedding will only last a day, but the photos will last a lifetime. If you don’t set about picking your wedding photographer carefully, you won’t be able to do a do-over. However, if you’ve done your homework well, you’ll be able to find someone who will help you capture the day’s moments as authentically as possible and give you photos that you’ll be happy to look back on for years to come.

We offer professional wedding photography services in Adelaide and all over Australia. Get in contact, and let us know how we can help you capture your special day!

Semaphore Beach Sunset
,

St Helens Park Wedding – Nikki & Toby

  • Nikki & Toby

    St Helen’s Park Wedding

    Bride and groom holding one another in St Helens Park

I was so happy to cover Nikki and Toby’s lovely St Helens Park wedding in Prospect, North Adelaide. Their original plan when they asked me to photograph their wedding was to hold a small, breakfast wedding later in the year, only to have it change to the beginning of the year, but then COVID hit. So their little St Helens Park wedding, or rather elopement at the end of July ended up being their big day, and I was super happy for them 🙂

St Helens Park Wedding Ceremony

The plan was to meet at the gazebo at the center of the St Helens Park and sort out where the hold the wedding ceremony. One option was the gazebo itself, while I actually suggested the rather neat old tree nearby to stand in front of. It was a pretty neat spot as the sun was shining through the foliage quite nicely while Nikki and Toby shared their vows.

Nikki and Toby’s congregation was as tiny as possible, consisting only of themselves, their celebrant and a family of friends who acted as their witnesses. They opted to hold their tiny wedding due to the complexity of holding a slightly larger wedding during the height of COVID-19 restirctions. I often think these tiny weddings are much more intimate anyway!

Wedding ceremony at St Helens park
Sun through the tree
Happy bride in Prospect
Smiling bride looking at her groom
Smiling groom looking at his bride
Wedding ceremony under the tree
Wedding ceremony bathed in sunlight
Exchanging wedding bands under the tree
St Helens Park wedding ceremony
First kiss under the tree at St Helens Park
Looking at her bouquet

St Helens Park Wedding Photoshoot

In the early days of Prospect city, the area was a private subdivision of Yatala, which intersected at the village centre, which is now st Helens Park. The center piece of this historic park is a very neat old tree which is perfect for climbing and using as a framing device for wedding photos!

After the wedding ceremony, we went for a little walk around the Park, starting at the awesome tree right behind where they held their ceremony, and did a big lap of the area. We made use of the nice trees and nearby playground before finishing up back on top of the tree where they were married next to the gazebo.

Bride and groom holding one another in St Helens Park
Bride and groom together amongst the green
In amongst the trees at St Helens park
Wedding bands on the tree
Bride and grrom on their St Helens Park wedding day
Bride and groom together in the tree at St Helens Park
Walking together on the grass
Bride and grrom holding one another 2
St Helens Park wedding 2
Bride and groom looking at camera 2
Bride and groom having fun under a tree
St Helens Park wedding photo
St Helens Park wedding photo of the bride and groom
On top of the tree at St Helens Park

Thanks so much Nikki and Toby for having me as your Adelaide based wedding photographer! I had a blast and I hope you enjoy your photos.

,

Thorngrove Manor Wedding – Darren & Nahal

  • Darren & Nahal

    Thorngrove Manor Wedding

    Bridal couple just married in the garden

I was super excited to head back to the picturesque Thorngrove Manor for Darren and Nahal’s intimate wedding in mid July as I hadn’t been back this marvellous spot for several years! It’s quite a rare thing to shoot a Thorngrove Manor wedding as the owners tend to like to keep the number of people on their property to a minimum – which is fair enough considering how amazing this place is!

It was a magical time Darren, Nahal and I had walking around this gem of a spot for their small, intimate wedding/elopement!

 

Preparation

My time with Darren and Nahal began with Nahal in amongst the stone-hewn chambers of the bed and breakfast’s Queen chamber of the Manor where Nahal was completing her makeup. While nerves weren’t showing too much just yet, as time drew nearer to make the walk through the garden towards her fiance, it became a bit more of a thing.

Darren and Nahal certainly made their whole tiny wedding quite an easy wedding to photograph though! With two very good looking people and a stunning location like Thorngrove Manor, it’s certainly one to show off!

Hanging Thorngrove Manor wedding dress
Wedding dress hanging in Thorngrove Manor
Engagement ring in box
Bride looking out window at Thorngrove Manor
Bride playing with bouquet at Thorngrove Manor
Bridal approach at her Thorngrove Manor wedding

Thorngrove Manor Wedding Ceremony

Where else to hold a Thorngrove Manor wedding ceremony but right in front of the majestic view that is the driveway leading to the front door of this marvellous house? Nahal walked swiftly the the waiting arms of her finance and their intimate little wedding ceremony began.

Perhaps I should refer to their wedding as an ‘elopement’ as due to the unfortunate events unfolding in the world at the moment due to COVID-19, Darren and Nahal opted to have in attendance only their suppliers – Nahal’s makeup artist, their celebrant and myself, while having the owners of the Thorngrove Manor bed and breakfast act as their witnesses. It was only due to the fact that they were staying the night that they were allowed to use the grounds for their ceremony.

Darren and Nahal had me also produce a ceremony video for them, alongside my usual 360 degree virtual reality video I produce so that their friends and family can relive their precious moment.

Groom watching his bride approach
Smiling groom during his ceremony
Smiling bride on her wedding day
Exchanging wedding bands
Groom looking at his bride
Thorngrove Manor wedding ceremony
Standing together in the sunlight
First kiss at Thorngrove Manor wedding ceremony

Thorngrove Manor Wedding Photos

As their wedding ceremony took place at 4pm, we had around 1 hour to meander around the Thorngrove Manor grounds and make use of it’s manicured beauty for photos. As I had shot here in the past I knew what would and would not work so I devised a little itinerary of where we should go and when.

Despite having forecast to be overcast and rather dreary, the weather was absoutely delightful for Darren and Nahal’s photoshoot. The sun was shining and made for a lovely golden glow through the trees. We did however wait until the sun was a little lower before we took some ‘money shots’ of the Manor’s main keep in the background as it tends to really shine bright in the sun.

I can certainly spend hours using the manor as a backdrop for wedding photos, but unfortunately all good things have to come to an end!

Before I left, Darren and Nahl were sitting down for a lovely looking home-cooked meal, surrounded by the medieval splendor that only Thorngrove Manor can put on show! It looked to be a supurbly romantic evening!

bride and groom looking on as the registry is signed
Bride and groom looing at each other bathed in light
Engagement ring in red bouquet
Wedding rings on slab
bridal couple in amongst the gardens
Bridal couple just married in the garden
Bridal couple holding one another surrounded by greenery
Thorngrove Manor bed and breakfast wedding couple
having some fun at Thorngrove Manor together
in front of the interesting architecture at Thorngrove Manor
Thorngrove Manor wedding couple
Thorngrove Manor wedding couple in front of front door
Thorngrove Manor Portrait
Leaning in for a kiss at Thorngrove Manor
Stained glass windows at Thorngrove Manor
Through the harp at Thorngrove Manor
Thorngrove Manor
Thorngrove Manor wedding photography
bridal couple under the arch
Bridal couple holding one another
Bridal couple on the balcony together
Thorngrove Manor’s main tower
Bridal couple enjoying Thorngrove Manor
Thorngrove Manor wedding at sunset
Bride and groom in the Thorngrove Manor chambers

Congratulations to Darren and Nahl on their wonderful Thorngrove manor wedding / elopement! I’d like to thank you guys so much for having me as your wedding photographer as I had an absolute blast!

, ,

Our Tips For Taking Keepsake Family Photos


Taking Keepsake Family Photos

Nowadays, almost everyone’s phone is equipped with a decent camera. People take photos of one another and of themselves at any old time of the day. Candid photos are nice to browse through every now and then. However, having proper family portraits taken by a professional are excellent keepsakes that you can look back on and pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Top Tips for Taking Beautiful Keepsake Family Photos

If you want to capture milestones, take advantage of loved ones being in the same location, or you simply want to immortalize the present moment for future generations, here are few tips you can use to create beautiful family photos:

Hadley and her family

Dress using a similar theme

One way to elevate your family photos from the ordinary candid shots to encourage everyone to dress up a little more than usual. Decide on a color palette that you can all agree on. Be careful to choose muted, non-distracting colors that will flatter everyone’s skin tones. You don’t need to dress up in costumes or wacky attire, but rather give everyone some loose guidelines like wearing denim, or outfits in predominantly cream or light blue colors.

Family photographer Adelaide

 

Keep It Natural for Timeless Keepsake Family Photos

You and your family’s future generations will look back on your photos and will want to know all about you. Make it a point to look like yourselves, wearing your usual style of clothing and only a light layer of makeup. Avoid trying a new hairstyle in the week or a few days prior to your portrait session. You might end up with something you regret, and the way you look in that moment will be immortalized forever.

Little Family 🙂

Choose a Right Photographer for Your Keepsake Family Photos

Professionals experienced in taking family photos will put you and your group at ease during your photography session. You may want to choose someone who has experience working with very small children, so they know how to get a good shot even with a fidgety baby in the group. The right kind of photographer will also be able to calm your nerves and elicit laughs and smiles from everyone in the group during the shoot. Be sure to have a chat with your photographer before you agree on services so you can see if they are the right fit for you.

Fussing family

Adding Depth: Using Levels in Family Photos

Make the photo visually interesting by providing a set-up that has two to three “levels’ all the participants can take turns shifting around on. Put a lower layer, with young children sitting on the floor or grass. Seated in the middle, you can have the head of the family, parents, or any grandparents holding infants. Finally, your top layer can consist of older children and adults standing around the rest of the family.

Duncan Family

Include those who can’t be there

If you have loved ones who can’t be physically present for the photo, there are still ways you can include them in the portrait.

For family members who have passed away, some people like to hold on to a framed photo of them, or even photoshop them in. Others wear a special dress, hat, or accessory that represents their family member. Even if they aren’t present to pose for the photo with you, there are still ways you can pay tribute to them and make them feel they are part of the memory.

If you are wondering when the best time for family photography is, the answer is: right now. Your children will grow up in a flash, your parents are advancing in age, and commitments may take you or your loved ones far and away from each other. Don’t worry about picking out fancy outfits or posing in front of a fanciful set. Find the right photographer and take your portraits now, so you can keep your memories for a lifetime.

Are you looking for family photography services in Adelaide? We’d be happy to help you capture your family’s special moments. Contact us to learn more and have a chat!

 

 

, ,

4 Things Wedding Photographers Should Always Prepare For

  • Wedding rings on shoes

 

Wedding Day Preparations Every Photographer Should Make

Wedding photography is entirely different from studio photography. At a wedding, you can’t tell your bride and groom to redo their poses if you messed up your shot. You’re dealing with live moments, and you need to act fast.

A good wedding photographer knows how to adapt to any situation, and they know what to do when something goes wrong with their initial plan. This is a list of a few things that wedding photographers should always prepare for, but it isnt a list of common sense items like extra batteries or a second or third camera body as backups.

This is more of a list of things wedding photographers should prepare for that you might not have thought of yet.

4 Things Wedding Photographers Should Always Prepare For

  1. Outdoor photoshoot using natural lighting

As a wedding photographer, you should know when is the best time to do outdoor wedding photoshoots. Taking outdoor photos is more complicated than staying indoors as you will never know how much light or how good or bad the weather is on the day of the wedding.

I always hope for a little bit of cloud cover making the outdoors closer to being inside, but when it’s super sunny – as it so often is in Australia – I like to use the shade a lot.

Most non-photographers don’t know that taking photos at noon is not ideal since the sunlight is very bright and harsh. Unlike during the golden hour, the light is more flattering for the couples. If you can, talk to the bridal couple beforehand and request to take the photoshoot at a specified time of the day.

To help you out, here is a detailed comparison between midday and golden hour that you can share with your client:

Midday – the sun’s peak

  • Shadow is not flattering to the body
  • Creates shadows in the surroundings
  • Overhead light creates a strong shadow on the face
  • Hot temperature leads to sweaty and shiny skin
  • Light is strong and harsh, making the couple squint
  • Overall: awkward, over-exposed, and unflattering images

Golden Hour – one to two hours before sunset

  • Soft light keeps the face free of harsh shadows
  • Lower temperature relaxes the couple
  • Less intense sky is flattering to the face and body
  • Warmer tone light creates an intimate and romantic look
  • Overall: relaxed, flattering, and romantic images
Inglewood Inn wedding photo at the cottage
  1. Bad weather conditions

Weather is unpredictable, so you must always anticipate possible scenarios. Having a back-up plan for bad weather is one of the things wedding photographers should always prepare for. It is crucial that you know how to shoot in all weather and are prepared to get a bit wet sometimes.

Here are some things that you should have, in case of unwanted weather disasters:

During warm seasons

  • It’s going to be bright outside so try using an ND filter to keep your depth of field soft
  • If you have an assistant, carry a reflector to direct some light to the harsh shadows
  • A drink bottle to hydrate!

During colder seasons

  • Lighting equipment for dimmer locations
  • Bring umbrellas for the birde and groom and possibly your camera
  • Extra batteries as the cold weather drain the battery faster – but you should be doing that anyway.
Lightning
  1. Camera angles

Before the ceremony begins, make sure to check on the location regardless of whether it is outdoors or indoors. Assess the place and see what position captures a good shot of the bride’s entrance, the taking of vows, the wedding kiss, and other highlights of the ceremony.

Also, consider the lighting in the area, where is the best place to get a shot of the faces of the bride and groom, etc? Plan out how you will move around the place while the ceremony is on-going. If you have a team with you, it will help if you assign designated areas to each photographer.

Burbrook forest wedding tree
  1. Use of fill-flash

Fill-flash can also be used outdoors while the sun is up. Typically, a wedding photographer would not recommend a shoot at midday, as this creates sharp shadows in the face. However, the light from the flash will help fill out the under-eye shadows of the bride and groom. It also helps balance images that have backlighting.

As a wedding photographer, you should know when to use fill-flash to balance out the light to your images. It is not always necessary, in fact I try not to use it during the day as much as possible, but it is better to equip yourself with knowledge and proper gear in case it is needed.

Under a weeping willow

Wedding photography is a hard task because you are dealing with real-life events. If you messed up or missed a good moment, you will never get a chance to capture it again. Thus, wedding photographers are skilled and experienced professionals that anticipate every scenario to make sure that everything is in their control.

Hopefully this list of things wedding photographers should always prepare for has alerted you to some of the things you may not have thought of yet before heading out to shoot a wedding. I’ve tried to include points that arent in other, similar lists, so hopefully it was some help 🙂

If you or you know someone who is looking for an Adelaide-based wedding photographer, contact us at SvenStudios today – we can help capture precious and intimate moments on wedding days!