A wedding between the storms
10/12/13 11:45 Filed in: Wedding
In the middle of a week of dramatic storms, Jessica and John had their long-awaited wedding at Midginbil Hill in the Tweed Valley hinterland. Jess had been dreaming and picturing for months the ceremony and celebrations under the spreading Lone Fig high on the hill. But the weather was against them and heavy rain and constant thunder washed that plan away. Their friends and family rallied together to make the barn where the reception was to be held ready for the ceremony instead. Tears of disappointment, of joy, of pride, of love and of laughter - it was an emotional roller coaster of a day. What shone through to us was how much this couple adore each other and how much this wedding was a true expression of that love.
As photographers, the weather was a challenge at times and a total gift at others. We especially loved the dramatic light and bruising clouds while we were at Cram’s Farm with John and Jess on the jetty. Moments later we were safe in our cars while a tropical style deluge rained down again.
We hope you get the sense of this very special day through this selection of images:
As photographers, the weather was a challenge at times and a total gift at others. We especially loved the dramatic light and bruising clouds while we were at Cram’s Farm with John and Jess on the jetty. Moments later we were safe in our cars while a tropical style deluge rained down again.
We hope you get the sense of this very special day through this selection of images:
Dark goddesses
Last month we got together with Shanne and Jodi, two belly-dancers from Opalesque in Brisbane. This shoot had been quite a while in the planning stage and it all came together in a way that surpassed our expectations. We used a couple of locations that we’d had in mind for years. The changing light and breeze was a major driving force in what we did and led to some things we hadn’t planned - such as the flowing silks on the rock (looks like an operatic stage set to me!). We did a lot of experimenting both in the shoot and in the editing and its left us with so many ideas and so much inspiration for future work.
Under the figtree at Midginbil Hill
25/11/13 11:17 Filed in: Wedding
It’s not hard to see why the giant fig-tree at Midginbil Hill is such a popular place to hold a wedding ceremony - you are surrounded by a 360 degree panorama of the Tweed Valley, Mount Warning and the Nightcap Ranges. Last month we were there with Jessica and Angus and their families and friends, for a very sweet and heartfelt ceremony and celebration. We loved the Jessica’s mexican embroidered wedding dress, the tattooed vicar and how much everyone was blown away by the amazing views. The weather was sweet and sunny and matched the mood. Here are a few of our favourites:
A spring wedding at Mavis's Kitchen
30/09/13 14:40 Filed in: Wedding
On a sunny spring day under the watch of Mount Warning, Kathy and Rob finally tied the knot, 10 years after Rob proposed and 20 years after they first got together. The three boys who came along in the meantime had a great time running around the beautiful and very natural grounds of Mavis’s Kitchen with their cousins and friends, while Kathy and Brooke (who is one of the sweetest most supportive bridesmaids ever) got ready at the Log Cabin there. The proprietors Peter and Charlie are always warm and friendly hosts and the ceremony, the canapés and reception dinner just flowed, giving Kathy and Rob exactly the relaxing joyful celebration they’d be hoping to create. Our warm wishes to the whole family!
Pangaia goddesses at the Living Earth Festival
1st of September we were at the Living Earth Festival in Mullumbimby, celebrating the first day of Spring with the lovely ladies of Pangaia!
Pangaia is the shop and fashion label of Jacqeline Sirianni, who engaged us to photograph their roaming performances as well as do a fashion shoot highlighting their amazing outfits. They were really thrilled with what we were able to capture in a very short time. Next year, we want to go back to the festival for a closer look - the gardens were really inspiring.
Pangaia is the shop and fashion label of Jacqeline Sirianni, who engaged us to photograph their roaming performances as well as do a fashion shoot highlighting their amazing outfits. They were really thrilled with what we were able to capture in a very short time. Next year, we want to go back to the festival for a closer look - the gardens were really inspiring.
Tatiana belly-dancer
04/09/13 14:46 Filed in: Dance | Portrait Shoots
Last month we had a long anticipated photo shoot with one of our favourite belly-dancers, Tatiana, who we first met at the Wild Honey festival a few years back. We hired a hall for the evening, so that we could have a more minimal background and play with our portable flashes’ capability. Our use of high-speed sync and strobe flash certainly pushed the flashes and their batteries. Luckily Tatiana was enthusiastic and tireless as we explored what effects we could create with the interplay of her movement, her silk fans, Isis wings and beautiful costumes! We had a great time and were all more than happy with some of the resulting images:
Erin and Jace at Wollumbin Palms
28/06/13 11:18 Filed in: Wedding
Last Saturday a break in the weather allowed Erin and Jace (from down Newcastle way) to get married in the sunshine - on the second shortest day of the year. Te ceremony was simple but very moving and was followed by a short but enjoyable portrait session. Their favourite images (and ours) were taken down by the creek with that stunning afternoon glow. The venue, Wollumbin Palms, on Mount Warning Road, is the perfect venue for a private ceremony or elopement and Erin and Jace stayed on at one of the very luxurious lodges. It was the first time we’d met the celebrant, Elizabeth Lord, and she did a beautiful job! Thanks again to Phil and Casey who looked after us all.
A beautiful beach wedding at Currumbin
09/06/13 16:56 Filed in: Wedding
Nicola and Paul came all the way from Plymouth in the UK to get married on the Gold Coast with family who live here now as well as Paul’s son, Jack, and Nicola’s sister, Michelle, who also flew out for the wedding. They had their hearts set on a beach wedding at Currumbin with blue skies and white puffy clouds over the greeny-blue ocean. It was raining up until the day before the wedding so they were so thrilled that they were given everything they were hoping for and more. As photographers we loved the dramatic skies that developed just after the ceremony. They chose us as photographers for our story-telling abilities and were over-the-moon with the images as stand alone photos as well as the slideshow that we set to their chosen music. They had a beautiful lunchtime reception at the Elephant Rock Cafe - which we heartily recommend as a venue for a small wedding or for a meal any time. Hope you can feel some of the love, appreciation and joy that was flowing around on the day through the images below.
Elfyn in the Forest, Byron Bay
The other day we had a wonderful collaboration with Elfyn Love, herself a talented photographer, artist and musician. As she is more of a coastal woman these days we chose locations near Byron Bay and some of the beautiful tea-tree forest there. Elfyn’s grey-blue eyes were emphasised by the face-painting she chose for the day and the stunning blue sky. Hope you enjoy these images as much as we enjoyed capturing them.
Family portraits down in Geelong
Time to catch up on some news! Back in March we flew down to Geelong to do a series of family portrait sessions for a client. She needed a range of photos of clients from her chiropractic clinic to use on her website. The ones I’ve included here are not necessarily the ones used for that, but are some of our favourites. If you’d like to see the website or if you need a brilliant chiropractor just have a look.
An elopement at Amazing Wollumbin Palms
Just before Christmas, we photographed Lizzie and Sean’s elopement which they had at Amazing Wollumbin Palms. If you ever want a complete getaway or a very small wedding, this is the place! Even though it was raining close by, the clouds held together and we were able to catch some lovely moments at the ceremony, then down by the creek with its great stone stacks and then at Mavis’s Kitchen where Lizzie and Sean had lunch with their family. They are a lovely couple and we wish them every happiness!
